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From: Frank.Hicinbothem@f501.n202.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Hicinbothem)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Sign Languages
Message-ID: <17883@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 28 Feb 91 16:00:45 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 > Moreover, a truly deaf person never really masters English
 > on thelevel a hearing person does it he or she is born deaf
 > or deaf froma very early age.

What utter nonsense.

The world is full of deaf people who can use English as well as
any hearing person can.  The only difference is that the deaf
person's ears can't hear the spoken sounds.

I can't begin to count the number of writers, editors,
publishers, software authors, and other wordsmiths who happen to
be congenitally deaf.  And I don't even like to think how many
hearing people can't construct a simple sentence.

A person's ability to use any language is a matter of education
and attitude, and does not depend on their physical limitations.

--
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