Is the Phrase "Falls On Deaf Ears" Respectful or Disrespectful of Deafness?
Saturday May 3, 2008
Everyone knows that journalists should avoid the term "deaf and dumb" as much as possible. What about the phrase "falls on deaf ears?" Does it convey a positive or negative image of deafness? How does it affect you when you see headlines like "Pleading Falls on Deaf Ears" or "911 call falls on deaf ears?"
Comments
I feel it is disrespectful because it implies that things are ignored. How can things be ignored if we never heard them in the first place, whereas “falling on deaf ears” means to ignore the situation. It’s too much of a clash, and i really hate reading it in news headlines.
I don’t think it is disrespectful. I mean, many people tune things out for many reasons and it could be that they “choose to be deaf” at that moment. I don’t see how it is an insult. Perhaps someone can expand on that?
It is not as offensive as comments like “You would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to notice this…” Now, that is an insulting phrase!
“Falling on deaf ears” doesnt carry a negative tone but then again, everyone has their own perspective on what it implies.
Not only is this phrase very disrespectful but also very offensive and insulting to the intelligence of deaf people. In Latin, “absurdus” means ridiculous and inept.” Stay with me. Latin has a term, “surdus,” for “deaf”. Italian borrows Latin’s term, “surd”. Later, French borrows from Latin, “sord.”
Jean Boutcher
well, its true; sounds fall on deaf ears remains… nil.
so uhh, who cares about reading too deeply into this? if you wanna feel better about this, it takes a genius of a hearing person to understand that sounds dont work on deaf ears.
It is like saying I am not deaf, I am just ignoring you. Fall on deaf ears to me is a description how the ears work in an audio sense not necessarily about a deaf person. Deaf before ears is an adjective that describes someone who chooses not to “hear”. I don’t think it is an offensive phrase but not too crazy about it.
I don’t find it offensive, just like blind persons don’t find offensive when we say “is so good to see you again”. Also, blind persons don’t find offensive when you talk about seeing a movie, because they use that very same *concept*.
As long it is not used on the sole purpose to offend a person with a hearing condition, and it is on a grammatical and cultural context, I don’t see why it should offend me.