Can someone who is severely deaf talk normally?

I suppose it is contingent on the number of "hearies" one interacts in their life when one considers when one "speaks" is in a "normal manner".
Of course, does the age when one becomes DEAF have any "impact" on one's speaking voice? Being born "DEAF" VS say becoming bilateral DEAF at 50 years old?

Implanted A B Harmony activated Aug/07
 
drphil said:
I suppose it is contingent on the number of "hearies" one interacts in their life when one considers when one "speaks" is in a "normal manner".
Of course, does the age when one becomes DEAF have any "impact" on one's speaking voice? Being born "DEAF" VS say becoming bilateral DEAF at 50 years old?

Implanted A B Harmony activated Aug/07
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It would be true for a hearing person to lose some of his/her hearing and see a change in his/her voice over time if no amplification or access to sound is applied. Rush Limbaugh is good example. I can remember distinctly during the days prior to his CI that his voice was changing. He couldn't hear his own voice to modulate it appropriately as he did once before he lost his hearing. His enunciation was sometimes muddled. But once he got his CI and in a few months or so he was back to his original form.

Being born deaf, well, you have CI and when implanted at 9, 10, or 12 months can certainly make a difference. I guess it depends on a lot of factors, amount of hearing loss, which frequency range impacted, when hearing aids/CI was used, etc... There are variables here. So, it is quite possible, obviously, that deaf/hh can speak typically like other hearing people, even carrying a regional accent.
 
kokonut said:
It would be true for a hearing person to lose some of his/her hearing and see a change in his/her voice over time if no amplification or access to sound is applied. Rush Limbaugh is good example. I can remember distinctly during the days prior to his CI that his voice was changing. He couldn't hear his own voice to modulate it appropriately as he did once before he lost his hearing. His enunciation was sometimes muddled. But once he got his CI and in a few months or so he was back to his original form.

Being born deaf, well, you have CI and when implanted at 9, 10, or 12 months can certainly make a difference. I guess it depends on a lot of factors, amount of hearing loss, which frequency range impacted, when hearing aids/CI was used, etc... There are variables here. So, it is quite possible, obviously, that deaf/hh can speak typically like other hearing people, even carrying a regional accent.
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I find it amusing that an HOH person is going to tell us how another deaf person's voice has changed.
 
I lost all my hearing 50 years ago (at age 14)....feel that the "accent" became noticeable in my 30'-40's, as I was often asked "what country are you from"?...(Hence, I would reply a lot of times..."Well, what tribe are you from"? :giggle:)....

I'm still speaking daily, and it seems I don't have a problem with adults understanding my speech, it's mainly kids/teenagers....
 
rockin'robin said:
I lost all my hearing 50 years ago (at age 14)....feel that the "accent" became noticeable in my 30'-40's, as I was often asked "what country are you from"?...(Hence, I would reply a lot of times..."Well, what tribe are you from"? :giggle:)....

I'm still speaking daily, and it seems I don't have a problem with adults understanding my speech, it's mainly kids/teenagers....
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when i speak (at work mainly) i get asked that a lot too... where are you from... about 50 miles from here... are you sure? yes... I know where I was born... and raised... but you don't speak like you were born here... thats because I'm Deaf... can we get on with why you brought your computer in? ... sure...
 
ash345 said:
when i speak (at work mainly) i get asked that a lot too... where are you from... about 50 miles from here... are you sure? yes... I know where I was born... and raised... but you don't speak like you were born here... thats because I'm Deaf... can we get on with why you brought your computer in? ... sure...
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I get that too. " Are you from the UK?" Occasionally I'll get someone who knows I'm HOH.
 
There's probably only one major reason why I'd go back to speech training again. That's if I wanted to produce and sell how-to videos on the Internet. The biggest market for those videos would be hearies, so I'd want to speak well enough to be understood by the hearies that they'd buy my how-to videos.

This stuff sells. If you find the right niche and make the videos, people will buy. (Example: [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Tools-Tuning-Chisels-Planes/dp/1561589136/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1321077653&sr=8-5[/ame] ).

But I'd probably do something else rather than start a project that requires a "good voice." Frankly, it's a pain in the butt.

Just had another thought... maybe d/hh can make these videos by writing the script and being the person demonstrating how to do something, while someone else does a voice-over. Put the option of subtitles in the menu and you're good to go!
 
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Sometimes someone would ask me if I was a Brit. They are almost always embarrassed when I explain that I have no idea what kind of accent I have because of my deafness, and I calm them down by telling them I take it as a compliment. Oh well.
 
deafdyke said:
I get that too. " Are you from the UK?" Occasionally I'll get someone who knows I'm HOH.
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I get the, "Are you British?" all the time. I think to myself, "What the heck does 'British' sound like?":giggle:

Wonder why *so* many North America deaf get 'British?' Would be interesting study to read as to why hearies think that. Maybe the oral deafies have the same tendancies with ennunciation which make many of us 'sound' British?:hmm:
 
rebeccalj said:
I get the, "Are you British?" all the time. I think to myself, "What the heck does 'British' sound like?":giggle:

Wonder why *so* many North America deaf get 'British?' Would be interesting study to read as to why hearies think that. Maybe the oral deafies have the same tendancies with ennunciation which make many of us 'sound' British?:hmm:
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I get that a lot too... people either think I'm British or from Norway... I don't get it... could some hearies explain this to us? why do you think we Deafies are british?
 
ash345 said:
I get that a lot too... people either think I'm British or from Norway... I don't get it... could some hearies explain this to us? why do you think we Deafies are british?
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^^^^^^ This!

My late employee was Scottish and swore I was British during my interview with new client a couple years ago. I blurt out, "No, deaf." He was *SO* amazing to work with. Asked lots of questions about how best to communicate. What percentage do I rely on lip reading, etc. It broke my heart when he died suddenly.
 
rebeccalj said:
^^^^^^ This!

My late employee was Scottish and swore I was British during my interview with new client a couple years ago. I blurt out, "No, deaf." He was *SO* amazing to work with. Asked lots of questions about how best to communicate. What percentage do I rely on lip reading, etc. It broke my heart when he died suddenly.
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oh... I'm sorry Rebecca... I'm sorry he died. I have so many people saying... really... are you sure you know where your from? its like yes... because my deafness has made me not know where I was born or raised...
 
ash345 said:
oh... I'm sorry Rebecca... I'm sorry he died. I have so many people saying... really... are you sure you know where your from? its like yes... because my deafness has made me not know where I was born or raised...
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Yeah, he was older gentleman. Got cancer and *poof* die very fast.

I do not understand ignorance of people sometimes. Just crazy.
 
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