ASL CULTURE TEST TERMS

GA

"Go ahead" This is an abbreviation commonly used while typing on a TTY (teletype). It means you are done with your turn and it is the other person's turn to go ahead and type.

Capitalization of "Deaf"

-Some believe it should always be capitalized -Some prefer to capitalize when referring to someone who is culturally Deaf and use "deaf" for someone who is physically deaf. -THIS study guide uses "Deaf" in reference to Deaf people, culture, and organizations.

Hearing Person

A person who can hear and has the mindset of a person who can hear is a referred to as "Hearing person." The term "Hearing" can be capitalized to refer to being a member of the "Hearing" culture but many writers do not capitalize it.

Oral/Oralism

A philosophy of encouraging (forcing) Deaf to speak and read lips rather than use sign language.

Video Relay Service

A relay service allows Hearing people to call Deaf people, and vice versa. A communication assistant (CA) answers a call from either a Deaf person or a Hearing person and then dials the number of the other person and then relays information back and forth between the two people. In the early days of Relay Service this was done between a telephone and a TTY (teletype). Modern relay services now use video for (at least) the signed portion of the call and thus are referred to as a video relay service" or VRS.

Evolution of Terminology

As of the time of this writing (early 21st century) the word Deaf has been accepted by the culturally Deaf community and major organizations representing Deaf people (such as the National Association of the Deaf and the World Federation of the Deaf) as an acceptable and proper term to use when discussing Deaf people.

Gallaudet, Thomas Hopkins

Born December 10, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He entered Yale University at age 14. He graduated from Yale first in his class three years later, and decided to join the ministry. Reverend Gallaudet met Dr. Mason Cogswell and his Deaf daughter Alice. Dr. Cogswell persuaded Mr. Gallaudet to travel to England to study their methods of teaching Deaf students. There Gallaudet met a Deaf educator, Laurent Clerc, and convinced him to come back to America and help establish the first American school for the Deaf.

Captions

Captions or captioning refers to the use of subtitles on movies or videos to convey via text the voiced information or sounds that are happening in video. Closed Captioning refers to subtitles that must be turned on

Deaf

Culturally Deaf people prefer to be called Deaf.

Deaf/hh

Culturally Deaf people who are able to use hearing aids, speechread, and talk with their voice may choose to label themselves as Deaf in general and hard-of-hearing in specific so as to not overstate their status. For example, sometimes during introductions or explanations a person will sign, "I/me DEAF" and then will add the sign for "hard-of-hearing" immediately afterward as a way of stating that he/she is considers himself to be Deaf but with the caveat that he/she can hear to some extent.

DPN "Deaf President Now"

Deaf President Now. DPN was both a campus protest and an international Deaf movement that took place the week of March 6, 1988 at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.. Elizabeth Zinser, a hearing woman, had been newly elected president of Gallaudent University. The students and international Deaf Community protested and demanded a Deaf president be appointed instead. This resulted in I. King Jordan, a Deaf man, becoming president of Gallaudet University.

Leave-taking

Deaf leave taking tends to be extended. In other words Deaf "good-byes" tend to take a long time.

Hugs/Hugging

Deaf people tend to hug more than Hearing (American) people

Fingerspelling

Fingerspelling (in ASL) consists of 22 handshapes that—when held in certain positions and/or are produced with certain movements—represent the 26 letters of the American alphabet. Fingerspelling is also sometimes called "The Manual Alphabet."

Disability Group

In general, culturally Deaf people do not view themselves as being disabled nor belonging to a "disability group." Instead we see ourselves as a linguistic and cultural minority. We are an ethnic group with a shared culture and bonded together by a common language. That doesn't mean that there aren't physically deaf people in the U.S. who consider themselves disabled. There are indeed many such individuals, but they are generally not fluent in ASL, did not attend state residential schools for the Deaf, are not married to a Deaf person, did not attend Gallaudet University (or a university with a strong Deaf program), and cannot realistically be considered culturally Deaf - and therefore are not members of the cultural "Deaf Community."

