Talk:Deaf-mute

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It is FACT that the term "deaf-mute" some users tend to use in wikipedia, is an offensive term for us in our world. We have language and culture. Have you ever considered someone as "hearing-mute" in your world, huh? Do you know what is the synonym of deaf-mute? It is "deaf-and-dumb", which is pretty self-explanatory. We will be very appreciative if you refrain from using that term from now on. Please use "Deaf" with D as capital letter instead to describe or to refer us.

It will make us proud and it will give the idea that it is nothing wrong with being Deaf.

While I understand your point, Wikipedia is not a soapbox. Furthermore, 'deaf' should not be capitalized as it is an adjective, not a proper noun. If we capitalize Deaf just because it is an important identifier in deaf culture, then we might as well capitalize Gay and Liberal and any other number of adjectives that people think are important. Joey 17:06, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Actually Deaf can be a proper noun, just as Irish and Rastafarian. Deaf with a capital D refers to the "culturally deaf" and deaf with a small d refers to the "audologically deaf." The "culturally deaf" have chosen to be referred to as Deaf; please respect their wishes. Mike.lifeguard 15:05, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 the deaf communities progess since 1970 2 C&P from Deaf mute 3 Question 4 mute

[edit] the deaf communities progess since 1970

[edit] C&P from Deaf mute

A deaf mute is someone who has both deafness and the inability to speak. In some cases the muteness is due to lack of attempting language (since language is more difficult to master when deaf), or due to a separate disorder.

The phrase is used in The Catcher in the Rye to indicate someone who does not speak their mind, and hears nothing, in effect becoming isolated from the world. It is also a key statement reiterated by Laughing Man in the anime Ghost in the Shell.

An article titled Deaf mute was accidentally created as no redirect existed between these two terms. Above is the text from that article, redirect now exists. Dina 21:10, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Question

Sorry if this sounds obtuse, but I am still unclear as to why exactly this is a derogatory term. I get why 'deaf and dumb' is insulting in today's speech, the primary meaning associated with 'dumb' now is synonymous with 'stupid', but 'deaf-mute' seems like an accurate description of someone who is deaf and cannot speak. As far as I know, neither 'deaf' nor 'mute' has any sort of negative stereotype associated with it. Stella luna 06:17, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

Your inqury isn't obtuse; I'm pleased that you are concerned enough to ask the question rather than just dismiss the issue as trivial. Part of the reason "deaf-mute" is offensive has to do with the connotations that words acquire through the years. For example, at one time the words "idiot" and "moron" were acceptable terms to describe what today might be referred to as "mentally disabled," and were even used by professionals to describe degrees of impairment. Today they are offensive because they slipped into the vernacular as a means of insulting someone. "Deaf-mute" at one time was more acceptable to deaf people, but it goes back to a time when deaf people were patronized by hearing people, even their educators, because of misperceptions. Today the term has acquired the pejorative meaning similar to "deaf and dumb."

Additionally, the term "deaf-mute" is inaccurate by many intepretations, implying that deaf people are incapable of speech, which is almost never the case. Some deaf people choose not speak for various reasons, but they do not have impaired vocal chords.

Actually use of the word "mute" to describe (non-deaf) people who do not speak is being used less by the professional community. Such people sometimes are simply described with phrases such as "does not speak."

I hope this sheds some light on the issue for you, and I invite others, especially in the Deaf community, to comment. Ward3001 17:45, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] mute

So this article goes in length to talk about that you shouldn't call deaf-mutes by that name, but it doesn't say what you should call them. Also, it goes into how the name is offensive, but it doesn't talk about, well anything else really. How it can happen, what treatments there are, famous people that were deaf-mutes... none of that. Only talk of why you shouldn't call them deaf-mutes JayKeaton 22:53, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

JayKeaton, I think it is clear by several uses of simply the term "deaf" in the the article that the preferred term is "deaf". For more detail about "what to call them" see the article Deafness. In regard to the article "doesn't talk about, well anything else really", please note that this is not the article on deafness, and I refer you again to that article for much more detail about causes, treatments, and much more; and to the article List of deaf people for informaton about famous deaf people. The deaf-mute article is only a discussion of the historical but outdated term, not a comprehensive discussion of deafness. Ward3001 23:42, 10 March 2007 (UTC)