"Aspie"

[Cosmophylla]

I think people-first language is a nice, well-meant concept but completely impractical in application. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/People-first_language

From the above link to Wikipedia: "The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis is the basis for ideologically motivated linguistic prescriptivism. The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis states that language use significantly shapes perceptions of the world and forms ideological preconceptions.

In the case of people-first language, preconceptions judged to be negative allegedly arise from placing the name of the condition before the term "person" or "people". Proponents of people-first language argue that this places an undue focus on the condition which distracts from the humanity of the members of the community of people with the condition."

Also some articulate criticisms on the above page... Here is just one: "Autism activist Jim Sinclair rejects person-first language, on the grounds that saying "person with autism" suggests that autism can be separated from the person.[12] "

And nor should you feel that way as a member of a site where "aspie" is part of the site name.

Maybe, but the title of this site is kind of irrelevant to me. It could be Asperger Central, or Autism Central, or World of Autism, or The Home of People with Autism, or something along those lines. I could even suggest that it could be called The Restaurant at the End of the Internet as ancusmitis has dubbed it, and it would still be same welcoming space for us all. The title of the site doesn't really define its members as much as the content does. The title could define the site itself to a point, or within a context... Just as "Aspie", mother, woman, Trekkie, student, gardener, environmentalist and grump all define me to a point, within certain contexts.

Would it be a good idea if those who could prove that they meet the diagnostic criteria were exempt from the requirement to use person first language when describing their own diagnosis?

Are you asking me? I don't know. But I do think that if I want to talk about MYSELF I can use whatever bloody words I like. I can do that as I'm not in a position of authority (aside from being Official Corrupter of my Kids' Minds, hehe ).

 

[zurb]

For the record Tony Attwood is an NT, and has never claimed he coined it.
And if I understand correctly, Brent is an NT too.
Attwood implies it was Liane Holliday Willey who coined the term in her book. Whether it was the first use, I don't know. I haven't researched its origin or earliest use.
Rudy Simone uses the term aspergirl. Since reading her book, you'll see I also sometimes use aspergirl or asperguy.

 

[Myrtonos]

...the title of this site is kind of irrelevant to me. It could be Asperger Central, or Autism Central, or World of Autism, or The Home of People with Autism, or something along those lines. I could even suggest that it could be called The Restaurant at the End of the Internet as ancusmitis has dubbed it, and it would still be same welcoming space for us all. The title of the site doesn't really define its members as much as the content does. The title could define the site itself to a point, or within a context... Just as "Aspie", mother, woman, Trekkie, student, gardener, environmentalist and grump all define me to a point, within certain contexts.

Well, maybe the content defines its members more than the title, as hardly any of it is part of the site's name, but "aspie" being part of the name makes it more of a welcoming space for those who don't dislike the term than for those who do. If it were Asperger Central, that would not be the case, it might be even be the other way round. If it were The Home of People with Autism, that might deter those who don't like person-first language.

Are you asking me? I don't know. But I do think that if I want to talk about MYSELF I can use whatever bloody words I like. I can do that as I'm not in a position of authority (aside from being Official Corrupter of my Kids' Minds, hehe ).

I know you can use whatever words you like. I know you aren't in the position of authority, but would any of you members reading this like it if diagnosees in the postition of authority were exempt from a requirement to use person-first lanuage when describing their own diagnosees?

For the record Tony Attwood is an NT, and has never claimed he coined it.
He implies it was Liane Holliday Willey who coined the term in her book. Whether it was the first use, I don't know. I haven't researched its origin or earliest use.

I know Tony Attwood is not on the spectrum, and I certainly didn't think he claimed to coin it.

 

[Sully]

Dr. Liane Holliday Willey seems to have coined the term in her autobiography Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome (1999). She claims to have coined it. Dr. Attwood also says she coined it. She also owns the Aspie.com domain which was registered in 2000. Both doctors have been involved in Asperger's Syndrome research for a long time and are highly respected. I did several types of historical searches of magazine and newspaper articles through my library's online resources. I didn't find any earlier uses (with that meaning), any claims that anyone else coined it, or any dispute that she coined it. I might contact a lexicographer who has many more resources available to find word origins, but I think the evidence so far is fairly solid.

 

[Myrtonos]

Is there any evidence that Tony ever thought that "aspie" was offensive? It not, it seems likely that Liane was the one who introduced him to the term. He has since introduced many others to the term. Apparently, his way of looking at being aspie is very welcoming, he even reportedly says "Congratulations you're an aspie!" to those who get diagnosed.

 

[tree]

Dr. Liane Holliday Willey seems to have coined the term in her autobiography Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome (1999). She claims to have coined it. Dr. Attwood also says she coined it. She also owns the Aspie.com domain which was registered in 2000. Both doctors have been involved in Asperger's Syndrome research for a long time and are highly respected. I did several types of historical searches of magazine and newspaper articles through my library's online resources. I didn't find any earlier uses (with that meaning), any claims that anyone else coined it, or any dispute that she coined it. I might contact a lexicographer who has many more resources available to find word origins, but I think the evidence so far is fairly solid.

