Chapter 70

See now I think this is another one of those odd questions. It’s just like being short or tall. There is nothing special about their eyes. I think that people who are Deaf are probably more in tune with people’s facial expressions and their body language but it’s not that they would be able to see further than other people. People who are not Deaf can also acquire skills in ASL because they watch and learn to read body language and peoples facial expressions. I love that it says, “this doesn’t make them visually smarter or eagle-eyed.” I thought this was a funny thing to say.

Chapter 69

Again, never would have thought about this. If someone is Deaf during the day or when it is light they would need to be on alert for someone talking. I just can’t imagine never being able to look away when someone is talking. You could never take your attention off that person because you have to be watching. I mean in situations I would be able to focus on that person signing, like in class, but when I’m talking to my friends sometimes I’m off doing something else. Or we are cooking or something and talking to one another across the room.

I thought that part about the kids who are Deaf going to that school and them being forced to sleep in the dark was terrible. How horrible of those people! I mean I understand that children need to get used to being in the dark but there are other ways around that! You could get a diming light that goes out a little more each night or something. It doesn’t have to be an immediate thing where they are forced to start out in the dark. Of course they aren’t going to be able to sleep. Sorry, I was a big chicken when I was younger and couldn’t imagine my parents, or teachers, doing this to me. 

Chapter 68

When I first read the question of this chapter, I was like oh my gosh, come on! But then I read further to see that they are talking about interpreters wearing dark or plain colors. Since we have already talked about this in class I really could read though this chapter and understand more of why. You don’t want any colors or anything to take away from your signing. I really like how at the end they talked about ski masks, sunglasses, hats, etc. I laughed because the first thing they started with was the ski mask, like people usually go around wearing ski masks on a daily basis. I never would have thought about sunglasses and hats and such as being something that you wouldn’t really be able to wear. It makes sense though because you wouldn’t be able to see the eyebrows to know if someone is asking a question or not. 

Chapter 67

I thought this was a fascinating question as well. The chapter is talking about people who are Deaf having different facial anatomy. I have never noticed anything different about people who are Deaf having different facial features. I think everyone looks different anyway.

I went to this thing for the Academic Team the other day and the school we were at had a big rug of all kinds of different children. There was a child in a wheelchair, all different races, blind, and then one girl was holding up her fingers in the “ILY” sign. I laughed a little because it just threw me off seeing that. I never realized that you really wouldn’t be able to tell that she was different unless she had a hearing aid or something like that. I just thought it was an interesting way to show that she was Deaf.

Other than a hearing aid or something else like that I don’t see how you would be able to tell that someone was deaf. Even if you see two people signing, you wouldn’t be able to say exactly that they were deaf. Look at you, you can sign and probably hang out with your friends who are Deaf outside of your own home. I’m sure people probably think you are deaf when you’re not. 

Chapter 66

Singsong is really interesting. Once I read this chapter, I started thinking about other songs and how you could sign sing them. It would be really complicated! There are so many words that you wouldn’t use in ASL in those songs. I just think that it would get really complicated to sign all these songs that at modern. I think it would be really fun to create a song or be a singer or singsongs. The book talks about a lady named, Sherry Hicks. She is a hearing person who performs ASL songs! I think that this would be really hard to do but it would also be really fun.

My nieces teacher would have the students do sign songs while they sing during Christmas performances. I always thought this was kind of fun for the students. Now that I read this chapter I realize that maybe it isn’t the best idea for students. It is a really great way to keep their hands busy during performances but I could see where it could be hurtful to people who are Deaf. I think that it is nice that students are learning some ASL through these songs but they should probably learn the whole songs, not just a few words. 

Chapter 65

I thought this was an understandable question to ask. ‘Can Deaf people appreciate music at all?’ was the question at the beginning of this chapter. I thought it was interesting to hear about some people who are Deaf love music and others could care less about it. I love music and couldn’t imagine being without it. If you think about it, music is in everything you watch. It is on every show you would watch, every movie, music videos, cars, shops, etc. I think it would be really hard to watch a movie without music. Think about watching a scary movie without the dark tones to let you know something bad is going to happen. Like in the movie, Jaws, the music that happens when the shark is about to attack. In this book they said that, “most Deaf people don’t enjoy music, as they don’t understand it; music appreciation is a foreign concept.” I didn’t really like this sentence in the chapter but I guess since I’m not part of the Deaf community I wouldn’t have much insight on whether this is true or not. I think that growing up without music would be very difficult. 

