Do you apologize?

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badwolf

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I realized recently that I apologize for not being able to hear someone when they are either mumbling or obstructing my view of their lips.

My apologies come out like this...

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, but I can't hear what you are saying. I am hard of hearing and I need you to speak up/enunciate/let me see your lips so I can understand what you are saying."

Why am I apologizing? Do I really need to say "sorry" ?
Why am I apologizing to people who often get frustrated with me and end up saying "oh never mind" ?
I mean how dare I be honest and polite about my situation when they rudely can't accommodate a simple request.

No more apologies!
 
Yes but more out of politeness than being apologetic. It's just another alternative to "what" and "pardon" and "excuse me" and anything else people say when they don't hear something.
 
Those two words "I'm sorry"....!....all I say is "pardon me, I'm deaf."....and if they respond, "Oh, I'm sorry"...(sigh)...drives me batty! And I've been rude to people over it many times (depends upon my mood). If someone does say "Oh, I'm SO Sorry"....that gives me a trigger!....And I've responded...."OH really? Well, I'm sorry ur sorry, so sorry that ur soooooo sorry!"....
 
I just snap back "I am not sorry, it makes my life sooo much easier". In my head I am thinking "Cause I dont have to hear you". Mean of me I think, but that phrase just pushes my buttons, RockinRobin.

No, I dont say that I am sorry to be deaf, but I do be polite to older folks and liddle kiddies.
 
Why bother? They never understand me. Why get into a situation where you have to talk to people like that?
 
warning mild adult content

Yeah, Botts, I remember that story you had about the man in the store. What a stinker. I would call him something else, but my granny told me never to call a man that. She said that even THOSE use their heads. (If other readers need think too hard, you dont need to know)
I guess I do ok, when I talk. It seems they say that I am either too loud, too soft, or boss is mean and asks why does my voice change. One coworker stomps his foot at me, like in the movie Sister Act. Store Clerks tilt their heads at me. Oh well. I usually dont talk unless I abslolutely must. If I dont talk, somehow they do not expect me to hear them. Odd, but effective. Still dont say sorry about it. heh
 
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nope. I've never said sorry when asking them to repeat. I cannot recall apologizing. :dunno:

it's either "what" or "say again?"
 
Depends, but usually I don't apologize. I have nothing to apologize for. I am always courteous though, unless the person is a major dick, and that rarely happens.

I do apologize if it's a cute girl :D
 
thewritealex said:
depends, but usually i don't apologize. I have nothing to apologize for. I am always courteous though, unless the person is a major dick, and that rarely happens.

i do apologize if it's a cute girl :d
Click to expand...

:d
 
TheWriteAlex said:
Depends, but usually I don't apologize. I have nothing to apologize for. I am always courteous though, unless the person is a major dick, and that rarely happens.

I do apologize if it's a cute girl :D
Click to expand...

:laugh2::laugh2:
 
Unless the person is rude or stupid, I usually say "sorry?" as in "pardon?" No need to get carried away apologising for something that is not your fault. :)
 
I never say sorry, I either say what or pardon. I also say Sorry as in could you repeat that again. I never tell people I'm deaf unless i really have to
 
rockin'robin said:
Those two words "I'm sorry"....!....all I say is "pardon me, I'm deaf."....and if they respond, "Oh, I'm sorry"...(sigh)...drives me batty! And I've been rude to people over it many times (depends upon my mood). If someone does say "Oh, I'm SO Sorry"....that gives me a trigger!....And I've responded...."OH really? Well, I'm sorry ur sorry, so sorry that ur soooooo sorry!"....
Click to expand...

lol :lol: I don't think I have the balls to say that.

I've always apologized whenever I tell them that I'm deaf. It just a habit, Some people just get so mad when they think they're being purposefully ignored. You know?

Even when people are behind me saying excuse me! or move! and I didn't hear them, I get pushed and I hate that! Sometimes I received an apology and sometimes I don't because they don't care if you're deaf, they want you to get out of their way.
 
From the hearing world perspective:

If someone were to say "I'm sorry . . ." before asking me to repeat something, I wouldn't think that they were apologizing for being deaf or hard of hearing. I would think that they were just politely making making their request to me. The "sorry" is not for deafness but for interupting the flow of communication. Hearing people do the same thing in noisy environments or if someone has a strong accent or the speaker is a mumbler. It's not an apology but a polite way to interupt the conversation.
 
I agree with the accents, when it is telemarketers from india great can't understand them but the scottish are the hardest for me to understand and some are my friends we keep it to emails or f/b or txt much easier to communicate.
 
From a "hearie" POV.

As a receptionist I get many phone calls and visitors. All I can say is that I have had a couple of people/customers talking to me and saying something like: "I'm sorry, I can't hear (well), could you speak louder?"

To me it never made me feel like they were feeling sorry for not being able to hear well or not at all... it's just a form of politeness to let me know that I have to speak louder in order for the communication to flow easier...

Which, of course, I have no problem with... :D
 
I sign back at them. They go "oh... umm ok." most of the times they make the effort to communicate better in different ways.

Its' cool. and I dont apologize.
 
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