I will note that the nearest corollary to me would be "retard" - a word I don't use anymore. But that "Istanbul got Retarded" is a different meaning than "Istanbul got Spazzed."

Retard is a commonly used and socially acceptable verb which means to slow or delay. But I agree with your point.

Retard is a commonly used and socially acceptable verb which means to slow or delay.

Well, of course it is. That's not the sense in which I find it offensive.

But that "Istanbul got Retarded" is a different meaning than "Istanbul got Spazzed."

Well, in my hypothetical, it had taken on a different meaning just as with spazzed. Also? In my plan? Beltless. IJS.

I would just like to mention that I have no official position whatsoever on either the next new Quotables title, or announcements in Press.

Calling someone a retard, NSM with the inoffensive.

I'm not that fond of "spaz" myself, and part of that's because I did have a friend with CP in school. Using that term as a noun does set my teeth on edge. As a verb, less so.

Calling someone a retard, NSM with the inoffensive.

Yep, I don't think anyone here would argue otherwise. I sure hope.

I personally find "spazz" inoffensive -- I think of it as a mild insult on about a level with dweeb or dork. That said, if it is offensive in the U.K., I would rather have a different tile for the thread. I don't think the spazz/spazzed distinction would hold much weight with someone who *was* genuinely offended by the thread title, so I'd just as soon not go there.

I think a couple of people would but they're just retamorons.

Oh never mind -- this post = not as funny as I thought.

I'm all in the hey, let's err on the side of not offensive, shall we?

Which is to say, that it's one of the few terms remaining in my lexicon with offensive origin that I'm still trying to exclude. So, guilty in this corner. And hey, let's err on the side of not offensive!

How's about just 'Istanbul!'?

not Constantinople?