[quesera]

"Retarded" means slowed, or delayed. The antonym is "advanced". You can retard progress, development, rotation, etc.

It has only become a pejorative term because it's a label with negative connotations when applied to people. "Handicapped" is identical in this way.

Even if you're not sensitive to peoples' feelings about words, one good reason not to use "retarded" is that it makes you sound like a playground bully.

[Wintamute]

I was concentrating on the pejorative use of the term as relating to criticism of people and/or things. I think its obviously fine to say, for example, "the rotation of the wheel was retarded due to friction".

> Even if you're not sensitive to peoples' feelings about words, one good reason not to use "retarded" is that it makes you sound like a playground bully.

In not wanting to sound like a playground bully aren't exhibiting sensitivity to peoples' feelings?