Timeline for Can the word "special" have a negative connotation?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
7 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 6, 2016 at 0:32 | comment | added | Cerberus - Reinstate Monica | @Scott: I'm not sure why you say "compliment". But I don't see why any word can't become widely used (although I think a great number of people object to this "special")? Cf. nice. At any rate, institutions often adopt words that are already used by people, and people somehow love taboo language that requires euphemisms. So the treadmill rolls on. Besides, large organisations are not exactly known for the quality of their language. | |
| Mar 5, 2016 at 23:51 | comment | added | Scott - Слава Україні | @Cerberus: There will always be euphemisms, and there will always be words that are used to mean their opposite — for example, "Good job!" or "Well, that was really clever," said in a sarcastic tone of voice, will readily be recognized as insults (as appropriate). But the word "special" has been institutionalized to mean handicapped/disabled by the Special Olympics and terms like special education. I don't expect any other compliment to become widely recognized as pejorative without similar institutional help. | |
| Jul 29, 2011 at 7:33 | vote | accept | Urbycoz | ||
| Jul 28, 2011 at 14:07 | comment | added | Monica Cellio | Unique is good, but exceptional, extraordinary, and amazing just fuel the euphemism problem by taking words that are usually positive-only and applying them diffeently. Every person is unique and you can talk to kids about that, but, sorry, not every person is exceptional or amazing. | |
| Jul 28, 2011 at 7:31 | comment | added | Urbycoz | Temporary relief is the best we can hope for. | |
| Jul 27, 2011 at 15:53 | comment | added | Cerberus - Reinstate Monica | But that would give only temporary relief: the great treadmill of euphemisms will keep on rolling until your new euphemism has become an insult, etc. etc. | |
| Jul 27, 2011 at 7:48 | history | answered | user10893 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |