Definitions of Deaf Cultures, Deaf Community and Deaf Membership

Key Concepts

Definitions of a Deaf, deaf, and culture

Proposed definition of American Deaf Culture

Development of Deaf Culture

Biculturality of Deaf children

Definitions of the Deaf Community

Types of Community Membership

DEAF

1.Partially or completely lacking in the sense of hearing.

2.Deaf Of or relating to the Deaf or their culture.
n. (used with a pl. verb)

3.Deaf people considered as a group. Used with the.

4.The community of deaf people who use American Sign Language as a primary means of communication. Used with the.

Deaf = Culturally Deaf

 

deaf = not being able to hear

 

 

 

CULTURE

The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.

2. The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.

Simply put, a culture is a set of learned behaviors by a group of people

 

 

 

Proposed Definition

A set of learned behaviors and perceptions based on their shared or common experiences that shape the values and norms of Deaf people.

 

How Deaf Culture Developed

•      Communication modality (how they communicate)

–    Absence of hearing, forced to use eyes, hands and body language (Development of Sign Language)

•      Perceptions (how they see the world)

–    Sharing common experiences of being Deaf, that form, values, rules of behavior, and common knowledge

•      Creating a community

–    Developing a bond

–    Belonging

–    Own identity

–    High self-esteem, and positive self-image

•      Sharing stories, information and jokes

How do Deaf children acquire Deaf culture?

1. From Deaf parents

2. Through Deaf schools

3. Deaf Clubs or Deaf organizations

 

 

Definition of Deaf Community

An abstract collection of ideas and activities spread out over many smaller communities of Deaf people, stretched out over the physical and ethnic geography of the United States, made up of not only deaf people, but those who communicate with ASL and participate in the Deaf World.

 

 

Types of Community Membership

1. Members of the Deaf Community

- Culturally Deaf individuals

- Lasting bond with Deaf individuals

- Shared experiences and values

- Generally users of ASL

- Commonly from Deaf Schools

 

 

2. Members of the deaf community

-NO exposure to Deaf Culture

-A variety of school backgrounds

-Mostly latent deafened adults who do not know ASL

-Hearing culture is all they know

 

 

3. Members of hearing community

-      strong association with hearing people

- tend to be from public/oral schools

-      Do not use ASL at all

-      Use spoken English ONLY

-      Ignorant of Deaf Culture