Brief summary about the book Deaf in America, the explanation of few expressions.

1. DEAF IN AMERICA
VOICES FROM A CULTURE
Written by Carol Padden and Tom
Humphries

2. Carol Padden
 American academic, author, and lecturer
 Professor in the Department of Communication
at the University of California
 She was born to a Deaf family
 Carol is deaf since she was born
 She married Tom Humphries

3. Tom Humphries
 He is deafened
 an American academic, author, and lecturer on
Deaf culture and communication
 Professor at the University of California, San
Diego
 They have one hearing child

4. Expressions
 Deafened – people who lost the sense of hearing after age of 6
 Deaf – people who was born or loss their hearing before age
of 6
 Hard of hearing – people whose sense of hearing is worsten
comparing to hearing people, but can be compensated with a
hearing aid
 Deaf-mute – old expression for Deaf, cannot be used any
more – Deaf can speak
 Sign language (ASL) – language which is used by Deaf, hard
of hearing people, or deafened people

5. Deaf
 Prelingually – lost hearing before learning spoken
language
 Postlingually – get familiar with spoken language
then lose their hearing
 They have their own language which is different
everywhere
 They have their own community
 They are a cultural minority

6. Learning to be Deaf
 Children do not know they are deaf
 DEAF means „WE“ for them
 Different view how the world works
 “Hearing means the opposite of what we are.”
 They learn sound in different way
 Some of them join the majority of hearing

7. Deaf Cinderella
 Is an oralist, cannot use sign language
 Gets magic glass gloves
 Goes to Deaf club
 Fells in love
 Loses her glove
 Is found by a Deaf prince
 Lives happily ever after with the Deaf prince, learn
sign language