To be really offended by the description of BSL

[hatchypom]

I am more sensitive than most, given that my daughter is profoundly deaf. Although she is not a BSL user, I don't think its appropriate in this day and age to describe the use of BSL as "waved his hands about like those people who interpret speeches in deaf-and-dumb language". You'd think an editor somewhere in the telegraph would have noticed. The comment is about 2/3rds of the way down.

www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/charlesmoore/7633411/General-Election-2010-The-strange-death- of-the-election-interview.html?state=target

I don't think it's appropriate, and I think this was written about 20 minutes before deadline by a journalist of the 'old school' (other interviewers 'whose names escape me' suggests not even time to Google). I wonder what the Telegraph house style is on this? That might be worth pursuing.

It is rather flippant and dismissive. Why not call it Sign language? Why deaf and dumb language? Maybe he was trying to make up the word count

Mu Mum is partially deaf and is training to be a deaf teacher and I'm always amazed at how much there is to learn - so many signs and some of them so intricate!!

Yanbu, it's so offensive, even if you are not deaf or related to anyone who's deaf. I think this is very much worth writing a letter of complaint asking for an apology or report them to press co
plaints commission as well as emailing a copy to any deaf/ civil rights charities. Good luck

Press complaints, nice idea, I've written to the telegraph.

YANBU. My guess is that as a former editor of that paper he's been allowed far too much latitude and the duty editor let it pass when s/he shouldn't have done so, because of his elevated status.

no I aggree with you op.
and they don't wave thier hands arrond anyway

"Deaf-and-dumb language"? And this person is a journalist?

Am speechless.

No, they sometimes watch telly with you when no action is happening on screen.
OP, you are definitely NBU,it is a shocking descriptor.

That's awful.

I'm glad you've contacted the newspaper.

This needs to be addressed.

How very ignorant.

That is a terrible way to describe BSL!

YANBU!

as a deaf person myself YA so NBU!

Am outraged.

Think I'll complain to press complaints commission too!

okay have written my complaint to PCC. Will wait and see.

Still raging

Yes, very ignorant

. yanbu. How on earth did that get past teh copy editors....

Oh my goodness!!!! YADNBU!!!! My Mum is a sign language interpreter and comes from a deaf family. She has fought all her life against stuff like this, having been called a dummy lover as a child. I see it as bad as calling a black person the 'n' word, totally not acceptable in any context and very politically incorrect (is that the right phrase!?).

I love my family, most of them are profoundly deaf and I take deep offense to this type of description!

I am now sending the link to lots of friends so we can all complain - thank you for bringing this one to the fore!!

PLP xxx

YANBU! I seriously cannot believe that was published!

BSL is a proper language and it takes the same level of effort to become proficent in it as French or German. It has its own grammar system and actually uses the face as much as the hands.

I cannot believe he was allowed to write this!!

I agree with you. He's used those words to make the guy he's talking about sound stupid. But it's offensive that he chooses to convey stupidity in those terms. Really ignorant! BSL is really hard (my DH worked full-time with deaf people for 2 years and is fluent in it - I can say about 10 words.