As I started a search on the use of the word Dumb to describe mute people, it was clear that in today’s word it is not acceptable to use Dumb in that light. The term “deaf and dumb” is no longer socially acceptable. This message was consistent over all the random first links to appear. The Word Federation of the Deaf had officially declared it not OK to use that term (wfdeaf.) The general and logical reason why this term is no longer OK is since in today’s world dumb is commonly used to mean stupid, which does not accurately describe a person lacking speech. One interesting post I found on the blog ‘Ehwhathuh’, a blog written by a speech teacher to the deaf who herself is deaf in both ears, was how frequently reporters are unaware of inappropriateness of using dumb to describe mute people. As (e says she is surprised that professional publishers do not know the term is extremely outdated. An alternative to dumb, would simply be mute, even though some sites have suggested its not the best term, they do not offer an alternative (ehwhathuh.) Going forward to those reading this take this word of caution from North Carolina hearing loss, “today, anyone using the word "dumb" in such context [to mean mute] is .... well ... dumb.”
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