Interesting Facts about the Deaf

Here are some interesting facts about the deaf...

There are approximately 22 million hearing-impaired persons in the U.S.

Deaf people have safer driving records than hearing people nationally.

The huddle formation used by football teams originated at Gallaudet University, a liberal arts college for deaf people in Washington, DC, to prevent other schools from reading their sign language.

The man who invented shorthand, John Gregg, was deaf.

Carl Anderson, a deaf cartoonist, is the creator of "Henry."

A deaf center-fielder for the Cincinnati Reds, William Hoy, invented the hand signals for strikes and balls in baseball.

Phyllis Frelich won the Tony Award for Best Actress of 1980 in the Broadway play "Children of a Lessor God". Ms. Frelich is profoundly deaf.

Two of the Osmond brothers and Nanette Fabray all have hearing impairments.

When Beethoven composed his ninth symphony, he was profoundly deaf.

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, was originally an instructor for deaf children and invented the telephone to help his deaf wife and mother to hear.

Scuba divers often use sign language under water. Deaf people can sign/talk at great distances without the use of amplification through the use of sign language.

Deaf people have created a language known as American Sign Language which has been linguistically defined as a separate language such as English, French, and German.

Statistics prove that deaf people live longer than hearing people.

Some positions held by present-day deaf persons are: lawyers, dentists, doctors, chemists, inventors, artists, sculptors, writers, architects, poets, newspaper editors, clergy, actors, and teachers, to name just a few!

Deaf people develop keener senses of observation, feeling, taste and smell to compensate for their loss of hearing.

Deaf people appreciate advice or warnings regarding any noises that bother hearing people.

Deaf people vote, pay taxes, drive cars, attend business, social, and religious events.


Source: deaf.net