This overview is concerned with mental retardation in contrast to other overviews dedicated to the nature of the mind and psyche.

OLIGOPHRENIA from OLIGO for deficit and PHRENIA for MIND is a term that offers inSIGHT to what today is referred to as "mental retardation", a term increasingly objected to. The terms STUPID, IDIOT, CRETIN, MORON add perspectives but are even more offensive. The much gentler term "INNOCENT" was used in the past to refer to oligophrenic persons. The point is that those lacking a sound or developed PHRENIA or mind are less able to control their impulses and may act without MINDing the consequences. This is also a basis for many legal systems and civilizations who uphold the view that children, the oligophrenic and the ALIENATED or mentally ill are legally inNOCEnt thus inherently not NOXious.

Head size - if reduced as in microcephaly or excessive as in macrocephaly, macrocrania or megalocephaly, can signal abnormal cerebral development. However, head size is not a reliable indicator of the development of the mind or PHRENIA. Furthermore, the PHRENIA of persons with HYDROCEPHALY or "water on the brain" may escape damage.

Megalocrania or Macrocephaly Perhaps Hydrocephalus

IDIOT describes those who lack IDEAS and in this sense, all humans are IDIOTIC at birth but have the capacity to learn to ameliorate this condition. Among those with oligophrenia, idiocy may last longer or become a handicap. In any case, all humans are IDIOTS regarding one subject or another.

Bride "given away" to a rich Oligophrenic

Post prandial induced Slip into Sleep or Stupefying Stupor

CRETin is an ancient insult directed at those who live in the island of CRETe. Experts suggest that CRETin also has roots in CHRetien, the name of "simple minded" CHRistians from the iodine depleted Alpine region of Savoy in France. Modern medicine has established that CRETINISM is a birth defects syndrome characterized by oligophrenia and dwarfism caused by prenatal iodine depravation.

Dwarf, perhaps a Cretin	Poor in Iodine

The idea in STUPID has roots in Latin STUPEO for senseless or naive. This overview offers a STUPENDOUS opportunity to point out that from ancient times, STUPrum or rape belongs in the company of ideas concerned with STUPid and STUPefying. Narcotics or in Spanish eSTUPfacientes for "stupidity generating" along with an excess of self-love are one way to reach the STUPor NARCissus personifies.

Prevention of Oligophrenia

Self-love impelled NARcissus as NARCotics impell others into ALLIENation. NARcissus, NARke, NARcoLEPSIS and NARcotic imply an altered mind particularly lethargy or NARCose and NARCOLEPSY. NARCOSE denotes the type of sleep induced by anesthetics and LEPSIS denotes "to take hold of the mind". This sort of lethargy and mental dullness is evident from the dour and grim attitudes of MORose persons. MORosus is a Latin is for ill or insane and points to MORtal.

Ship of fools

Poets have crafted many words. Perhaps long time ago an aMORous poet crafted the word AMOR by adding an A to MOR to stress that true love is imMORtal and devoid of MORbidity.

Putti or Amours Playing.