[Jblx2]

OT. Anyone know if there is academic literature studying the life cycle of words that eventually become slurs? Like "neurodivergent" was at one point obscure. Then it starts to become more common place. Then riffs on the word start to be used in an unflattering way. Then it becomes a slur that can't be repeated in polite company. I figure the internet accelerates these trends, but how many years has it taken historically?

[labrador]

When I was a kid people often used the words "mulatto" and "midget" in a socially acceptable way. Now we say "mixed race" and "little people." I don't see these becoming stigmatized because they are technically true and difficult to construe as a slur. I see neurodivergent this way.