Chapter 64

I thought this chapter was really fascinating to read about. I didn’t realize that people who were deaf could be amazing dancers. I mean, I knew they could dance but I didn’t realize that they could actually go to school and become dancers. It was really awesome to read that it doesn’t matter if you are deaf or not, you can still do everything a hearing person can. It was also interesting to hear about how people who are deaf hear the music. They can hear through vibrations and the bass. I loved this line, “some hearing people are terrific dancers and some are incredible klutzes, the same applies to deaf people (p. 377).” I feel like finally, the author says something along those lines!! He should have said it about that stupid, ‘why do some deaf people not like to read?’ question. I’m sorry but I still find that question a little dumb. Some people are just different and it doesn’t matter if they are deaf or hearing. I think it would be really fun to go to a concert or something that people who are deaf go so I can hear how loud they really do make their music. The book says that it is super loud. 

Chapter 63

I’m still a little surprised by this question. I guess I never really thought about people who are Deaf going to the movie theater. It just seems strange to me but I guess I am the one being stereotypical with that statement. I think it is really fascinating that action movies are more entertaining to people who are Deaf but it does make a lot of sense. Action movies don’t have a lot of dialog while “talky” movies do. People who are Deaf wouldn’t have to try and figure out what the people are saying as much and would be able to enjoy the action parts of the movie. I had never really thought about it that way before but it’s really neat actually. I really wish that there could be more cinemas that had movies for Deaf audiences. That would be the coolest thing to create, theaters with subtitled movies. And not just old movies! Movies that are in other theaters as well.

Chapter 62

Deaf literature. I thought this chapter was interesting. I didn’t know if there would be like ASL literature or something like that. I think that people who are Deaf would enjoy any types of literature if that is something they are interested in. There are types of literature that I am interested in and others that I am not interested in. It’s not because they are written in a different form of English, although I’m not a fan of Shakespeare but that’s because I don’t understand it. I guess that would be a good example though. Some people LOVE Shakespeare and totally get it and I do LOVE to read, I don’t like Shakespeare. I think that goes along with people who are Deaf and ASL literature. Some people who are Deaf may only like ASL literature, while others may like all kinds of different literature. I don’t really know if this makes any sense but I think it just depends on the person when it comes to likes and dislikes. 

Chapter 61

I found this chapter slightly…boring. I know I shouldn’t have because it should be a really interesting chapter to read but all it talked about was different books and TV shows that are negative towards people who are Deaf. Now I was very surprised and thought this was horrible but since it just gave a lot of examples and told what the stories were about, it didn’t capture my attention for very long. I think after reading most of this book , I understand how ignorant people can be about others. With the United States history in every race or every “disability” you could think of, I don’t think anything would surprise me. Look at what the US did to the Native Americans, African Americans, Gays, etc. I mean, I think that more people need to just mind their own business and stay out of other people’s lives. 

Chapter 60

I think the internet would help Deaf culture, not destroy it. If you look at all the things people who are Deaf can do with technology now, it is amazing. There is facetime, skype, etc. All these different ways that people who are Deaf can communicate with parents and friends openly. As the book talks about TVs now will have subtitles. I think that more movies should have options for this because it would be nice to go to a movie at the theater and be able to understand what they are talking about. It’s great for ASL learners to have all this technology and access to different internet sites that can help us with ASL. But I could see where this type of technology could hurt as well; you never know if you are getting the right information. I think you have to be very careful when using the internet to look up information about ASL because of those sites that are not accurate. Also, when looking up certain signed words, sometimes it depends on the context of what you are saying on how you use that word. 

Chapter 59

I found this chapter really hard to follow. I didn’t really understand where they were going with the ghetto and Deaf culture. After reading through it a couple of times, I understand it a little better but it is still odd. I guess they are trying to talk about how segregation is and that the Deaf culture may be like that? I don’t feel this way because Deaf culture enjoys having their own world, at least I think they do. I think they like to have their own piece of the world that no one can really touch. It would be difficult though, if people tried to step into that world and started trying to take control. Like Alexander Graham Bell tried to do with sign language. In my opinion, the “ghetto” is not the best place to be. It has that stereotype that is poor and run down type of feel. I don’t feel that the Deaf community is like that, at least not in most. There are, of course, exceptions to every statement but for the most part I think that ghetto is not something that should be associated with the Deaf community. 

