Did you know?

Question

Did you know in the Korean lenguage there is a word whose meaning is "Japan" but can also mean "Land of the dwarfs"?
How truthful is that stereotype?

Answer 1

Dwarfism is typically a pathological condition in which the physical size of a person, animal, or plant is well below normal. Causes
Dwarfism is usually caused by genetic disorders. The most common cause is achondroplasia, in which individuals grow up with unproportional limbs. It accounts for 70% of dwarfism cases. Other causes include spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), diastrophic dysplasia, pseudoachondroplasia, hypochondroplasia, and osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Proportional dwarfism is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance.

Symptoms
The distinguishing symptom of dwarfism is abnormally and significantly shorter stature with respect to other persons in the same age, and especially in adults who have reached their final heights. Many conditions that cause dwarfism also have other distinctive symptoms. Additionally, spinal stenosis can also be a problem, especially among adults


Diagnosis
Unusually short stature for a child's age is usually what brings the child to medical attention. Skeletal dysplasia ("dwarfism") is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (e.g., unusual configuration of face or shape of skull), because of an obviously affected parent, or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion. Bone x-rays are often the key to diagnosis of a specific skeletal dysplasia, but they are not the key diagnosis. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias will be referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation and genetic counselling. (See External links, below, for a list of American referral centers with special expertise in skeletal dysplasias.) In the last decade, genetic tests for some of the specific disorders have become available.

During the initial medical evaluation for shortness, the absence of disproportion and the other clues above usually indicates other causes than bone dysplasias. Extreme shortness with completely normal proportions sometimes indicates growth hormone deficiency (pituitary dwarfism).

Short stature alone, in the absence of any other abnormalities, may simply be genetic, particularly if a person is born into a family of people who are relatively short.

Problems faced by dwarfs
Social and employment opportunities are greatly reduced, regardless of anti-discrimination laws. Self-esteem and family relationships are often affected, although not necessarily if the person(s) involved are emotionally healthy.
Extreme shortness (in the low 2–3 foot [60–90 cm] range) can interfere with ordinary activities of daily living, like driving or even using countertops built for taller people.
Many problems can arise from other abnormalities associated with pathological dwarfism, such as abnormal bone structure. Early degenerative joint disease, exaggerated lordosis or scoliosis, and constriction of spinal cord or nerve roots can cause pain and disability. Reduced thoracic size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function.
Many modern causes of dwarfism are associated on rare occasions with disordered function of other organs, such as the brain or liver. These problems can be more disabling than the abnormal bone growth.

Terminology
When applied to people, the term dwarfism usually implies not only extremely short stature, but also a pathological cause for the short stature. Persons who are simply very short in the absence of pathology (short people born into a short family, for example) are not usually referred to as dwarfs. According to the Little People of America, the human definition of dwarfism is "a medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 4'10" (147 cm) or shorter for men and 4'7" (139 cm) or shorter for women, although in some cases a person with a dwarfing condition may be slightly taller than that."

Little person (as opposed to big person), and short-statured are politically correct terms to refer to a person with extreme, disproportionate shortness. Dwarf is sometimes perceived as having negative connotations, although the term is often used by those affected. The plural is dwarfs as in "Peter Dinklage and Wee Man are famous dwarfs." The plural term dwarves is used only for the imaginary creature. In the 19th century both dwarf and midget were ordinary medical terms referring to persons of disproportionate and proportionate shortness, respectively. Like many other older medical terms, they became primarily pejorative as they entered popular use. Midget is now considered offensive, and can be taken as an insult, in all contexts to most little people, because of its connotation with little people being gawked at in circus/sideshows. Additionally, since proportionate short stature is usually due to pituitary dwarfism—a condition that is readily treatable—there are few people today who would qualify as midgets in developed countries.



Artistic representations of dwarfism can be found on Greek vases and other ancient artifacts, including ancient Egyptian art. Documentation of dwarfs can also be found on European paintings and many pictures. Many European paintings (especially Spanish) of the 16th–19th centuries depict dwarfs by themselves or with others.



In the mid-1970's, Sid and Marty Krofft built an indoor theme park in Atlanta, Georgia called The World of Sid and Marty Krofft. This had a live stage production that was at that time the largest gathering of "little people" since the filming of The Wizard of Oz in 1937-38 as well as being the largest indoor theme park built to that time. The facility that was built to house this theme park is today the studios of CNN, the Cable News Network, and CNN Headline News.

In the 1990s, the immensely popular series Seinfeld featured a dwarf character, Mickey Abbott, in seven episodes; Mickey was played by actor Danny Woodburn. Notably, few references were made to his height, indicating an improved acceptance of little people in entertainment.


The most famous celebrity with dwarfism is widely considered to be Academy Award nominated producer, director, writer, and actor Danny DeVito, who is 4'10".

Answer 2

just a question, what the hello is a Japano? Well, I'm sure its just a coincidence, seeing as how Korean people are on the same boat as Japanese people. Did you know that in the english word, the word f**k has many uses? It can be used as a noun, as in "you f**k," or used when surprised, such as "oh f**k!"
I'm sure you weren't trying to be ignorant, so I'll let that one pass.

Answer 3

Japan is a lot of short people walking and talking very fast. I did not know that. I will soon forget. May you live a thousand years!

Answer 4

I dont know what Koreans look like. But atleast I get 2 points.

Answer 5

Really? Well it's just like frog can mean the animal and French people in English. Evey one has sterotypes.

Answer 6

I never heard that either, but they aren't any taller than the japanese. In fact I can't tell them apart. I only knew what nationality they were by them coming to my work after church. And what a mess they would leave. They also act as though they are superior to us americans, so why are they here?

Answer 7

Are you sure it's true. There was a lot of stuff going around about chinese characters. The same symbol for catastrophe was chance, all that.

Answer 8

well japanos aren't really that tall as a rule lmao..

Answer 9

Interesting. No, I didn't know that.

Answer 10

Nope, didn't know that.