Word choice is a major concern for all writers. Many people keep a dictionary and a thesaurus on their desk so that when they get stuck for just the right word they can hunt for something to jog their memory.
Nancy Mairs opens her essay with a humorous anecdote, but then moves into an explanation of why she chose the word "cripple" to describe herself. Notice that for Mairs the proper word isn't necessarily the longest or the fanciest. Sometimes the best word for a writer will be the shortest and simplest.
What do you think about Mairs' discussion of her choice of words?

Personally in my opinion Mairs does a great job choosing who words for her essay. I loved how she tells the reader why she calls herself a cripple, and then goes directly into explaining why she does this. My other favorite part to this essay is how she describes how she thought she was going to die right away and I quote her as writing " Every day for the past nearly ten years, then, has been a kind of gift." (Pg 180)

Nancy Mairs gives her selection thought and reason. She is intelligent, experienced, humorous, and honest. Every possible description of her as an individual explains why she choose the word "cripple". She mulled over the words "handicapped" and "disabled" but knew they didn't do justice to Nancy Mairs. "Cripple" cleanly and precisely depicts Nancy. She is not ashamed nor sorry for her condition, which is why she is the word "cripple".

I think Mair's dicussion of her word choice is specific and it made sense. I think it is good that she choose the word "cripple" instead of "disable" or "handicap" because those words are too general,"cripple" is right to the point of her disease.

I think the word cripple is fine to be called. I agree with Mair's in that being called cripple is right to the point and being called hadicapped or challenged may be polite but is hiding the fact of what she is. I feel that I can relate to this story because I have people call me learning disabled or speech difieciancy. I do not like to use those terms to describe myself but insted I call myelf a stutterer. Stuttering does not ruin my life but it has a simple part of it. I think people should stop trying to hide the negative sides to people but instead use them in a positive way.

I liked the way Mair used the word cripple to describe herself. It showed me right away that she was a strong person who didn't seem to feel bad for herself. I think that she feels that if she projects herself this way other people are less likely to pity her and treat her differently. I think that she's very brave and very blunt about how she feels. I admire her strength and determination to continue doing what she likes to do.

I think Mair's calling her self a cripple, shows us that she's come to terms with her disease. This shows us that Mair wants to overcome this disease and live her life to the fullest in spite of it. Mair doesent allow the disease to ruin her life, and she just accepts it's ultimate results and tries to live her life.

I think Mair's discussion of her choice to use the word "cripple" rather than handicaped was a way to break down peoples need for political correctness and show the reader that people who have diseases that make then disabled, do not always prefer to be called what is viewd as politically correct. I also think that she used the word to show readers that she can a)poke fun at the idea that she is disabled, and b.) show the readers that she has come to terms with the fact she has MS and isnt going to sit around and feel sorry for herself.

Were there any other words Mairs used in her essay that struck you as well-chosen?

List them and explain why you think Maris chose that particular word.

I think that Mair's used the word crippled because that is how she see's herself. She says she isnt handicapped because she still has the ability to use all her limbs, just not as well as other people. She is also very comfortable with using the word cripple to describe herself because it appears all over her essay. Cripple is a very strong because in todays world with being, "politically correct" is a major priority. Her word choice in her essay is pretty much just simple words. However, they still get the point across and instead of having long dragged outwords you have nice short ones that makes the reading much easier.

The words Mairs chose were very good words because the were very descriptive. Mairs also referred to her self as a cripple, and i think by using that word it comes off to me stronger then if she just used the word handicapped. I also like when she describes the things she used to be able to do with action words,( walking dancing) things that she def. cant do now that she has MS.

"Sometimes the best word for a writer will be the shortest and simplest." how true this is, and how flawlessly it is demonstrated in Mairs essay. Mairs refers to herself as a cripple because she does not want to beat around the bush, she is a cripple, an unattractive word for an unattractive condition. to sort of branch off what michelle said, it is noticable that Mairs uses the word also to describe things she used to be able to do, and thus is crippled in another sense--in the sense that major aspects of her life have been crippled, not just her own self.

---i dont agree with her word choice--- i think it is up to the person at question to choose how they want to be described. not many people would want to be called a cripple. cripple is, many times, used in the negative sense. many times it is used to desccribe a person in a condescending tone behind their back. it is ok for a person to cope with their problem in their own way, and maybe her way is to call herself a cripple, but that may not be everyones way. i am not crippled at all and when i her the word "cripple" i think of an old lady who is laying at the bottom of a flight of stairs with two broken legs crying out for help. to me "a cripple" is a person that needs my help. -IN CONTRAST-when i hear the word "handicap" or "disabled" i think of a person who is like everyone else, but just has a physical or mental problems. in todays society i believe it is better to use words that dont condescend people even if it is not ment in a condescending way. i many cases, including this, it is better to be politically correct and nice, then to be honest and possibly offend/hurt people.

Word choice isn't an opinion you can agree or disagree with. Rather it is a choice the author has made. You can find it effective or ineffective.

In fact you and Mairs are in agreement. She says "cripple" is a word she applies to herself not to anyone else. She would never call another person a cripple. How can you argue with her decision to apply the word to herself? She as the writer believes that it is the word which best describes herself and her attitude toward her condition. When evaluating her choice of the word, you should answer the question: why does she choose this word and not another word? What is her intention? Does the word do what she wants it to do? In the case of this essay Mairs has devoted three paragraphs to why she has chosen the word.

I understand why Mairs used the word cripple to describe herself because it is the truth and she is not ashamed of it. I do think that it is a negative word choice. Handicapped sounds better because the word cripple makes her sound helpless and is depressing. But she is the author and she can use any word she wants to describe herself, and she believed "cripple" was the best choice, and she explains in detail why she thinks this is.