Chapter 58

Physically, deafness is a disability. In school, that would be listed under their physical disabilities. I feel like the word disability is thrown around so easily now that saying I have a disability could be a numerous of things. I like that they talk about how people who are deaf can cope with their disability. It does feel weird saying disability, doesn’t it? Can I say though, wow, about the “please do not call us the hearing impaired community”. I don’t remember it saying anything about that in the book and feel like the author kind of just threw that comment out there. It was a little surprising. I like that the book says that people who are deaf still want their schools and their education opportunities for children who are deaf. I don’t feel like those should be taken away from people but I do feel that other students should be welcome to join. It sounds silly, I know, but still. It shouldn’t be only allowed for a certain type of people. I think that children whose parents are deaf should be able to go to these schools if they wish or children who have siblings that are deaf should be able to go to these schools as well. 

Chapter 56 & 57

Chapter 56

I feel like this chapter was basically the same as the last chapter. I think it depends on your knowledge of the culture. I’m not going to sit here and write articles about the ocean because I don’t know enough information about it. It would be a very basic article and not very well informed. If you are going to start writing pieces about things then I believe that you need to be well informed and be able to write information that is accurate. Again, I feel like this chapter was the same as the last. 

Chapter 57

Finally we hear about Alexander Graham Bell! Apparently he almost succeeded in wiping out Deaf Culture. He basically sounds like a really crappy guy. Bell was an oralist and he wanted to get rid of Sign Language. I don’t really understand why you would want to get rid of a language but he seems like a jerk so that might be why. He was a phonetics teacher and was very good at sign language. When I read about this part I was even more surprised. If I became fluent at sign language I don’t think I would want to get rid of the language. It is such a pretty and expressive language. It’s a means of communication and would be completely wrong to get rid of that. Yes speech is important but so it communication. If you can’t hear what someone is telling you, how are you able to have that key communication skill. I really hate oralists (bad to say, I know) but goodness! Communication is huge in how we live in society! 

Chapter 55

Studying Deaf culture would be really fun, I think. I’m afraid that sometimes I don’t get the right information from these chapters. Or maybe I read into them differently than most people. I would love to get more involved with the Deaf community and become fluent in the language. This being said, I know that it is important to get information from inside the Deaf community and people that are on the outside looking in. Before making an statement, I think you need to be able to look and understand both sides of the argument. Now, it doesn’t mean that you have to agree or even see their WHOLE side but at least know where they are coming from. Not everyone lives in the same world as you do, some people are raised completely different than you. Everyone should be able to understand that most people will have a different opinion.

I don’t think that it would be right for people to criticize one another but it is going to happen whether we like it or not. I think that sometimes we’re just going to have to take it in stride. Now, disrespecting someone’s entire culture is not acceptable by any means. I just think that sometimes people are going to say things that you don’t like to hear and those things shouldn’t be said but people are ignorant. 

Chapter 54

Being born deaf would be a very difficult thing. It would be hard on the parents of the child and the child as they grow up. It is not impossible and it should not be considered a burden or something looked down upon. I believe that you should make the most of the situations you are in. it is important to know that you are loved by many and that you have the ability to love many. It would be difficult to be a person who is deaf but it would also be difficult to be blind, or in a wheelchair, or have a mental illness. I think that you have to make the most of your situation.

Becoming deaf later in life would be very very difficult. I think that it would be more difficult, as I’ve said before, to become deaf later in life. I think this because you have lived your whole life without having this difficulty and then you have it.  The thing I know I would struggle with most is talking with my parents. I think that it would be really hard for them to learn how to communicate but I know that they would do it in a heartbeat. It would be difficult because you are already established in your life and you already have this foundation built for yourself, then you have to change it around. 

Chapter 53

In previous chapters, it discusses who is part of the Deaf community and says that if you associate with them and are respectful that you are part of the Deaf community. I like the response though, Do they want to be? It should be simple like that, do you want to be? I believe now, that I could be part of the Deaf community if I choose to be and if I would show the Deaf community respect. All cultures are difficult and stubborn so I don’t believe that it is fair to say that hard of hearing people are stubborn individuals. Most people are! In my opinion, based on what the chapters have told me, the Deaf community would accept you if you want to be accepted. 

