Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Word Origins 246. The word origin today is handicap.
Okay. If somebody wants a screenshot, do it right now. Let's get right to it. If someone uses the
term handicap, one has a physical or mental injury that is permanent. So one could be physically
handicapped or mentally handicapped. All right. Let's continue. We have a second meaning here.
Any situation in which one has a disadvantage to make it harder to do something. That could
be a handicap as well. All right. Let's continue. handicap and disabled were the original PC words
used instead of words like [ __ ] or [ __ ] those two especially nowadays are considered to be more
offensive. So they were replaced to be you know, more PC. remember stands for politically correct.
They used to be the most common words used to express (this) but both have fallen out of favor
and are sometimes considered to be offensive. You know depending upon who you say them to or how
sensitive they are, they could be. Let's continue. The words... the more PC words are now challenged
and special needs. So nowadays, you're more likely to hear somebody say mentally-challenged
or physically-challenged or to be honest even challenged is starting to become questionable. Now
special needs is ...seems like the one that's coming more. You know, to be more acceptable now.
Who knows ? I would not be surprised in another decade or so or so many years from now maybe
they'll even find a problem with special needs. And they'll change again. And they'll think that
even though these were the more acceptable words, they might be considered unacceptable
you know by somebody for some reason. Let's continue.
The word handicap has an interesting origin and is very different from the way it is used today.
It dates back to the 1600's from the phrase "hand in cap. " You know, three words
It was an unusual pastime or type of gambling game in which one person wanted an article of another
and offered a trade or something. In exchange. The difference in value was decided by an umpire or
judge. Yeah. So it's not like today where you know, we got cash to make it you know, where you could
probably get it more exact. You know obviously one item and another item were not really equal
in value. So they had to have an umpire decide you know, the difference. Let's continue.
All three parties put forfeit money in the game. So forfeit money meaning it's money
that they could possibly lose. . So all three so both the two people trading and the umpire
himself put some money in a cap. Okay. The two opponents ... Yeah. The two opponents expressed
agreement or disagreement by removing their hands full or empty. If both were the same the umpire
the umpire got the forfeit money. If they were different the person who accepted the offer got
the money. Okay. Let's continue. Sometime later the term was applied to horse racing. So you can
kind of see how it evolves here. Again an umpire was involved and decided the amount of weight to
be carried by each horse. The owners of the horses showed either approval or disapproval
in a similar way. Yeah. You know, like when you have horses it might be very clear that
this horse is younger and stronger and will probably win. So in order to make it more fair.
The horses that have more advantage they put a little bit more weight on them.
So that it's , it's, it's closer to that you know, the other horses have a chance to win too.
All right. Let's continue. Okay. The handicapped term came to mean the extra weight carried by the
horse. They had to bear a disadvantage or handicap to make the race more fair. Otherwise , the young
and the healthiest horse would probably win all the time. In 1915, this term started to
be used for disabled people. So this is how it evolved. This is how it came into being.
All right. And we just have two examples to show how it's used. Here's the first one. He
lost the use of his legs , but he learned to overcome his handicap with prosthetic
limbs. Okay. So this is the one where you are physically handicapped and the second one here
because you are older and stronger. You will have to give him a 30-second head start
as a handicap. So this is one where somebody it's a situation one has a disadvantage.
Obviously, in this case, if the ... if like two kids were racing maybe, say one was 10 years old
and one was six years old. The 10-year-old would have a lot more of an advantage. His legs are
longer. He's stronger. He's probably faster. So if you let the six-year-old have 30-second
head start. Yeah. Maybe there's a small chance the six-year-old might win. So this is the idea.
So you have to bear a handicap. So these are the two ways that this term is used. Okay. Anyway. I
hope it's clear. I hope you got it. I hope it was informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.