2006-08-26 04:03:46 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
No real world disabled people use that phrase. The phrase used is people of short stature. However no-one has suggested that Gregor Mendel's pioneering work on dwarf pea-pkants needs to be rewritten, nor that white dwarf, red dwarf or brown dwarf stars need to have their names changed.
It is not offensive when applied to inanimate objects. It is simply the opposite of giant and neither is pejorative, they are merely descriptive and neutral.
Similarly dwarf planet and gas giant are contrasted and opposites.
But applied to human beings, we use the word giant to refer to legendary figures like Titans or fairy stories like Jack and The Beanstalk's Giant or Roald Dahl's Big Friendly Giant
So "dwarf" then means as opposed to "normal" and it is a oejorative and value-laden term, not a neutral one.
So the answer to the question is No. What is offensive to people of short stature is the term "vertically-challenged people" which is seen as having a cheap laugh at their expense,
2006-08-26 05:25:28 · answer #1 · answered by Amy Morgan 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Like I have been saying: a dwarf planet is still a planet.
The Astronomical Union has no idea what they did, trust me.
This whole Pluto thing is not over.
I have my own system:
The Solar system has 4 Giant planets, 4 terrestrial planets, and 5 or maybe 6 (so far) dwarf planets.
Simple huh?
2006-08-26 11:09:47 · answer #2 · answered by Juke Nibi! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One should not be so sensitive whether one is vertically challenged or not. Who cares that Pluto is a dwarf planet, one is not a planet so one should not compare onself to a planet.
2006-08-26 11:09:37 · answer #3 · answered by James 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Calling it a dwarf planet is less offensive than calling it a midget planet.
2006-08-26 14:04:01 · answer #4 · answered by Search first before you ask it 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto is smaller then our Moon, so I son't think there is any problem with calling it a dwarf planet.
There is an idea that Pluto may have origanily been one of Neptune's moons.
2006-08-26 11:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by Kevin H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, dwarf is commonly used as a reference to size, not necessarily a type of human. That is, of course, you are playing D & D.
2006-08-26 11:12:10 · answer #6 · answered by Q 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is calling Uranus a planet an insult to obese people ?
2006-08-26 11:08:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No more offensive than :Yo Mama is soo fat when God said let there be light he had to tell her to get out da way biatch.
2006-08-26 11:11:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's the correct English label.
2006-08-26 11:09:07 · answer #9 · answered by Black Sabbath 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
only if you are of that opinion. And, if that is your opinion, it stinks.
2006-08-26 11:09:34 · answer #10 · answered by isabow27 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