Talk:Midget: Difference between revisions
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I think this article is probably incomplete. It shows only one instance in which "midget" is used in a non-pejorative way, but I've encountered others. Trouble is, I can't track down references, because most of the time it was the term "midget" in fiction, used factually to refer to dwarfism with proportionately smaller body instead of simply shorter limbs, and I pretty much suck at remembering titles and authors. I think we could probably say that when the term "midget" is used in this way (as a synonym for "proportionate dwarfism"), it is usually non-pejorative. There are also a good many older instances from before "midget" became an insult to begin with, including people with dwarfism referring to themselves that way. Unfortunately, I can't edit because I don't have references, so hopefully somebody sees this who has more information than I do.[[Special:Contributions/65.185.154.183|65.185.154.183]] ([[User talk:65.185.154.183|talk]]) 19:40, 17 May 2013 (UTC) |
I think this article is probably incomplete. It shows only one instance in which "midget" is used in a non-pejorative way, but I've encountered others. Trouble is, I can't track down references, because most of the time it was the term "midget" in fiction, used factually to refer to dwarfism with proportionately smaller body instead of simply shorter limbs, and I pretty much suck at remembering titles and authors. I think we could probably say that when the term "midget" is used in this way (as a synonym for "proportionate dwarfism"), it is usually non-pejorative. There are also a good many older instances from before "midget" became an insult to begin with, including people with dwarfism referring to themselves that way. Unfortunately, I can't edit because I don't have references, so hopefully somebody sees this who has more information than I do.[[Special:Contributions/65.185.154.183|65.185.154.183]] ([[User talk:65.185.154.183|talk]]) 19:40, 17 May 2013 (UTC) |
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:[[WP:RS|we go by what the reliably published sources ''about'' the subject say]], not [[WP:OR|coming up with our own conclusions]] based on how we see the term used in [[WP:PSTS|a primary source document such as a novel]]. -- [[User talk:TheRedPenOfDoom|<span style="color:red;;;">TRPoD <small>aka The Red Pen of Doom</small></span>]] 19:45, 17 May 2013 (UTC) |
:[[WP:RS|we go by what the reliably published sources ''about'' the subject say]], not [[WP:OR|coming up with our own conclusions]] based on how we see the term used in [[WP:PSTS|a primary source document such as a novel]]. -- [[User talk:TheRedPenOfDoom|<span style="color:red;;;">TRPoD <small>aka The Red Pen of Doom</small></span>]] 19:45, 17 May 2013 (UTC) |
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The opening sentence, that the term midget "is widely consisidered pejorative", is unsupported by the current references. First of all, most of the references don't even mention the word "midget". Secondly, the word "pejorative" implies (intentional) hostility or contempt (Wikipedia's current definition). At best the term "offensive", which allows for unintentional harm, should be substituted, but it remains to be shown (through references) that the vast majority of people are aware of the term's offensive nature. [[Special:Contributions/99.88.5.242|99.88.5.242]] ([[User talk:99.88.5.242|talk]]) 10:22, 21 December 2013 (UTC) |
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Revision as of 10:22, 21 December 2013
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Stale discussions relating to an old version of the article have been archived to Talk:Midget/Archive 1. -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 02:52, 2 April 2013 (UTC)
I think this article is probably incomplete. It shows only one instance in which "midget" is used in a non-pejorative way, but I've encountered others. Trouble is, I can't track down references, because most of the time it was the term "midget" in fiction, used factually to refer to dwarfism with proportionately smaller body instead of simply shorter limbs, and I pretty much suck at remembering titles and authors. I think we could probably say that when the term "midget" is used in this way (as a synonym for "proportionate dwarfism"), it is usually non-pejorative. There are also a good many older instances from before "midget" became an insult to begin with, including people with dwarfism referring to themselves that way. Unfortunately, I can't edit because I don't have references, so hopefully somebody sees this who has more information than I do.65.185.154.183 (talk) 19:40, 17 May 2013 (UTC)
- we go by what the reliably published sources about the subject say, not coming up with our own conclusions based on how we see the term used in a primary source document such as a novel. -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 19:45, 17 May 2013 (UTC)
The opening sentence, that the term midget "is widely consisidered pejorative", is unsupported by the current references. First of all, most of the references don't even mention the word "midget". Secondly, the word "pejorative" implies (intentional) hostility or contempt (Wikipedia's current definition). At best the term "offensive", which allows for unintentional harm, should be substituted, but it remains to be shown (through references) that the vast majority of people are aware of the term's offensive nature. 99.88.5.242 (talk) 10:22, 21 December 2013 (UTC)