"Autist" or "Autistic"? Correct term?

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Exactly. (Unless you read it as me describing myself, which I wasn't. I was applying the label Normals apply to me.)



The term was based on the initial impression of what it was. Now we know more about what it is and its causes.

After I posted earlier I realized that stripping the -ic suffix off the word left us with an -ist suffix, implying a craft. Now that I've thought about it, I actually like that. I fell like I have indeed taken "self" to new levels.

I think with that realization I'm sticking with "Aspie" & "autist." We'll see if "autist" sticks to the figurative wall.

In the same way that my melanin levels, blonde hair and 6'2" frame is a medical condition, yes.

I have never heard the term "autist" ever in my life.

Autism debilates a person.

Those other traits do not.

Those other traits are not medical conditions.

Autism is.

It makes me weak in relation to what? I would argue that the seemingly compulsive need for socialization is a far greater weakness than any I have.

Both of the brain types being discussed have advantages and disadvantages.

Unless you're willing to classify socialization as a debilitating condition that detracts from pursuit of knowledge you will have a hard time convincing me that an autistic mind is a medical condition.

While some co morbidness and traits of Autism debilitate people the main reason Autistics have great life difficulties is because autisic people are different in the exact areas the vast majority value most.

I went to a class to learn sign language the other day.

The instructor, who is deaf from birth, explained about what terms he likes that people use to describe him and said he did not accept the term disabled.

I thought that was precious. He needs an interpreter to communicate with the world that doesn't speak British Sign Language but he doesn't like to think of himself as disabled.

He then proceeded to tell us how important it is to use facial expressions to help communicate the meaning of the signing.

And I thought it was precious that I wasn't allowed to think of myself as disabled while considering his facial expression that to me suggested he was having one mother of a hard poo situation going on, but which apparently was him being quizzical.

I think you have a very long way to fall from that high horse if we start looking into what led to your diagnosis - was it pursuit of knowledge?

It's 'autistic'.

'autist' is BS and I have no idea where that comes from. I am not a skilled practitioner of autism.

Stewart, it's easy enough to look up the etymology of the words. The Greek autos, the suffix -ist, and the suffix -ic.

Interestingly calling 'BS' required a compounded word, too. =P

And, Leaf, I don't respond well to condescension.

I took it as Autistic being the formal correct word for print, and Autist as being the friendly in-group word for each other (not an official word as such).

Hi, how's my autist friend?

Sorry beforehand for graveposting.

Autist would be linguistically correct. You aren't foolish enough to refer to followers of communism or capitalism as communistics and capitalistics, would you? Subjects to a word that ends with the suffix -ism usually get the suffix -ist. It is different with diabetics and schizophrenics because those words don't end in -ism or have you ever heard of the words "diabetism" and "schizophrenism"? I doubt it since correctly they are called "diabetes" and "schizophrenia". Also autist is actually in most places (regarding English speaking countries) the medically correct noun to describe people who have autism.

In your first sentence you are arguing against yourself.

A person who adopts the creed of communism, and professes belief in the creed is a "communist".
A person with autism is someone who cant help having autism because they were born with it. So communism and autism are not analogous.

A better analogy is with art.

If a child draws well and is born with talent then the child is "artistic". But only if the child grows up to capitalize on the talent and study art etc, do they become an "artist". Ergo folks with autism are "autistic" (the adjective) and can be called "autistics" (same word as a noun). But only a person who gets paid to "do" autism as a profession can be called an "autist". And since there are no such folks (except folks who fake autism to get SSI maybe) there is no such thing as an "autist".Lol!

Exactly. Theyre different in those ways that NTs value -which makes life difficult- which means autistics are handicapped in our society- which means autism is a handicap and is a disability. And since those "differences" are based on brain wiring those handicaps are thus medical and psychiatric in nature.

In my opinion, both terms don't sound that great. I mostly use:

- Person on the spectrum

"Autist" sounds a little too cutesy for me. It puts a positive spin on a condition that causes a great deal of frustration for a lot of people.