IEP

Individualized Education Program. Deaf children are entitled to an IEP.

ITP

Interpreter Training Program. IPP stands for Interpreter Preparation Program.

Just "Deaf"

It is a spectrum. Deaf people have varying levels of residual hearing. What makes us Deaf isn't our level of residual hearing but rather our choice to be a part of the Deaf Community. We do not need to add the word "culturally" to the uppercase word "Deaf." The phrase "culturally Deaf" is redundant because the uppercase spelling of the term "Deaf" already includes the concept of "culture." Sometimes we add the word "culturally" to specifically point out that we are not discussing being physically deaf.

Jr. NAD

Junior National Association of the Deaf. This is the youth division of the National Association of the Deaf

LSQ

Langue des Signes Québecois is a popular signed language used in Canada. Many people in Canada also use ASL.

LRE

Least Restrictive Environment. While most parents, educators, and administrators agree that it is good to educate a child in the least restrictive environment the question becomes: What education environment is "least restrictive" for a Deaf child? A residential school for the Deaf, a local school with an interpreter, a day program, an inclusive charter school, or some other education environment. Hearing administrators often feel that mainstreaming Deaf students into public schools provides "the least restrictive environment" but members of the U.S. Deaf Community generally consider residential Deaf schools to be the least restrictive environment.

Handedness

Left-handed people sign left-hand dominant--a mirror image of right handed signers. Left-handed people also fingerspell with their left hand.

Lighting

Lighting and the ability to see each other is very important to Deaf people. One of the reasons Deaf people sometimes prefer to hang out in the kitchen is because the lighting is better.

MCE

Manually Coded English. There are several signing systems designed to portray English on the hands. These various systems can be lumped under the terms MCE, Manual English, or Signed English.

Stay Deaf

Many, (and likely "most"), culturally Deaf people if given the chance to become Hearing would choose to remain Deaf. Even if we became fully able to physically "hear" we would not leave our Deaf spouse, quit our Deaf-friendly job, stop attending out Deaf socials, nor stop using sign language as our main mode of communication.

Movies, Deaf

Movies focusing on or heavily involving Deaf Characters. For example: Bridge to Silence, Love is never Silent, Children of a Lesser God, and others.

NAD

National Association of the Deaf. The NAD is the world's oldest Deaf advocacy organization.

NCI

National Captioning Institute. The NCI was established in 1979 as a nonprofit corporation with the mission of ensuring that Deaf and hard of hearing people, as well as others who can benefit from the service, have access to television's entertainment and news through the technology of closed captioning.

NTID

National Technical Institute for the Deaf. NTID is located in Rochester New York and is a popular choice for Deaf students.

NTD

National Theater of the Deaf. The NTD is a touring theater group composed of Deaf and hearing actors who entertain audiences worldwide through music, sign language, and the spoken word.

Hearing

Non-Deaf people. The term "Hearing" is sometimes applied broadly to refer to all people who have the ability to hear. Within the Deaf Community the term "Hearing" often refers to people who have functional hearing, prefer to talk, and are generally unfamiliar with sign language and Deaf Culture.

NMM

Non-manual markers: Non-manual markers are facial expressions and body movements. Non-manual markers are used to inflect signs. That means to change, influence, or emphasize the meaning of a sign or signed phrase. For example, when asking a question that can be answered with a "yes" or "no" you raise your eyebrows a bit and tilt your head forward slightly.

NERDA

Not Even Related to a Deaf Adult. A comical reference to Hearing people who don't have ties to the Deaf World.

Medical Model

People who feel that being deaf is a problem to be solved subscribe to the "medical model" of deafness. Also sometimes called "Pathological Model."

PSE

Pidgin Signed English. Now referred to as "contact signing." Contact signing is often used when Deaf and hearing individuals need to communicate. One way to describe it is as a "middle ground" between artificially invented signed English systems and ASL. PSE follows English word order while using ASL signs.

