Talk:Midget

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Once again, I'm asking for this to be locked from being edited by new or unregistered users. This is getting vandalized repeatedly. Trocisp 21:07, 24 January 2007 (UTC)

I just edited this back to a previous version, someone has been vandalizing this page. I'm not sure how, but I think that this page should be locked from being edited by anon users. (Edited my own post to clarify) Trocisp 00:48, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

Contents 1 Good Move! 2 Lilliput 3 Regarding the recent bold redirect 4 redirect

[edit] Good Move!

THANKS FOR KEEPING IT SHORT. IRONIC!!!!

move to Wiktionary! -- Tarquin 20:20 Jan 5, 2003 (UTC) I agree -- Taku 20:43 Jan 5, 2003 (UTC) I disagree, It needs to be cleaned and expanded. --Bran 20:24, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

Why? Just saying it needs to be cleaned up doesn't help if it's not obvious.--Prosfilaes 01:52, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

It needs to be organized, it goes from talking about people the straight into talking about "small things," where are the headers and all? --Bran 23:36, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

To user who redirected: your redirect eliminated the content specific to this word. Midget and dwarf are not always synonymous. Please don't do this again without proposing and discussing. Thanks. Alteripse 13:56, 31 May 2004 (UTC)

It amazes me how many people still have no idea what the politically correct term for a "person of small stature" is. Here in Houston we got the message loud and clear in 1999. Director of Affirmative Action Lenoria Walker, an African-American, referred to City Councilman Joe Roach as a midget. She was forced to resign over the remark. The correct term is neither "midget" nor "little person", but "dwarf", as Mr. Roach pointed out.

I've never heard that in my life, everyone either says midget or little person. Dwarf would just get laughed at.

If you ask me, 'little person' is rather impolite as it draws attention to the condition, while 'midget' is a harmless nonce word.

This implies that a person of small stature should naturally be embarrassed by it and want it euphemised so as not to "draw attention to the condition." That said "Little person" has always sounded patronizing to me. Like it's referring to a leprechaun or something cute and tiny you put on a shelf. As all extent terms have mythological references though maybe it's inevitable. (I usually don't consider myself a dwarf, I'm an OI, but I am under four foot tall)--T. Anthony 13:20, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

I don't know where you're getting that from, but dwarf is fairly common, much more so than LP. Midget is considered derrogatory, the equivalent to saying 'nigger.' Nathan J. Yoder 04:13, 13 September 2005 (UTC)

But by who? See, that is the problem with political correctness. It's all a matter of opinion and when we're talking encyclopedia, opinions should stay out of the matter and allow the user/reader to decide for themselves. I personally would hate being called a dwarf, and would prefer midget. I'm with the previous poster who said they would be laughed at. I'm part Apache and don't like being called a Native American at all. I mean, who is the one who termed America "America"? Apache's didn't call America that at all. At least Indians were thought to be from India and was a simple mistake! It's not a take over term. MagnoliaSouth ^(talk) 23:11, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

It's always a matter of opinion when we're talking about which word to use, PC or not. (One of the longest-running battles I've been in is about the diacritic named caron, which a bunch of people want renamed to háček.) But the Little People of America, as well as most dwarfs, don't approve of midget. As for modern usage, the TV shows I've seen (the Amazing Race and various reality TV shows about dwarfs) use "little people", and the scholarly works used "dwarf". To use a word actively disliked by most of the people it's applied to, not used in popular media and not used in scholarly works is absurd.--Prosfilaes 12:17, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

I've always thought that little person was the most PC term. Dwarf is of course the most common, and usually acceptable. One book on dwarfs I've read quoted one dwarf as saying that they wouldn't mind midget except that it was always attached to the most rude questions and statements.--Prosfilaes 01:52, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

Removed this line: "archeologists have uncovered a midget village in the heart of iraq." No source is given, or explanation of the term "midget village," the sentence was not capitalized, and I'm not sure whether this was a prank or merely a poorly worded attempt at a valid contribution. If someone can explain this "midget village" (and why it belongs in this article in particular) I would support its re-inclusion.--Cholling 20:28, 22 August 2005 (UTC)

I think that this page should be redirected to "Dwarfism" because anybody coming to this page ("Midget") would most likely have meant to go to "Dwarfism". --SD1234 2:28, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Lilliput

Although humorous as this link may be I see no reason for this to be included in the article. The only bearings on the story I can see is "Both are portrayed as being in the South Indian Ocean and are inhabited by tiny people who are "not six inches high"" which really doesn't relate that well at all anyway.... Goodolclint 22:34, 22 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Regarding the recent bold redirect

Enough folks have been tending to this article that I think a redirect, if it is to happen, deserves discussion here. Do folks think this should redirect to Dwarfism? I think it's a distinct term in its own right, myself. Figma 06:57, 10 March 2007 (UTC) ps Also see previous relevant discussion on this page.

[edit] redirect

Figma, I was the one that edited the page. There really is no distinction between dwarf and midget. Somehow "midget" has been listed (under this Wiki article) as a medical article. The correct common medical name for any type of short stature (whether achondroplasia, dysplasia, or just plain lack of growth hormone during puberty) is dwarf. If you look at the dwarfism article, it is simply an expanded (and better cited) version of the midget page. So for the fact they are actually synonymous terms (look at FAQ of the Little People of America site), not to mention midget is NOT medically correct, there should be a redirect. :) --Aixo 07:10, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

And just to add, I realize many people have been taking care of this page. That's good, but it shouldn't interfere with the fact that under Wiki standards, there really should be a redirect for synonymous terms from the more "slang" term to the more correct, accepted term. --Aixo 07:10, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

• Thanks, Aixo. I agree with you.... to a point. That is, those who are looking up midget in reference to a short-statured adult should be redirected to dwarf. But there are other uses of the term. Perhaps a disambiguation page is appropriate here? Anyone else have thoughts on this?? Figma 21:59, 25 March 2007 (UTC)