The terms "hearie" and "deafie"

Rose Immortal

Rose Immortal

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I'm curious about how and why these got to be so commonly used.

Maybe incorrectly, I tend to think of the "-ie" ending on a word as creating a diminutive...
 
Its easier than saying "hearing people" and "deaf people." I guess it is just an extension of abbreviating words, which is common among the deaf community for convenience of typing. I'd assume for relay purposes. Words like remmy, undy, etc. I had never seen these terms before I started my job.
 
My bad...now I have to look it up to make sure I tell you the right thing! Shame on me!

It's a suffix you put on a word to give it a "cute little thing" sort of feeling. In Spanish, it's like what happens when you go from the name "Miguel" to "Miguelito". Diminutives are great in some circumstances because they show familiarity. In others, they...well...diminish something, and it can be dismissive.
 
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