The term "Mong"

Author
Discussion

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
I don't find many things offensive, irritating yes.

Just because someone uses a particular word, mong in this case, doesn't mean the person hates people who have Down Syndrome. And so on.

GOG440

9,247 posts

189 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Morningside said:
GOG440 said:
onyx39 said:
Indeed, I was really rather shocked when I found out what a "berk" was...

eek
yikes
Never knew that.
And shockingly it was used on Only Fools and Horses. As was the word 'Div'.

Div. Thats an odd one. Wonder where that came from.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=div

Morningside

24,110 posts

228 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
^^^ Oh, interesting. Never knew that.


I always wonder if The Spastics Society changed its name to Scope due to the negative nature of the word.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
BrabusMog said:
This is a wild guess, but I'd say they call themselves "Mongolians"

Riff Raff

5,086 posts

194 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Morningside said:
^^^ Oh, interesting. Never knew that.


I always wonder if The Spastics Society changed its name to Scope due to the negative nature of the word.
I'm old enough to remember when the word didn't actually have a negative connotation. That sort of developed over the years, which is why I suppose the Society then changed its name.

It's the opposite of Mong in a way. When I was a kid, that was very pejorative, but over the years I think that many would say it's become less offensive as it has passed into more common usage.

Asterix

24,438 posts

227 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
The urban dictionary is quite amusing - 'Mong' = 'A total spastic'

badgers_back

513 posts

185 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Chuck the term around the Porsche forum here see if he bites.....

Lefty

16,131 posts

201 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
GOG440 said:
onyx39 said:
Indeed, I was really rather shocked when I found out what a "berk" was...

eek
yikes
Never knew that.
Indeed, i had to google it!

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
One of my late aunts had Downes.

I have trouble with the English language being constantly revised at the behest of the professionally offended due to their ever changing sensibilities and perception (correct or otherwise) as to the origin or meaning of a word. Not to mention their vicarious indignation which may not be felt by 99.999% of those who are actually being referenced.

I know many who would tell you that if they were calling someone a Joey would tell you that the are either meaning they act like a young kangaroo or they are comparing their intellectual capacity/actions to the character in Friends. They would have no idea who Mr Deacon was/is.

I wouldn't worry though as by the time they have finished it will be an offence to call someone a dizzy blonde or a fat slob. Most amusing for me as I would find the 'correct' language far more offensive if on the receiving end.

onyx39

11,109 posts

149 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Morningside said:
^^^ Oh, interesting. Never knew that.


I always wonder if The Spastics Society changed its name to Scope due to the negative nature of the word.
I'm pretty sure I remember reading at the time, that was exactly what happened.

badgers_back

513 posts

185 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
onyx39 said:
Morningside said:
^^^ Oh, interesting. Never knew that.


I always wonder if The Spastics Society changed its name to Scope due to the negative nature of the word.
I'm pretty sure I remember reading at the time, that was exactly what happened.
And in changing their name we got a new term...


Scopie

Jer_1974

1,497 posts

192 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
From Wikipedia
In 1981, the last year of his life, Joey Deacon was featured on the children's magazine programme Blue Peter for the International Year of the Disabled. He was presented as an example of a man who achieved a lot in spite of his disabilities. Despite the sensitive way in which Blue Peter covered his life, the impact was not as intended. The sights and sounds of Deacon's distinctive speech and movements had a lasting impact on young viewers, who quickly learned to imitate them. His name and mannerisms quickly became a label of ridicule in school playgrounds across the country. laugh

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
I am of that generation. We thought it was hilarious. Kids are little bds.

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
I remember 'try and touch your left elbow with your left hand and your right ear with your tongue', not sure how widespread it was...biggrin

onyx39

11,109 posts

149 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
otolith said:
I am of that generation. We thought it was hilarious. Kids are little bds.
I had a school friend with the surname Deane, that we changed to "Deacon".
I seem to recall he took it rather badly...

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
onyx39 said:
Indeed, I was really rather shocked when I found out what a "berk" was...

eek
I'll have to use it a little more often now!

FredClogs

14,041 posts

160 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Guys, 2009 have called, they want their conversation back.

Don't say mong if you don't want to be thought of as a spacca - isn't that clear enough?

wildcat45

Original Poster:

8,056 posts

188 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all

I was somewhere recently where a footballers wife type woman had called her little boy Deacion. She kept calling him, which made me smile. Kept it to myself though and felt really bad.

So, because there is rarely bad intent behind the term, can I take it that in general Mong is no longer offensive? Just a modern use of an archaic term?

VinceFox

20,566 posts

171 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
find it a little offensive personally, but i guess that's for me to deal with.

Gaspode

4,167 posts

195 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Lefty said:
Indeed, i had to google it!
I remain skeptical of this claimed origin. The "Berkeley Hunt", is pronounced "Barkley". The only Berkeley that is pronounced like berk is in California, and I'm pretty sure that's not where Cockney Rhyming Slang originates.

As for the use of the term "Mong" - yes, of course it's highly offensive, like "Flid". Ignorance of origin is no excuse.