sped = special ed

[Joel S. Berson]

At 7/1/2010 10:03 AM, Amy West wrote:
>On 7/1/10 12:00 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
>>Date:    Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:36:54 -0400
>>From:    Neal Whitman<nwhitman at AMERITECH.NET>
>>Subject: Re: sped = special ed
>>
>>My friend who lived in McLean, Virginia, reported in 1982 that "sped" was
>>used in his junior high school, and explained it as a blend of "spaz" and
>>"nerd."
>>
>>Neal
>
>I don't think that etymology is sound. Seeing the cites that Bill found
>with it in all caps supports it as a blend of Special Education.
>
>Once again, I fall victim to the recency fallacy. I worked as a direct
>care staff in a group home for MR adults from 84-89 and I don't recall
>hearing the term. But, I was working with an adult population.
>
>I found interesting that of the cites that Bill found, the first 3 were
>Mass. publications.

I wonder if perhaps Mass. was an early state to mandate "special
education" within the public schools.

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org