In the old censuses here in Chautauqua Co, Western NY State, I have seen the term "defective" Also in another place, a young woman hired girl was called "Harlot". She nursed the wife thru terminal illness and then she and the widower raised a large family together, just never bothered to travel to get married. They were happy the way things were so more power to them.....E T ..... ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 2:33 PM Subject: Re: [BS-L] "idiot" children? > In a message dated 8/19/2002 11:07:33 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > > > "idiot" children??? Never heard of it referred to that way, do you mean > > Mentally Retarded? > > Robin > > > > Idiot is an old term for Mentally disabled persons, also used was "simple". > > Autiistic children which have abnormal abilitoies are called "Idiot Savant", > My son is one. Idiot refers to the inability to cope with teh normal social > aspects of life, Savant means what it looks like "Saved". (Save can also > mean "except".) > > Idiot Savant literally means " an idiot except" and usually teh thing that > the person is exceptional at is shown. Normally functioning people who > have exceptional (note the context of EXCEPT) (savant) abilities are called > PRODIGIES. > > > > > Jeffery G. Scism, IBSSG, (<A HREF="http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com">http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com</A>) > ~~ > If the AOL experience is so wonderful, how come their LOGO is a picture of a > hurricane in the Bermuda Triangle? > > ______________________________