Does anyone know the difference between being Deaf and deaf?

Answer 1

The term "deaf" refers to the pathology of deafness; it is the medical perspective. The term Deaf, on the other hand, recognizes Deafness as a culture with it's own, unique and fully expressive language, etiquette, values and identity.

So, a person who grows up hearing, then loses his/her hearing but still functions as a "hearing person who can't hear" as well as a person who grew up orally and never became involved with the Deaf community are simply "deaf."

Those who have embraced the language and culture are Deaf and the core of this social and linguistic minority are the 10% or so of Deaf people who also have Deaf parents.

Answer 2

People who are deaf often capitalize it because being deaf just refers to whether or not you can hear. Being Deaf denotes belonging to the larger Deaf culture. So it is an identity just like Latino/a, Christian, stuff like that. And trust me, there IS a Deaf culture.

I'm guessing that when it's used with a lower-case d it is just referring to whether or not one can hear. Like if I was talking to someone and said, "I'm sorry, can you please speak up? I'm deaf in one ear."

btw, most Deaf people I know do not like the term "hearing-impaired." Because it implies that deafness is something that needs to be fixed, which is a very contentious issue in Deaf communities.

Answer 3

You typed one before the other

One is capital the other is before a punctuation mark

Answer 4

being deaf is hearing only want you want too
deaf youcant hear anything

Answer 5

One has a capital D.

Answer 6

It depends on the context in which you use it in.

Answer 7

the letter D and d

Answer 8

big D and little d

Answer 9

is this a serious question?

Answer 10

WHAT?