Chapter 52

The chapter is about the difference between being hard of hearing and being deaf. I think that this was a good chapter to have in this book. I’ve found myself wondering about this sometimes but always thought that if a person is deaf they would not be able to hear at all and if they are hard of hearing then they can hear a little bit. The book states that a man named, Alexander Graham Bell said that if you lose your hearing after the age of 8, you are “hard of hearing,” no matter how deaf you are. I don’t entirely agree with this statement. Based on some previous statements in the chapter, Alexander Graham Bell is not the greatest guy in the Deaf Community.

The chapter says that, “the traditional criterion is the ability to use a voice telephone. If you have a hearing loss and can still use the telephone (even with amplification), you are hard-of-hearing. If you can’t, you’re deaf. Simple as that (pg. 315).” I think that this is a great cut and dry answer. I love answers that have these types of responses. It may not be the best answer to go by but it is still acceptable, I believe. Why not have a answer that is simple? 

Chapter 51

Now this chapter is interesting! It is about the different types of people that the deaf community accepts. The deaf community does not just accept people who are deaf or hard of hearing, they accept all people if they are respectful of the culture. I think this is only fair. Why would you accept people who do not like you? The deaf community will welcome anyone who is curious and is eager to learn about the culture. I think that this chapter was a breath of fresh air. Some of these chapters have made me nervous to go to events because of the negativity towards people who can hear. I found that this chapter seems to be okay as long as people do not go into the deaf community with a bad attitude.

I really found the thing called, tinnitus, really interesting to learn about. I did not know that this was something that existed but apparently it is a buzzing, ringing ,clicking, roaring, in the ears. This would suck! To hear something buzzing or a noise of some kind inside your ear all the time! Ahh! I think I would go crazy if something like this was going on in my ears! 

Chapter 50

Is deafness “bad karma”?

Umm…what??? Who would ask this bizarre question? Why would being deaf be “bad karma”? And who would know if it is? Karma is a matter of opinion. Not everyone believes in destiny or fate so they may not believe in karma.  The book goes onto talk about different religions and what they believe and all that jazz. I am just not interested in this chapter really. I found the question to be absurd and the response to be even more absurd. It is a silly questions, there are no such thing as stupid ones, but this one was pretty silly. Not everyone will believe that karma exists so how can one really give a straight answer about this? There is no right or wrong answer to this question so I found that it was kind of boring to read about. Sorry.

Chapter 49

How do people become deaf?

The book says that congenitally deaf is when you are born deaf and adventitiously deaf is when you become deaf later. I feel like becoming deaf later in life would be more difficult than to be born deaf. I, clearly, don’t know what it is like either way but I think that it would be harder to adapt if you become deaf. If you are a person that is born deaf then you have no prior knowledge of what it was like to hear so essentially, you don’t know what you are missing out. It sounds horrible to say outloud or in a blog but I think that it would be harder. Your family would have to learn how to communicate with you in a completely new way. I know that they would have to learn how to either way but it would be difficult to go from being able to communicate freely, then to have to learn how to communicate in a new way.

The book talks about different ways that people who are not born deaf become deaf. They said that viruses can cause people to lose their hearing. Deafness can also be caused by accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, etc. I thought this one was really strange, conductive deafness. The book says that it is a, “buildup of earwax that blocks the canal, fluid in the middle of the ear, inflammation, a perforated eardrum, or ossification or fusing of the bones (pg. 300-301).” Wow! That all just sounds gross! 

Chapter 48

Wow! What a crazy story! The grandmother fell down during her pregnancy and she had a boy and girl who were deaf, the grandma became deaf in one ear, the girls aunt has a daughter who is deaf in one ear, and her uncle's daughter has hearing loss, and she has Meniere's Disease. That book says that she must carry some genetic tendency towards being deaf. The book also states that is not uncommon for hearing loss to run in families. 

Honestly, I think it would be kind of nice to have something like that run in the family instead of one person being deaf. It would be easier to communicate and understand one another's frustrations. I also didn't realize that you could go to a genetic counselor to test about what you may have in your genes. I guess that makes sense but I didn't think they would be able to tell you anything about that type of gene. I guess I always assumed that it was random, not something in your genes that caused someone to become deaf. That is really interesting though. 