That's the book I read.
It wasn't as outstandingly interesting or useful to me
as the others I was reading at the time, by Donna Williams
and Temple Grandin. Those I took notes from.

Thanks for finding & posting that.
I just didn't remember.

 

[paloftoon]

I get the sense that "aspie" can be offensive depending on the context of the discussion. Generally speaking, if the speakers truly understand the meaning of the word, then I would say no. I don't feel the word was meant to have such connotations to offend, but there are also a lot of people including many celebrities who truly don't understand the broad degrees and variations of the autism spectrum.

 

[Gayda Collins]

Though I still use the word 'aspie,' I suspect it's no longer accepted since Asperger's syndrome isn't in the newly-released DSM-V. Today, A.S. is one of several autism spectrum disorders instead. The DSM-IV recognized A.S. Is there a newer replacement term? Thanks.

 

[Knit Hat]

I've heard it used in both contexts. I personally don't normally use the term, but I've never been offended by it.

 

[Myrtonos]

Though I still use the word 'aspie,' I suspect it's no longer accepted since Asperger's syndrome isn't in the newly-released DSM-V. Today, A.S. is one of several autism spectrum disorders instead. The DSM-IV recognized A.S. Is there a newer replacement term? Thanks.

No replacement term is needed. Just refer to the older DSM.

By the way, while many may be required by law or damage control to use the words they are told to use when teaching or being in the limelight, it seems that they don't have to permanently change the way they speak.

 

[peoplesrjames]

I first heard it when my roommate was doing research on it and he said the common term is Aspie. I don't mind it. Kind of makes me feel like I'm part of a community.

One time, I was at an aspie meetup and this one guy said he hated it when NT's use it and looked at me and my roommate(both black) and said, would you like it if I called you both the N-word? Kind of a bad comparison, but I see where he was going with it.

 

[Linika Par]

I first heard it in the Australian Film "Mary and Max", where a man use it to describe himself. I never considered it to be offensive, and the film is great!

 

[Crossbreed]

It is a colloquialism and is used by people on both sides of the fence.

 

[Dee317]

I prefer Aspie, I also like Aspergian as a people. My tribe, lol!

 

[AspiePie]

It was used by two people beating me in what was supposedly therapy....

 

[paloftoon]

I can't vote on this poll because there is no "other." In my case, I have used the word "aspie", and I certainly think that depending on the context of the situation, it can be offensive. It's a bit like using the n-word, except that the n-word is even that much more extreme. People generally of African-American descent can say the n-word to each other, but generally speaking, a person of non-African American descent cannot freely use this word. There are always exceptions and always context to consider. "aspie" has been more of a middle ground for being offensive or not rather than having much more of a leaning toward offensive like using the n-word or leaning toward non-offensive.

 

[Sass]

I prefer not to use it, as when I was diagnosed it wasn't part of that. So I'm autistic. My son was diagnosed before me, under the old DSM, and was also autistic, not aspie. The only time I get annoyed with people using it is when people refer to my son as an aspie, purely because they think that as a happy, healthy kid without the obvious flags for 'issues' they expect an autistic kid to have, they assume he's an 'aspie'. It's a kind of superiority thing when used that way, I think, which downplays the struggles of some and the strengths of others, all based on how well they appear to function.

At the end of the day, the individual decides how to describe their own identity, be it aspie, 'with autism', or autistic. But no-one else gets to decide that for them. I prefer autistic, even though my psych told me that I would have been classed as an aspie, purely because Aspergers is part of autism, and so the only reason (for me) that a distinction would need to be made would be to make others feel more comfortable.

 

[StephF]

Though I still use the word 'aspie,' I suspect it's no longer accepted since Asperger's syndrome isn't in the newly-released DSM-V.

Where I live (SW UK) the nhs trust that deals with Autism Spectrum Disorders they don't use the DSM-V. They have chosen to adopt the ICD-10 which still retains Asperger's Syndrome as a disorder.

 

[Tom]

I doubt any one person can say they coined the phrase 'Aspie'. As soon as the term Aspergers came into usage, shortened forms would automatically pop into many minds and come out of many mouths independantly. At most a person might claim to be the first to put it into print or perhaps popularize the term.

So Dr. Liane Holliday Willey's claims to have coined the term and any attempt by her to 'own' it are to me ridiculous.

That would be like someone trying to say they coined 'Joey'.

I use it, incorrectly, in a general way for any HFA person, myself included. I still remember making the choice. It was not that long ago. It was purely on preferring the way it sounds to other options. 'Aspie' is different enough to stand off a bit from Aspergers or any other medically sounding term. Good thing it wasn't discovered by Dr. Melchior von Winkleheimer or someone like that.

 

[zurb]

Who coined it is somewhat moot. As Tom said, people always shorten words, and someone was bound to do it. Who was first doesn't really matter.
Getting back to the OP's question, the '...ie' shortening in English tends to be informal and friendly. I could be wrong, but generally unfriendly shortenings tend to have a harder final sound.