In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 12 Jun 2021 04:18:00 +1000, "Rod Speed"
wrote:


You get the same problem with disabled, the worst of the fools
don’t like to admit that they are disabled and use other silly terms.

Disabled has a meaning, but it's not the one they think it is and it's
not the one they usually want. When you disable the starter motor, or
the AC, or anything, it doesn't work anymore. All of the "advocates
for the disabled" try to make the point that most of them are useful.
They can overcome their problems, either with technical help or just by
taking more time, etc. They are still able to do things. They are not
disabled. Sometimes they even call them "differntly abled", a terrible
construction but it still makes the point that they are not disabled.

The word they wanted they already had, handicapped. Handicapped means
you can do it but it takes longer or maybe you don't do it quite as
well. So golfers are given a handicap, but it's really an
anti-handicap to be able to compare their scores on a given day with
par.

IIUC jockey's who don't weigh as much as the other jockey's get weights
put on their horse to make the race fair, unrelated to the weight of the
jockey. The weight is a handicap, but the horse still finishes the
race.

All this started by a misunderstanding, thinking that handicap was
related to some kind of begging with a cap in one's hand, but that would
be capihand. The origin of handicap is different. It's an entirely
different word.

Strangely, afaict they still have handicap parking. I guess the
disabled are not allowed to park there, but then again, if they're
disabled, they can't drive anyhow.