Is it rude to refer to someone as a "savant"?

Question

Hi, i would like to know if refering to someone as a savant in a medical context is rude and if so what should be used instead.
I just dont want to offend anyone and have never come across the term being used for eg autistic people before.
Please answer ASAP

Answer 1

Any perceived rudeness probably stems from the initial designation, "idiot savant." The term referred to certain autistic persons with isolated uncanny abilities. Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of Raymond in "Rainman" would perhaps serve as an example. Raymond could instantly recognize the number of toothpicks spilled on a floor, memorize a page in a phone book, or remember what cards were played in blackjack, but he couldn't work a simple math word problem.

So savant, in this context, is associated with idiocy, a term that gradually is being expunged from the medical lexicon. The words idiot and idiocy are simply offensive.

Answer 2

No calling someone a savant is not rude as autistic people rarely care themselves anyway.
calling someone retarded might get your *** kicked