Deaf in Sweden

Profoundly deaf = Signing deaf

The board of the Association has decided that the SDR can use the expression ”signing deaf ” when we mean ”profoundly deaf ”.

When we use the words profoundly deaf we automatically think of deaf whose first language is the sign language. Everybody who knows about deaf people knows what profoundly deaf means.

Hearing people who don´t know anything about deaf and sign language, do not appreciate the great importance of the words profoundly deaf. Namely that you are born deaf and because of this your first language is sign language.

Hearing people in general do not know the difference between deaf, hard of hearing, profoundly deaf and deafened. Many people think that it depends on how much or how little you hear. They don´t understand that the issue is what language you use, sign language or Swedish. We have to tell them this.

So as to easier show them what deaf people we are talking about we can use the expression SIGNING DEAF.

In other countries they talk of Sign language Users, but this also includes hearing sign language users. In Sweden we can instead use the words hearing sign language users, about all the people around the signing deaf, that is family, relations, friends, work mates etc.