Is This A Legitimate Use Of The Word Cripple?
Cripple is a word that was very common when I was growing up. But it is now one of those words that gets exchanged these days for something more politically correct.
On reading the latest Modern Railways, they talked about a cripple siding at Ipswich. Searching the Internet for the term found this article on the history of railway sidings. It says this about cripple sidings.
The first justification for a siding today is as a “cripple siding”. Basically if a train cannot move at normal speed under its own power, the controller will be desperate to get it off the running lines as soon as possible so that the service can continue. In effect, this is the railway operational equivalent of “any port in a storm”.
The article goes on to give two examples of such a siding in the London Underground.
The Anonymous Widower 
Could I comment as writer of the article on the History of Sidings?
I did actually hesitate before writing that term. In the end I decided to put it in quotes. The problem for me was that “cripple siding” rightly or wrongly is a well-known accepted industry term that has the advantage not only being the accepted term but also a description that clearly described its purpose. It is of course referring to crippled trains and not people.
In my opinion there is a danger of getting too hung up on words even if used correctly. The was once a time when people hesitated to call someone “black” but we seem to have got over it. Presumably no-one finds the phrase “crippled by arthritis” offensive?
I can understand that it is preferable for another suitable term to be used in this context but what? I am afraid the railway industry is awfully slow to change. We have Mansion House station which is nowhere near Mansion House (and a different named station is right at its front door). For years there was a method of safe working of trains called “one engine in steam” despite the fact that steam trains disappeared years ago. It is now called “one train working” but that took a long time.
I suspect that in ten years time it will either just be accepted as a term for what it is with no intended negative connotations to people or that someone will think up a suitable alternative and that will gradually come into general use.
Comment by Pedantic of Purley | August 30, 2013 |
Sorry, meant to add that your comment is currently not visible on our site. I suspect that possibly it is because the comment references the word “cripple”. If so, how ironic! I hope we will get that sorted out.
Comment by Pedantic of Purley | August 30, 2013 |
I didn’t actually comment on your site, just link to it.
Years ago, I can remember working with two guys looking at crime databases. One was white and the other was black and a lot of the banter between them as they got to the bottom of problems, wouldn’t have appeared in the media. Their boss was a woman, but they never referred to her, in an inappropriate way. I think in a lot of ways, the words said depend on the level of respect and the friendship between people.
Comment by AnonW | August 30, 2013 |