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Spectrum - the word

Peachie

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
The word spectrum to me, is just one of those neat sounding words. I think of the wavelength of light, huge amounts of diversity across the spectrum (pun not intended). We use it to understand what stars are made of. It represents all the colors. To me, it is something beautiful.

Some words I love being able to slip in when I can, and this one is certainly higher in that list now more than ever.

But I've never lived with the word, and before I find myself injecting it into posts, I thought I'd take the temperature of the folks here.

If anyone has a negative emotional sense when they see the word in a different context, then I will certainly refrain from using it.
 
A propos spectrum - I was reminded of this article.
 

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I have no problem with the word as it implies a diverse population rather then one set archtype.

As an aside, of all the test equipment I had to use on the job, the 'Spectrum Analyzer' was the most difficult and intimidating for me to use. It took a very long time for me to become comfortable with just using it's basic functions.

Rigol_RSA3015E-TG_Spectrum_Analyzer.jpg
 
As someone who's spent the past... almost a decade trying to figure out their sexual orientation and gender, I tend to see the word "spectrum"- as well as the image of a spectrum- in a more Queer sense. I see gender, sexual orientation, and romantic orientation all as different spectra.

So I see the word Spectrum as sort of representing the vague and varied nature of life.
 
I love it to it makes me think of the colour spectrum. GCSE art must have engrained something in my head.
 
As an aside, of all the test equipment I had to use on the job, the 'Spectrum Analyzer' was the most difficult and intimidating for me to use. It took a very long time for me to become comfortable with just using it's basic functions.

I'm totally with you there. You've got a really nice one, I'm jealous! Here is me setting up power monitors on our AC mains. Thank goodness for youtube!
upload_2020-8-15_17-18-53.png


So I see the word Spectrum as sort of representing the vague and varied nature of life.

I hadn't thought of the sexual orientation.

I dunno, this thread just makes me like the word even more. It has such broad contexts.
 
A propos spectrum - I was reminded of this article.
Interesting article, but I disagree. A spectrum IS a gradient. In the example of visible color, from low frequency (red) to high frequency (blue) What was illustrated was not a spectrum, but a series of unconnected (or marginally connected) traits, each with its own spectrum (from no impairment to severe impairment). All of these traits are part of being autistic, with each one of us being on a different part of the spectrum for each trait. No wonder we are all different. I have no idea how many spectrum traits there are in autism, but probably more than are shown in the article.

I suspect "on the spectrum" refers to one of these traits (probably social interaction), with NTs toward the unimpaired end of the gradient.
 
The first thing I think of when I hear the word spectrum is my cable TV service.
That's it's name.

It always made me think of the breaking down of the seven colours through a prism that
also show in the rainbow for the same reason. Light broken down into the seven different
wave lengths. When all put together it is white light. A beautiful thing to see and think about
how it works.

It also represents the seven chakras.

Use of it for other reasons never really came to mind, but, now it is being used to represent
diversity in humans for different reasons. I've no trouble with that.
Just a fairly new concept of definition.
 
Interesting article, but I disagree. A spectrum IS a gradient.

I agree that it is a range. Having a line across multiple traits, such that the traits themselves represent a spectrum did bother me a little bit. Your clarification with a little tweaking of the original article I think would make a great public awareness/education point.

Imagine if you took a target educational concept and you took something like that as a starter point, and as a community iterated on it. Then publish it back out, increasing awareness and educating a little more.

Use of it for other reasons never really came to mind, but, now it is being used to represent
diversity in humans for different reasons. I've no trouble with that.
Just a fairly new concept of definition.

Some words have different meaning placed on them over time.

I think that is where I am on this. I feel like I'm 'learning' a new definition, one that is already being exercised in a specific way.

Should be a history of word site that you can read all about the changes and meanings of specific words over time. A word historian. :)
 
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Some words have different meaning placed on them over time.

Yes words do change their meaning over time. Consider the word "gay" which nowadays has a meaning that is connected with sexuality; whereas a hundred years ago it mean something completely different - cf gaity where the original meaning can still be felt.


However, what I am also finding is that words that have one meaning to me have a different meaning for NTs. Consider the word "love" as one that I am particularly aware of. my experience of love (as an Aspie) is quite different from that of my wife (who is NT). Same word, different meanings and describes different experiences.
 
Interesting article, but I disagree. A spectrum IS a gradient. In the example of visible color, from low frequency (red) to high frequency (blue) What was illustrated was not a spectrum, but a series of unconnected (or marginally connected) traits, each with its own spectrum (from no impairment to severe impairment). All of these traits are part of being autistic, with each one of us being on a different part of the spectrum for each trait. No wonder we are all different. I have no idea how many spectrum traits there are in autism, but probably more than are shown in the article.
So it´s not so much "autism is a spectrum", but more "autism is a series of spectra"?
 

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