Peters L G
Am J Ment Defic. 1980 Jan;84(4):352-6.
The Tamang of the Kathmandu Valley have an agrarian society with little demand for literacy and schooling, yet they recognize and label mental retardation. The criteria for labeling are based partially upon insufficiency of intelligence and behavioral adaptation but primarily upon speech incompetence. There is stigma attached to the label, and it has a limiting effect upon social status and role. While the Western conception of mental deficiency is not primarily contingent upon verbal ability, speech function is a consideration in the evaluation of intelligence, as is the case in other parts of the world. In fact, verbal skill is one useful referent for future cross-cultural research on mental deficiency.
加德满都谷地的塔芒人拥有一个农业社会，对读写能力和学校教育需求甚少，但他们能够识别并为智力迟钝贴上标签。贴标签的标准部分基于智力不足和行为适应能力，但主要基于语言能力不足。这个标签带有污名，对社会地位和角色有限制作用。虽然西方对智力缺陷的概念并不主要取决于语言能力，但在评估智力时会考虑语言功能，世界其他地区也是如此。事实上，语言技能是未来跨文化智力缺陷研究的一个有用参照。
