Dear Ruben, The original question was about the use of the word idiots in Las Hurdes. I have written a paper about this film and affectivity. In speaking about the narration I wondered what force the word idiots would have in 1932, in Spain and about how the audience might respond to the pictures of "idiots" and "choirs of idiots". Is the audience more offended by this today? Or would the historical spectator's reaction be the same as ours -- it might be seen as very bad manners. I see it as part of a shock effect aimed at the audience, and also part of a critique of documentary narration. A linguist friend of mine says that he thinks that the words would have had less force then than now. "Idiocy" was a word used to describe a medical condition and one might see the "scientific" narrator just describing what he sees in medical terms. Any help would be appreciated. thanks Jeannette ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]