Difference between DEAF and Deaf?

breelligerent said:
I appreciate you weighing in on this! I'm afraid I still don't understand the distinction you make. You're not Deaf because you don't use sign, so your use of DEAF is to describe your medical state, correct? I'm not sure why the term "deaf" doesn't apply to your identity. Is it because your experience of deafness is completely silent? From what I understand, some d/Deaf have a bit of hearing, but not at any level to make a difference in communication or lifestyle. Is that the distinction you're trying to get across?

Feel free to not answer these questions if you're frustrated with them. I'm just curious and hoping to understand where you are coming from. :wave:
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I hadn't realized it until drphil clarified here, but it looks like his use of DEAF is distinguished from the commonly used deaf vs. Deaf as an indicator of what side of the cultural line one is on. Maybe he's defining himself not as an ASL-using Deaf person, and not as an 'oral-thinking' deaf person who uses residual hearing or speechreading, but as something outside that sociological construct. It's actually a pretty interesting shift in thinking about what deafness means (or what DEAFness is) to an individual.
 
I understand the distinction DrPhil is trying to make, and I think everyone raises good points in the difference between deaf and Deaf.

I do see some Deaf (culturally Deaf) individuals around here use DEAF to mean strong-Deaf or super-Deaf. As in, supporting Deaf residential schooling, supporting Deaf colleges (Gally, NTID), and voice-off. Just my thoughts.
 
breelligerent said:
Hey all! I've seen some people around these parts spell the word "deaf" with all uppercase letters. I know the difference between "deaf" and "Deaf", but what does "DEAF" mean? Is there a cultural meaning to it?

(I'm sorry if this has been asked before. I tried to search the forum and Google, but it just kept giving me the plain-old "deaf".)
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none.

it's deaf or Deaf... not DEAF.

deaf = hearing loss
Deaf = culturally deaf
DEAF = lol wut?
 
DEAF is DrPhill's own self identifier. It has not accepted use in Deaf Culture. I view it as SHOUTING deaf on the Internet. The only 2 accepted uses are with or without an uppercase "D" to indicate Culturally Deaf.

WTF is DEAF swimming? I swim and so do lots of other people who are Deaf and deaf. I didn't know we swim any different from hearing people. In fact I swim the same as when I could hear. Maybe its DrPhills new DEAFstroke technique. if anything, you do "deaf"swim, whatever that maybe
Just because you do an activity with one or more other people with hearing loss, does no make one culturally Deaf. To be Deaf you have to use and consider ASL as your primary language among other things.
 
soutthpaw said:
DEAF is DrPhill's own self identifier. It has not accepted use in Deaf Culture. I view it as SHOUTING deaf on the Internet. The only 2 accepted uses are with or without an uppercase "D" to indicate Culturally Deaf.

WTF is DEAF swimming? I swim and so do lots of other people who are Deaf and deaf. I didn't know we swim any different from hearing people. In fact I swim the same as when I could hear. Maybe its DrPhills new DEAFstroke technique. if anything, you do "deaf"swim, whatever that maybe
Just because you do an activity with one or more other people with hearing loss, does no make one culturally Deaf. To be Deaf you have to use and consider ASL as your primary language among other things.
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I think deaf swimming is because he swims with no implant and actually hears nothing at that time.

So thinking of definition drphil style, at bedtime his is really only deaf...
 
Whether I should classify swimming/sleeping as "deaf/ Deaf"activity-not exactly a major concern of mine. My identity doesn't change in the slightness.

To make it clear- I have never claim to be CULTURAL deaf. DEAF is fine.

As for deaf swimming/bowling or any other activity interesting that the "deaf community" promotes such presumably as part of "deaf values"! Unexplained how such is different than"hearing" swimming etc?

To be DEAF is condition of silence-doesn't hearing anything. Using ASL et al is a consequence of how one's deal with this physical fact. As well as using a Cochlear Implant. To me being DEAF is beyond the use of any Hearing Aid. This is my very direct experience.

I understand one's primary/original language is what one's parents taught. It can be altered later.

Another interlude in Sociology which should make rei's "study" realistic.
 
drphil said:
Whether I should classify swimming/sleeping as "deaf/ Deaf"activity-not exactly a major concern of mine. My identity doesn't change in the slightness.

To make it clear- I have never claim to be CULTURAL deaf. DEAF is fine.

As for deaf swimming/bowling or any other activity interesting that the "deaf community" promotes such presumably as part of "deaf values"! Unexplained how such is different than"hearing" swimming etc?

To be DEAF is condition of silence-doesn't hearing anything. Using ASL et al is a consequence of how one's deal with this physical fact. As well as using a Cochlear Implant. To me being DEAF is beyond the use of any Hearing Aid. This is my very direct experience.

I understand one's primary/original language is what one's parents taught. It can be altered later.

Another interlude in Sociology which should make rei's "study" realistic.
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I don't understand why you have keep on repeating the same sentences over and over. We have read that many times over. Can you say something new without talking about DEAF thingy? I don't think you don't know nothing about sociology on deafness and Deaf Culture.

As for swimming and bowling, a lot of deaf and Deaf people love to do this like being in a Deaf club. They are at peace with each other relating to swimming and bowling. Why don't you read a book so that you can understand what the story is telling you in a different light instead of repeating. Eh? :roll:
 
I suppose most/many persons here in Alldeaf.com have "repeated" various aspects of their life re: their perception on the "deaf condition" many times.

I have mentioned many times Harlan Lane et al book: A Journey into the DEAF-WORLD. Whether it still "represents-accurately- some Deaf persons" views-unknown. It was in the Toronto Public Library.What happened to the "Deaf militants"?

I know-advised- unable to read comments here in the past. Ironic-supposedly!

More interludes in Sociology- culture/ideology
 
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