Introduction
Synonymous with Disabled or Semantically Incorrect?What do a logically flawed science experiment, disabled veteran, and bedridden grandma have in common? According to the definitions given by the Oxford English Dictionary, these three things all fit the definition of the word invalid. Throughout the history of this word, there have been two subdivisions of meaning with two different pronunciations. These subdivisions are interrelated and can easily be confused for one another, which make it important to examine all aspects of the word in context. Over time, the use of invalid has developed from being a noun characterizing a disabled person to being an everyday adjective describing something as inaccurate or false. Though invalid is uncommon in the context of disability in the current day, it is important to realize the negative implications of the word as used to describe a person or condition. Invalid has become antiquated in the context of disability by mischaracterizing disabled people, showing that it is inappropriate not only in a political sense but more importantly, in a semantic sense.
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