Deaf People do have a Voice, they just dont have Spoken Language

Saturday 6th September 2008

I met Christa at Fyzabad junction and we travelled to Agape Deaf Centre aka ADC. I am always so grateful for these little moments when I am able to have some one on one time with a Deaf person. I was actually quite excited to travel with Christa especially after getting to know Rayon a little better the day before. I must say that Christa really impressed me. Like Rayon, she is Hard of Hearing meaning that she has slight hearing and so she is able to slightly articulate her words.

I must pause to mention something. Most people have the impression that Deaf people have no voice. This impression needs to be revised. This notion that a Deaf person has no voice is intimately interelated to their deafness but one must understand that a Deaf person hears no spoken word to imitate. However, this does not negate the fact that they do have a voice. They can laugh and make minimal responses. Some even have their own idiolect if I can say that, like sounding clicks while they sign. So let us not be misguided. Deaf people are not voiceless. They are just unable to effectively acquire a spoken language because they can not hear the language in order to imitate it and articulate it.

Anyway, Christa and I met Ian, Shevon and Mirissa (hearing) at ADC. There we had a meeting to source words for a word list associated with an upcoming Spelling Bee Competition. It was a productive session since I was able to learn a few new words as well.