Incidental Information You Don't Get when You're Deaf

By Marta Belsky
Thursday, July 31, 2014

This article is by Marta Belsky. Marta is Deaf and a third generation ASL user. She has been teaching ASL for 30 years and enjoys sharing her native language with new users.

Hearing people have access to “incidental information” all the time. They overhear conversations, they hear comments and remarks on the radio and television. Even background noises count as incidental information. This is called “hearing privilege.” You don’t even think about it happening because it just does. How often can you actually pinpoint the exact moment you learned a new piece of information? Most of us forget where or how we came by the knowledge we have. We just know what we know.

Here are some examples of when hearing people get information that deaf people do not:

When a hearing person laughs at something someone said.
When hearing students (in a mainstream class) are talking about random things.
When an announcement is made over the PA system.
When you overhear a conversation at another table or in the next room.
When you can overhear 5 or 6 conversations at the same time around you and you can tune in or out of any conversation you want.
When interpreters (because of speed or skill) drop information.
When elementary school kids listen to what middle school or high school kids say on the bus.
An announcement on the radio.
A commercial on TV (not all commercials are captioned).
Overhearing co-workers' answers to clients' questions.
Comments between teachers and interpreters.
Every time a deaf student looks down to write notes they miss information from the interpreters.
What your kids are doing in the next room: closet doors opening, cupboards closing, water running, zippers zipping, tiptoeing up the stairs, giggling.
Hearing your keys drop, an alarm go off, a phone ring or a knock on the door.
Appliance alarms - like the beeping noise letting you know the refrigerator door was left open, the dishwasher is done, or the washing machine is finished.
Pets and their many noises - cats, dogs, birds, horses, and more!

When communicating with the deaf, make sure you are aware of this incidental information and do your best to keep them in the loop.

Can you think of other examples of incidental information? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

View/Add Comments (7 comments)

Comments

Deaf Privilege

Savvy User PamelaFriday, August 1, 2014

By the same token, I think that the deaf have it better sometimes in all the things they CAN'T hear every day like all the subtle or non-subtle racist things that get said to me or around me or about me on a daily basis. Sometimes I envy Helen Keller in all the things she COULDN'T hear that didn't make her angry and pissed off and hate the entire world all the time everywhere she went. Not so much sexism in my case as racism. It's gotten worse over the last two decades and I'm beginning to envy the deaf more and more. They don't have to "try to ignore it." They didn't hear it in the first damned place.

-In the workplace

Savvy User Tamara hooleMonday, August 11, 2014

We have a deaf fellow where I work whom I communicate with. I have gotten pretty fluent with my ASL-No I am not an interpreter, a student who wants to learn it since I have a disease in both my ears which is causing me to lose my hearing completely. I work in inspections and he works in assembly. They had a meeting yesterday and I stood there listening. I was able to translate to him what the supervisor was saying and asked him if he had any questions. It worked out good, there was some new changes happening in assembly. He can read lips but it helps me keep in practice with my ASL when we communicate. The other employees now want to learn ASL too. I know he is more comfortable working in our warehouse knowing someone else knows ASL. He is a very hard worker and we get along well. I do tell him the "little things" which you are speaking about that he normally cannot hear.

Thankful to be able to communicate with:

Savvy User LynnWednesday, August 13, 2014

I'm a hearing individual that has worked in the deaf community for over 10 years now. This is the best experience for me in the world. It lets you see and appreciate life in a whole new level.

I recently was introduced to a person who is deaf and started attending my church...no I am not a professional interpreter, but to be able to interpret the sermon and worship service to this person has just taken me to another level in life.

I don't want change the glorious experience for nothing in this world!

I feel the same

Savvy User IvanThursday, August 14, 2014

I feel the desire to interpret in the church, but there is not deaf person in it.

Two-door refrigerator

Savvy User IvanThursday, August 14, 2014

Another incidental information not perceive the deaf: the alarm (beep beep) of the double door fridge when left slightly open.

Pets

Savvy User JeanieTuesday, August 26, 2014

Pets and their many noises; cats, dogs, birds, horses!

College Classes

Savvy User AnnTuesday, August 26, 2014

When I was at Texas A&M lo these many years ago (Gig'em, Ags!), I had a deaf boy in one of my classes. To keep him from trying to watch his interpreter, plus try to take notes, my best friend and I would take OUR notes as soon as class was over and run copies for him. That way, if one of us missed something, the other would probably have it. We did that each and every class period for that one semester, and we felt so honored that we were helping out a fellow Aggie. I didn't see him after we had that class together, but I hope he went on to get his desired degree. My friend and I were the kind that wrote down practically every little thing the professor said, so our notes were almost word-for-word from the whole hour-long class. Now that I'm in my late 40's, I am trying to teach myself ASL, and hopefully one day I can use it at my church or at our local medical clinic. I love to sign as we sing at church. Thank you for a wonderful, informative, and educational website! Sincerely, WesTXGurl13

About the Author

Marta Belsky is Deaf and a third generation ASL user. She has been teaching ASL for 30 years and enjoys sharing her native language with new users. Marta is on the Lansing Community College Interpreter Training Program Advisory Board and has also been a board member for the Michigan Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and the Michigan Chapter of American Sign Language Teachers Association.