Which example demonstrates People First Language for a cognitive disability?

Which example demonstrates People First Language for a cognitive disability?

• A. Paul has a cognitive disability.
• B. Paul is cognitively disabled.
• C. Paul has mental retardation.
• D. Paul is a cognitive disabled person.

Answer: (A)

People First Language centers on naming the person before the condition. Saying “Paul has a cognitive disability” puts Paul first and treats the disability as one aspect of who he is, not the whole identity. It fits the respectful pattern of identifying someone as a person with a condition, using language that emphasizes the person over the diagnosis. The other options either label Paul by the disability (“cognitively disabled”), use an outdated, stigmatizing term (“mental retardation”), or are awkward and not person-first (“a cognitive disabled person”). This makes the first phrasing the best example of People First Language.

People First Language centers on naming the person before the condition. Saying “Paul has a cognitive disability” puts Paul first and treats the disability as one aspect of who he is, not the whole identity. It fits the respectful pattern of identifying someone as a person with a condition, using language that emphasizes the person over the diagnosis. The other options either label Paul by the disability (“cognitively disabled”), use an outdated, stigmatizing term (“mental retardation”), or are awkward and not person-first (“a cognitive disabled person”). This makes the first phrasing the best example of People First Language.