Disadvantage

[Ju]

1. Jim has hair disadvantage means he's bald.
2. May has eye disadvantage means she has poor vision.

Are they correct?

 

[tedmc]

1. Jim has a hair disadvantage, meaning [STRIKE]means [/STRIKE]he's bald.
2. May has an eye disadvantage, meaning [STRIKE]means [/STRIKE]she has poor vision.

Are they correct?

You need an article in front of the noun in each case. The verb doesn't work.

 

[tedmc]

The two sentences do not work at all. We do dot speak of a 'hair disadvantage' or 'eye disadvantage'.

I think most people would simply say:

Jim is bald.
May has poor vision/is shortsighted/is partially sighted.

"Disadvantage" is not normally used that way, but I don't think it is wrong. Perhaps it could be replaced with "problem/impairment/defect".

 

[Ju]

I do.

The sentences would still not be naural.

Is there another way to express someone is bald? The reason I ask this question because someone may see it offensive of being called "bald".
Just like we can say "Advanced in age" for "old".

 

[jutfrank]

"Disadvantage" is not normally used that way, but I don't think it is wrong.

No, it really is very wrong.

 

[jutfrank]

Is there another way to express someone is bald? The reason I ask this question because someone may see it offensive of being called "bald".

follically-challenged?

(No, I'm only joking. Don't say that.)

Don't worry about causing offence. You're unlikely to be making such a statement while Jim is in the room, anyway.

 

[tedmc]

I do.

The sentences would still not be naural.

He has a hair problem.

Why is the sentence not natural?

 

[emsr2d2]

He has a hair problem.

Why is the sentence not natural?

For a start, it suggests that he actually has some hair, and that there is a problem with it. If he has hair, he can't be bald. Secondly, we simply don't refer to being bald as a problem or a challenge. It's a natural process that affects people at different ages. Younger people might consider it a problem but only in aesthetic terms.

I was going to mention "folically-challenged" as an amusing way of referring to baldness, but jutfrank beat me to it.

 

[tedmc]

Most people who are bald are not completely bald but do have some hair on them, don't they?

 

[emsr2d2]

Most people who are bald are not completely bald but do have some hair on them, don't they?

No. If your head is not completely free of hair (I'm not including the face!), then you're not bald. You're going bald, almost bald, nearly bald, balding.

 

[GoesStation]

Aren't people with only a bit of hair described as "bald" in Britain? They are here in the States. It would be odd to describe someone who has had only a fringe of fair for decades as "balding" when they've long since done most of the balding they're going to.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, I'd definitely count someone who lacks hair on the top but has some round the sides and back as bald.