Chapter 46 & 47

Chapter 46

"Hearing parents of deaf children think they know their children. But they do not know what effect deafness will have on their children's lives." (pg. 283). I had a difficult time understanding this sentences when reading it. I agree to an extent. I get that parents of children that are deaf will have a more difficult time understanding how it will effect them but I feel like if you have that communication with your children then it could be easier. I'm not sure since I'm not deaf and I don't have children who are deaf but I think that communication is always the key. I think that if you have children that are deaf, you should do whatever you can to learn about it. You should make sure you learn ASL, you learn about the culture, learn as much as you can about being deaf so you are able to be more understanding. 

No parents get everything right but they are still your parents and, I believe, they know you better than anyone.

Chapter 47

I haven't really ever thought about this question. "Do deaf parents breed deaf children?" I figured that it was just random when things like this happened. It turns out that it can run in your family but you don't pass it onto your children. I was surprised to find out that most "deaf genes" were inherited by hearing parents. 

I was so shocked by the little story at the end of the chapter! I was really upset when reading this because how horrible! What a jerk! Some people are so stupid. 

Chapter 44 & 45

Chapter 44

I didn't really understand this chapter while I was reading through it. I couldn't get a good reading on whether the author was okay with deaf parents asking new parents if the baby is deaf. I don't really see anything wrong with parents who are deaf asking this question. I did think it was a little silly when the author says, "But virtually all Deaf folks ask: "deaf or hearing?" I don't know why it bothered me but I guess I just feel like there is more to ask than just that question. I understand that that wouldn't be ALL they ask about the baby but the first question? It make sense that they want to get a feel for the baby's background but what does that mean exactly? If they aren't deaf, the parents don't want to have anything to do with them? I guess I just got a negative vibe from reading that sentence. 

"One of them" really bothered me as well. I understand and totally get that there is a completely different world in the deaf culture but "one of them"? I feel like everyone should be together. There shouldn't be them and us; it should just be all of us together. I think that if more of the world began to see it like this then there would be less issues with other cultures. There is so much of them and us that it gets hard to make connections. I love that the deaf community is so welcoming when I attend deaf culture events but sometimes this book sounds like they really aren't and I just think that they are. It really is hard to take these past few chapters and feel like I would be accepted into the deaf community.

Chapter 45

I really liked this chapter because I think that I agree with the authors position! It is so difficult for hearing people to understand what it's like to be deaf but I feel that since the vast majority of the world is hearing that it would be easier for parents who are deaf to raise a child that is hearing. That child will be easily bilingual while they are growing up, which is an amazing thing! Although it may be very difficult for the deaf parents raising a hearing child, I believe that as long as communication takes place that they will do a great job. If you love your children, there is not much more to ask for. In any relationship, communication is the key. I get that it would be more difficult for hearing parents to raise a child who is deaf, the lack of trying is a major key though. Hearing parents need to learn to have that same communication with their children. Learning ASL is difficult but if you have a child who happens to be deaf, shouldn't you want to communicate with them? Go to any lengths to do so? 

Chapter 43

I think that screening for infants is perfectly fine. I don't see why anyone would have a problem with it. Wouldn't it be 100 times better if you find out at birth that your child is deaf. Then you are able to start signing to them right away and find out information about how to get them involved in the deaf community. It would be nice to start making connections right away and for your family to begin to get used to signing and the idea of having a family member that is deaf. I think that screening children would be a great idea.

We screen for other things, why not for the loss of hearing. Screening children for any kind of physical or mental disability is part of the process when your child is born. I think that making sure they do not have any hearing loss is very acceptable. 

Chapter 42

Isn't it possible to have the best of both worlds - ASL and a cochlear implant?

The book talks about cochlear implants and how parents are able to have them done to their children. I think this chapter is very touchy and would be a difficult topic to talk about to other people. Depending on the persons views and how a person accepts other peoples views, the conversation could go really well. I think that cochlear implants are totally up to the person or the parents. It's not my business to say that you are wrong for getting them or for having your children get them. I guess I feel the same way about gay marriages as I do about the implants...do what makes you happy. 

I understand though that parents are doing them to their children and the children don't have a say. My question to them is, do you have your children's ears pierced? I know it is not the same at all because cochlear implants are surgery and pierced ears are not but still. Your child, at the age of 1, did not tell you they WANTED their ears pierced so how is it your right to do it? This is why I think that no one should have the right to say yes or no to people or their parents. I know it sounds like I have contradicted myself but my point is that I am not allowed to say that a child should or shouldn't have their ears pierced because it is none of my business. Being married if you are gay is none of my business. Cochlear implants is none of my business. 

