stupid english language question

[kidyounot]

ok, this might sound stupid, but i promise it's not.
i don't know why but today this thought came to my mind: are "deaf" and "blind" offensive words in the english language? because their italian translation are kind of becoming offensive. we use what would be translated as "non-hearing" and "non-seeing" instead, because 'deaf and blind' people seem to prefer that (but then again, it might be different for each one of them).
but i don't want to offend anyone! so please tell. also, if they're offensive, what should i use instead?

Comments

[chasing-the-sun.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who is not fully either my information is kind of not-fully-accurate, but no, generally, they are not offensive.

[savethewabbit.livejournal.com]

thanks!

[moviepimpdj.livejournal.com]

Nah.... they're not.

Some deaf people have problems with the term hearing-impaired, though. Some don't. It's really a matter of preference among deaf individuals.

[savethewabbit.livejournal.com]

i thought so - thanks! it's odd that some english-speaking deaf people have problems with "hearing-impaired", while here they're trying their best to make the word "deaf" disappear from the dictionary to an italian version of hearing-impaired (same goes with blind)...

[sheppeyescapee.livejournal.com]

I haven't met a deaf or blind person who has a problem with those terms. I have however met some that have a problem with hearing impaired etc.

[nixwilliams.livejournal.com]

not generally, but like words such as 'lame' and 'gay', they are descriptive of certain things - don't use them as derogatory slang for other things.

[savethewabbit.livejournal.com]

oh, no, i wasn't thinking of using them as derogatory - i was actually talking about describing as "blind/deaf" a person that cannot see/hear. thanks!

[nixwilliams.livejournal.com]

cools!