Meaning: Partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.
Regional/phonological variation.
Old ASL sign (found in older generations prior to about mid-20th century): obsolete.
Meaning: absolutely deaf; not hearing at all. [Video courtesy of Jonathan Pokorny (coda), 2018.]
Note that the inappropriate term HEARING-IMPAIRED is unacceptable. Use "deaf" instead.
Related signs: sign language, ASL (American Sign Language, Deaf culture, Deaf community, Deaf world, Deaf Gain, DEAFHOOD, deafness, deafened.
For a goose-bumping true story, enjoy the video story "Deaf or Dead" by Jolanta Lapiak.
"My eye is my ear. My hand is my mouth." -- Meme, 2000s.
The painting shows the ASL word "deaf".
