I have just read this debate with interest and it is not an uncommon
debate within D/deaf and disability literature.
I agree with Claire's point about asking individuals how they perceive
their conditions.
We need to avoid the pitfalls of labelling people we hardly know
especially given the 'power' of labelling historically (and to this day)
by medicals and mainstream society.
Sam
-----Original Message-----
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Claire Wickham
Sent: 13 March 2005 22:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: language info S/VP[Scanned]
Maggie,
you wrote:
'Hard of hearing' is used in the UK to refer to people who have lost
some of
their hearing. The term is used by some hard of hearing people and
'professionals'.
The terms are insulting if used to refer to Deaf people (members of the
Deaf
community whose first language is BSL (British Sign Language).
Best to ask the individuals concerned what they prefer. We do not fit
into
little boxes very easily!
I'd totally agree: you've summed up the situation in the UK very well.
Claire
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Centre for Research on Community Services - Centre de
recherche
>> sur
>> les services communautaires" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 12:55 PM
>> Subject: Re: language info S/VP
>>
>>
>>> Dear list members
>>>
>>> I would be thankful if someone would please educate me as to why the
>>> words
>>> 'hard of hearing' and deafened are insulting, and what are people's
>>> different understandings of the words and how they are used day to
day.
>>> This
>>> is a sincere request.
>>>
>>> In Canada (and the UK), my day to day experience has made me think
that
>>> (as
>>> I wrote to Maria,)" I don't think this is "in lingo" language
>>> necessarily;
>>> they've been used for years and years, (and I may be out of the loop
>>> with
>>> current usage). People who are "hard of hearing" mean they find it
hard
>>> to
>>> hear, or difficult to hear. Usually some loss of hearing is
implicit,
>>> that
>>> is compared to before i.e. when one's hearing was better. My grandpa
>>> described himself as 'hard of hearing' for years and many others do
too.
>>> I'm not so sure about deafened, it means "made deaf" presumably by
some
>>> outside force, for example my uncle who was a gunner's boy during
WW2
>>> was
>>> deafened by the noise (the percussive effect of the guns) but he
always
>>> described himself as deaf and/or hard of hearing. I have heard
deafened
>>> used
>>> in the context of 'Deaf and deafened' i.e. the second word would be
used
>>> by
>>> people who would not identify with Deaf. I would be interested to
hear
>>> what
>>> others have to say about this, too."
>>>
>>> Thanks for your thoughtful responses.
>>>
>>> Best wishes
>>> Vivien Runnels
>>> Ottawa, Canada
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of keith
armstrong
>>> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 6:49 PM
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: language info S/VP
>>>
>>> Maria,
>>>
>>> The phrases "deafened" and "hard of hearing" are certainly used in
the
>>> UK
>>> by both 'profs." by hearing people. Both terms are insulting.
However I
>>> would certainly FEEL SAFER to go to Canada than to the terrorist
state
>>> of
>>> the USA.
>>>
>>> Keith
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 13:23:49 -0500 , Maria Barile <[log in to unmask]>
>>> wrote:
>>>>Can colleagues from English Canada Inform, me of the following
tell
>>>>is
>>> it true that in English Canada people are really using the terms
>>> "deafened"
>>> and "hard of hearing". I find these insulting but I'm told that
there
>>> are
>>> the "in lingo."
>>>>
>>>>What do these mean? Is it rehab language or consumer lingo?
>>>>Maria
>>>
>>>
>>> War makes people ill.
>>>
>>> ___________________________________________________
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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