Retarded - good

[Benjamin Barrett]

FWIW, that very much is how I felt last night when I heard the word used. The speaker seemed to be searching for a word to really emphasize how good something was, and "insanely good" was the meaning I took. I think she said "retarded good," an interesting adverbial use, but I can't recall clearly enough to cite it. BB

On Dec 10, 2011, at 4:14 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>
>> Like ill, sick and nasty, it is used in slang to have an opposite meaning.
>
> Cf. older "crazy" and current "stupid."
>
> The semantic development for some of these seems to be "mentally
> deranged" > "insanely" or outrageously novel or amusing.
>
>
>
> JL
>
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 10, 2011 at 6:59 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>> Subject:      Retarded - good
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> 1. According to the 2007 "A mother's view of a word that wounds: 'Retard'" by Theresa Howard (http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2007-07-04-opcom_N.htm), the r-word is always negative:
>>
>> -----
>> But no matter how or by whom the r-word is used, it's always in a negative context. You don't hear, "What a great idea, that's so retarded." You don't hear, "Awesome catch ˜ what a retard move."
>> -----
>>
>> 2. But Urban Dictionary has a 2005 entry for a good meaning (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=retarded):
>>
>> -----
>> In this day and age, "retarded" is just another word for cool, dope, tight, chill, or whatever you say when you like something.
>> -----
>>
>> 3. Also, April 2010 (http://forums.mangafox.com/threads/185415-This-Manga-is-so-retarded∑.):
>>
>> -----
>> This Manga is so retarded∑.
>>
>> hahah in a good way!
>> -----
>>
>> 4. According to http://slangcity.com/songs/1_2_step.htm, Missy Elliot's [sic: Elliott's] lyrics of "1, 2 Step" have the word "retarded" meaning "great":
>>
>> -----
>> retarded great (retarded is a Standard English word used to describe a person of abnormally low intelligence.
>> -----

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