L'acteur trisomique

[lollardfish]

Simyo - Le Theatre 42''
by simyofrance

This is a French cell-phone ad starting an actor with Down syndrome. He is, as a French advocacy group has commented, just a "citizen like any other." Apparently it's the 50th anniversary of the French discovery of the cause of Down Syndrome (by a Father LeJeune, hence not using Down syndrome as the phase). Also, I love the adjective "trisomique" (trisomic). I intend to start using it.

Article here.

h/t to neogrammarian.

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The TV ad is delightful and heartening.

I would be careful about using "trisomique" or "trisomic" or "trisomial". (What I am about to say is a reflection of my own caution, and not actual conversation with the women involved.) I know at least 2 women whose pregnancies spontaneously terminated due to trisomial genetic problems with their fetuses. The one I am closest to is still quite sad about this. I would not want to cause her unexpected sadness by reminding her of her lost pregnancy.

Mind, I have not asked how *she* feels about it, nor do I know how my more-distant acquaintance feels about it. But I do not know how many women might be keeping their same experience private, and who also would not welcome a reminder of it.

So there's that context, anyway.

K.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Indeed, trisomy-21 is only the most common and least debilitating. Your caution is well-noted.

I just get very upset by "Down syndrome child" and am searching for alternatives.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I don't have your reaction to "Down syndrome child", and if I happen to ever use some phrase like that, it will be because I don't parse it as negative and have forgotten to be mindful about it, and not because I am willfully uncaring about your reaction. If I could change one thing about myself, it might be to stay always mindful of other people's desires in these regards, but honestly, I screw it up sometimes. I wish I didn't, but I do. And then there is unexpected sadness, and I am sorry.

How about "LeJeune-esque"?

K.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

As phrases go that bother me, it's among the least upsetting, so not to worry. I think it's interesting that the French have settled on "trisomique." Apparently, though, LeJeune was a priest, so perhaps would not have wanted the syndrome named after him.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I have been thinking about your second sentence, and trying to figure out what it means for language and society. My best interpretation is that these sorts of words -- collective nouns for groups not treated well in society -- slowly get encumbered with bad connotations and then need to be jetissoned in favor of other words. It's the colored/negro/black/of-color progression.

But does this have to happen? "Down syndrome child" is just a descriptor.

More is too complicated to write right now.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've had the same thought.

In the end, it is just a descriptor, but so was Mongoloid Idiot.

So much of how we, as a society, respond to disability is governed by language.

I just want an adjective.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Look at "Mongoloid Idiot." The second word is perjorative right out of the box, but the first word was a simple descriptor in the beginning and became perjorative over the years as people used it. "Retarted" is the same; it's a descriptor of delayed development that turned into a perjorative.

That's why we have to change our descriptors every once in a while; society adds meanings to them that we don't want them to have.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Actually Mongoloid was always pejorative too. So say those who study images of Mongols in western society (or at least the guy I knew at Macalester).

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Okay, then. But there are lots of examples: elderly vs senior citizen, invalid/handicapped/something else, etc.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I've been pondering this. "Mongoloid" or "Retarded" actually both sound right to me, except that they are pejorative.

Down syndrome child just sounds wrong.

[buttonlass.livejournal.com]

I thought of the other trisomial issues and wondered what they call them? I know people who have been through that recently and they automatically spring to mind.

Actually when people I knew found out their child had genetic issues in utero they thought of Nico and were hoping it was Down Syndrome. Things like that really put our lives in perspective.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I miss you guys. It's like he's growing up and we're not even there!

K.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I really thought he was going to walk last night. He stood up from the potty and faced the bath, and really wanted to get to the bath, was reaching out his hands to me and squealing, and I just thought he was going to shuffle forward and take his first steps.

Alas, no.

Perhaps tonight or tomorrow!