Chapter 41

Do all deaf people benefit from hearing aids?

Hearing aids are not a magic machine that will make people who are deaf hear again. I think the parts in this chapter about the children were the most important. Parents should allow their children to decide on their on whether they want to wear hearing aids or if they don't. I think that it's important in your child's life to decide things like that on their own. I understand where parents would want their child to wear them if they help but it should not be forced upon them. 

I couldn't believe when I read how much hearing aids cost! At the pharmacy I work at we sell batteries for hearing aids and they are pretty expensive so it shouldn't have been that big of a shock but nevertheless, I was. I think it is even more important for children to decide on their own because of this. If you have a child that is deaf and they would like to wear hearing aids I think it would be important to stress that they are a tool to help and should not be taken advantage of. If you force a child to wear them, you really shouldn't be able to get mad if they get damaged or lost. If your child doesn't want them in the first place, why would they take care of it? 

Chapter 40

This chapter is about a student in a sign-language class whose teacher is deaf. Their teacher continues to refer to them as "hearing" as a describing word. 

I think that it is okay when you are describing someone because that is something about that person. On the other hand, it is unacceptable for hearing people to refer to deaf people as deafs. I don't know, I guess I just think the rules should apply both ways. I understand that people that are deaf are a minority portion of the population but I still don't think its right for a teacher to refer to students as 'the hearing person' or anything along those lines. It just doesn't make sense to me. Honestly, I think it goes back to the golden rule again...treat others the way you want to be treated. People that are deaf don't like for that to be their signifier and as a hearing person I wouldn't want that to be mine. 

Now, I don't fully understand the problem in this class. The teacher may call this student by name but use their hearing as a describing word. In this case, I think it would be fine. That is a characteristic about the student but it should not be a consent thing in this class. Students should never be degraded or labeled in any way. I know I probably don't understand the context and I'm sure it is not insulting at all but it just doesn't seem right to me. 

Chapter 39

When I used the word "handicapped," my deaf friends get angry. Why is that?

They probably get angry because it's not really a handicap, in my opinion. The book says, "in purely medical terms, it's a disability..." (p. 249). I think that is acceptable because in medical terms I guess it would be. People who are deaf can do anything I do. It doesn't really make any difference that they aren't able to hear and I am. Everyone is different, I'm sure they are better at many other things than I am. It is just a characteristic about them. It's not like people who are deaf can't communicate with one another. It is more difficult to communicate with everyone but not impossible. 

I think whose ever friends gets upset about the person calling them handicap is totally acceptable. I wouldn't want my friends to refer to me as handicapped or disabled. I've never been in the situation where this has happened before but I know that if I ever have a child that is deaf, I would want them to be treated equally. Disabilities are hard to understand and label because in schools, I guess, being deaf could be considered a disability. This again, would be in medical terms though. I hope that if I ever have a student who is deaf that I will be able to understand and communicate with them as much as possible. It's important for me to see every side of all situations and accept all students for all of their different characteristics. 

Chapter 38

Can 'Deaf' be used as a noun (as in 'the Deaf') or should it be used only as an adjective? 

The same confusing situation came up in this chapter. What do you do? Some people prefer one way while others prefer the other. It is kind of frustrating to understand what you are supposed to do in these situations. Should you use 'Deaf' it as a noun or adjective? 

In this situation I think it would be best to recognize the person before their (deafness?). I think it's important to always recognize the person because thats what they are first and foremost, people. Again, at school we always go by the golden rule. It is essential to treat others the way you would like to be treated. No one wants to be treated badly so why would you treat others bad? 

Chapter 37

What do others call us? And what do we call ourselves? 

I thought this chapter was interesting in how it gave different examples of what people who are Deaf are called. I also liked how it gave the timeline of different quotes said on page 221. It's crazy that people actually referred to the Deaf as 'deaf and dumb.' It should have really surprised me because people can be really rude and inconsiderate.

I think it would be difficult though because not everyone likes to be called the same thing...not that you should 'call' anyone anything. But some people who are deaf like to be referred to as deaf, while others like hard of hearing. It's difficult to see what to do in these situations. Sometimes I think it would be best to not call anyone anything. That's what I teach my students at school but you still get the name-calling. I don't know what I would say if I were put in the situation because it does depend on what the person prefers. I think that, maybe, if you aren't trying to be rude or insensitive then the person who is deaf would understand.