PL 94-142

Public Law 94-142: Passed in 1975 PL 94-142 promoted a free and appropriate education for all children.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Refers to ALL people in the deaf community. HH people can still communicate with hearing people with the use of hearing aides etc. and Deaf people dont use hearing aides and strictly talking with hearing people through written communication, etc. "Hearing impaired" is an offensive term

Capital "D" Deaf

Refers to being culturally Deaf. Embracing the cultural norms and values of the Deaf Community.

Lowercase "d" deaf

Refers to being physically deaf, (not culturally Deaf). Physical "deafness" refers to a level of hearing below which a person is unlikely to understand speech for everyday communication purposes. For example, a person's hearing is not sufficient use the phone.

RID

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. The RID is the worlds largest association of interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The RID conducts and promotes certification of interpreters for the Deaf

RSC

Reverse Skills Certificate. This is a type of interpreter certification. This refers to the ability to understand and voice what is being signed.

SEE

Signing Exact English; An invented sign system intended to represent English with the intent to assist deaf children in the acquisition of English. The letters SEE can also stand for "Seeing Essential English (SEE 1)" which preceded Signing Exact English.

SIMCOM

Simultaneous Communication. In the Deaf World "simcom" refers to the attempt to communicate via signing and voicing at the same time. Signing and voicing at the same time is frowned upon by many Deaf academics and Deaf community leaders since the signed message tends to suffer (have less fidelity). However, many Deaf individuals "do" use simcom quite a bit -- especially when in mixed Deaf/Hearing environments.

Voicing

Some d/Deaf people never voice. Others voice as well as a typical Hearing person. Others engage in "selective voicing." One place you will sometimes see such Deaf people using voice is with their kids. In the home parents often need to get their kids attention and voicing is an easy way to do it. Also the children get used to the Deaf voice and can understand it just fine. Deaf are much less likely to voice to a hearing stranger. It is not polite to ask if a Deaf person can voice

SK

Stop Keying. It is (was) used to end a TTY (teletype) conversation. It indicates that you are going to "hang up" or terminate the conversation. SKSK (a double SK) is a response by the other person that he acknowledges that you are ending the conversation and that he or she is quitting too.

SSI

Supplementary Security Income. People on SSI receive regular checks from the government to help pay for basic living expenses.

NFSD

The (former) National Fraternal Society of the Deaf. Offered insurance as well as fraternal and community service activities for Deaf people.

Storytelling

The ability to skillfully tell a story is highly valued in Deaf Culture.

Dominant Hand

The hand you do most signing with

Deaf World v Deaf Community

The phrases "Deaf World" and "Deaf Community" overlap quite a bit in typical real world usage but some distinctions are possible: The Deaf World includes all Deaf people as well as their families, friends, allies, employers, interpreters, teachers, priests, audiologists, and others with ties to the Deaf Community. The Deaf Community is made up of individuals that use sign language and are focused on living their lives rather than trying to change their status and live in the Hearing World. Thus a preacher or parent who learns sign language might be a part of the Deaf Community but a cochlear implant doctor is not. An interpreter who goes to Deaf events, has Deaf friends, and supports Deaf causes is a part of the Deaf Community. But an interpreter who simply goes to a day job where they interpret for one Deaf client and then goes home and has little or no additional contact with Deaf people -- is not a member of the Deaf Community.

Hearing school

The term "Hearing School" refers to a typical public school. In the Deaf Community we sign "HEARING SCHOOL" to mean "public school." A "Hearing School" is one at which the main mode of communication is "speaking."

Gallaudet, Edward Miner

The youngest Son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet was the founder and the first president of the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and the Dumb (Renamed Gallaudet College in 1893 and renamed again in 1986, Gallaudet University upon receiving university status) in 1857 in Washington, D.C. He served as a president from 1864 to 1910

Self-exclusion

There are many physically-deaf or hard-of-hearing people who are not a part of the Deaf Community. Such individuals are part of the greater Deaf World but they choose to not "commune with" Deaf people nor learn our language—thus are not part of the Deaf Community.

