What does dumb mean?

Answer

Most any thesaurus will show the following as synonyms (for the submitter, just in case, the synonym is a word or words having the same meaning, but sounding differently).

Here is a sampling of some of those synonyms:

'impaired, inarticulate, incoherent, mum, mute, quiet, silent, soundless, speechless, tongue-tied, uncommunicative, wordless"

Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.3.1)
Copyright © 2007 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Microsoft Encarta© gives the following dictionary definition:

1. offensive term: an offensive term meaning unable to speak

2. temporarily speechless: temporarily unable to speak because of shock, fear, surprise or anger;

3. done without speech: performed or expressed without using speech

4. intentionally silent: deliberately not speaking or refusing to speak

5. producing no sound: designed or adapted to produce no sound

6. lacking human speech: lacking the power of speech because not human

7. unintelligent: regarded as having or showing a low level of intelligence ( informal insult )-type

If the question/statement refers to the fact that the site is without speech, then I would agree. However, this site certainly is neither impaired, mum, mute, quiet, or silent nor tongue-tied, uncommunicative, wordless. I must admit that infrequently the questions and/or answers ca be a bit inarticulate or incoherent. Such is normally cured by other contributors, however.

One other aspect must be explored, and that is a bastardized meaning that has come into common usage, to wit, unintelligent, regarded as having or showing a low level of intelligence, a direct and outright intended insult. Logically it must used adjectively to refer to a person or a person's or group's action, or actions, not a thing/object, There is one exception which is the use of "dumb" in the computer/electronics industry in reference to an object or thing, generally a terminal, but does apply to other things. The following explanation is found in Wikipedia itself, searching the phrase "computer terminal":

"Computer terminal

A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system. A computer terminal is an instance of a human-machine interface(HMI).

The function of a terminal is confined to display and input of data; a device with significant local programmable data processing capability may be called a "smart terminal" or thin client. A personal computer can run software that emulates the function of a terminal, sometimes allowing concurrent use of local programs and access to a distant host system.

Dumb terminal

The specific meaning of the term dumb terminal can vary depending on the context in which it is used.

In the context of traditional computer terminals that communicate over a serial RS-232 connection, dumb terminals are those that can interpret a limited number of control codes (CR, LF etc.) but do not have the ability to process special escape sequences that perform functions such as clearing a line, clearing the screen, or controlling cursor position. In this context dumb terminals are sometimes dubbed glass teletypes, for they essentially have the same limited functionality as does a mechanical teletype. This type of dumb terminal is still supported on modern Unix-like systems by setting the environment variable TERM to dumb. Smart or intelligent terminals are those that also have the ability to process escape sequences, in particular the VT52, VT100 or ANSI escape sequences.

In the broader context that includes all forms of keyboard/screen computer communication devices, including personal computers, diskless workstations, network computers, thin clients, and X Terminals, the term dumb terminal is sometimes used to refer to any type of traditional computer terminal that communicates serially over a RS-232 connection that does not locally process data or execute user programs."

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Other than being without speech, which I am sure could readily be embed into this site, there is no validity to the assertion that "this site is dumb".

One other possibility does exist.

That would the author of the question was using "dumb" in the vituperous, low class insult that connotes: unintelligent: regarded as having or showing a low level of intelligence. The etymology of the word itself shows that it is a latte day connotation that has bastardized its origin. As more Germans immigrated to the United States, the word eventually became mixed with The German word for stupid, "dumm". Eventually the word "dumb" became more and more synonymous with "stupid" and is, unfortunately, in very common use today, notwithstanding the fact that it truly has no relation to the etymology of the word.

Another area where this misconception may have also been fostered is the use of the term "deaf and dumb". Originally applied it was proper usage of the word. It meant that the individual to whom the phrase was attached, was not able to hear sounds (deaf) and that also that person had no vocal ability, was voiceless, mute, unable to make sounds or form words (dumb -- in its proper meaning, not stupid}. The phrase deaf-mute" is still used and does properly describe the person's condition and impairment.

Should anyone believe that a totally deaf person is stupid, look into the successes of the graduates of Gallaudet University, a fully accredited four-year school for the deaf, and check out some of their many and amazing accomplishments.

It should be noted that the term mute is applied to persons who, usually because of congenital deafness, have never learned to talk: With training most mutes learn to speak well enough to be understood.

To conclude here, if the author used "dumb" in the negative sense of stupid, then the statement has zero validity and is itself very dumb in the same sense of the word.

If this is the case, I might suggest the author take the following test:

The Stupid Test
Take the Stupid Test. Finally Know if You are Stupid!
Are-You-Stupid.com/stupid

First answer by Tms331. Last edit by Ganderton. Contributor trust: 1867 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 10 [recommend question]