Views of Deafness

There are two main societal views regarding what it means to be d/Deaf: The cultural model and the pathological (or medical) model. Those who think of being d/Deaf as a simply another way of going through life (experiencing life) subscribe to the "cultural" view (or model) of deafness (or rather "Deafhood"). Those who view being deaf as a physical ailment or pathological condition that needs to be cured or fixed subscribe to the pathological view of deafness. The term "pathology" (in general) refers to the study of disease. The pathological view is typically held by people in the medical profession. Particularly those who make money by attempting to "fix" d/Deaf people. Culturally Deaf people don't consider ourselves to have a disease or problem that must be cured in order to have a good life.

Font, ASL

There are type fonts that resemble fingerspelling. A popular fingerspelling font is called "Gallaudet (TrueType)" and is available for download for free from the net.

TC

Total Communication. TC is a philosophy of Deaf Education that advocates using signing, voicing, writing, and other methods of communication. Unfortunately TC often becomes simply an implementation of "simcome" (voicing and signing simultaneously).

TTY/TDD

Tteletype or Telecommunication Device for the Deaf. In the old days, a TTY was a huge clunker that required a wheelbarrow to move around. TTY's shrank in size and people began calling them TDDs (or even Text Telephones in some government literature) but the Deaf Community continued to refer to the devices as TTYs. Instant Messaging via text and video has made TTYs largely extinct.

Introductions/Meeting new people

Upon meeting for the first time, Deaf people tend to exchange detailed biographical information and describe our social circles in considerable depth.

VP

Video Phone

VRS

Video Relay Service

Voc Rehab

Vocational Rehabilitation. Each state in the United States has a division or a program that focuses on providing vocational rehabilitation services for residents of the state who are disabled but might be able to work if provided rehabilitation services and/or support. This is an important government agency because it helps provide training and employment assistance to many Deaf people.

Deaf Culture

consists of the norms, beliefs, values, and "mores" shared by members of the Deaf Community. [The word "mores" is pronounced "mawrays" and is a noun that means "the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community. "Mores" include the customs, conventions, ways, way of life, traditions, practices, and habits of a people.

DeafCommunity

consists of those Deaf people throughout the world who use sign language and share in Deaf culture.

Interpreter / Interpreter for the Deaf

generally means to change spoken English into ASL or from ASL to spoken English. We generally refer to individuals who interpret between sign language and spoken language as "interpreters

HH

have some hearing loss but can generally use the phone with amplification and can generally understand spoken speech depending on a number of factors including: distance, volume, facial hair, lighting, familiarity with topic, situational cues, accents, and noise. Thus the environment has a big impact on whether a HH person functions as a Hearing person or a Deaf person.

Deaf School

is a state-run residential education institution. State residential schools for the Deaf are important institutions in the Deaf community. A "Deaf School" specifically refers to a state residential school. This is different from a "Deaf program" or a "day program" where students do not live on campus.

Hearing-impaired

not used by Deaf people to describe ourselves. We refer to ourselves as being Deaf. When referring to all people with a hearing loss we tend to use the phrase, "Deaf and hard of hearing." Not embraced by Deaf community

Hard-of-Hearing

refers to people who have some degree of hearing loss but who can still function in the hearing world. Some hard-of-hearing people choose to learn sign language, form relationships with other Deaf, join Deaf organizations, attend Deaf events, embrace their Deafhood, and call themselves Deaf. It is acceptable for culturally Deaf hard-of-hearing individuals to simply refer to themselves as Deaf.

Mainstreaming

refers to the placement of a Deaf student in a hearing school with or without an interpreter.

"Deafness"

there are growing numbers of people within Deaf Community that strive to avoid using the word "deafness" in their writing and communication because it has traditionally been a label applied to Deaf people by Hearing people in the context of "disability." Many Deaf consider the term "deafness" to embody primarily negative aspects of being Deaf. Conversely, when discussing ourselves, our personal journeys, our level of self-acceptance, and our progress toward self-actualization as a person who is Deaf we often use the term "Deafhood."