TERMIUM Plus®
The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.
DEAF PERSON [2 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2024-03-25
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Sociology
- Culture (General)
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- Deaf person
1, record 1, English, Deaf%20person
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A person with hearing loss who uses a signed language as their primary language, identifies with the Deaf culture and is active in the Deaf community. 2, record 1, English, - Deaf%20person
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Deaf people are part of a cultural-linguistic minority and do not see themselves as people with a disability. They are part of a community where not being able to hear or speak, or both, is not an issue. 2, record 1, English, - Deaf%20person
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
The term "Deaf" may be used on its own as a collective noun ("the Deaf") to form compound words such as "school for the Deaf," "language for the Deaf" and "association of the Deaf." 2, record 1, English, - Deaf%20person
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 3 OBS
Not to be confused with the terms "deaf person" and "person who is deaf" (where "deaf" is written with a lowercase "d"). These terms refer to a person who has severe to profound hearing loss, with little or no residual hearing. 2, record 1, English, - Deaf%20person
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Sociologie
- Culture (Généralités)
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- Sourd
1, record 1, French, Sourd
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- Sourde 2, record 1, French, Sourde
correct, feminine noun
- personne Sourde 3, record 1, French, personne%20Sourde
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Personne ayant une perte auditive qui utilise une langue des signes comme première langue, qui s'identifie à la culture Sourde et qui est active dans la communauté Sourde. 2, record 1, French, - Sourd
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Les Sourds font partie d'une minorité culturelle linguistique et ne se considèrent pas comme des personnes en situation de handicap. Ils font partie d'une communauté où le fait de ne pas pouvoir entendre ou s'exprimer oralement ne constitue pas un problème. 2, record 1, French, - Sourd
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
Ne pas confondre avec les termes «personne sourde», «sourd» et «sourde» écrits avec un «s» minuscule. Ils font référence à une personne ayant une perte auditive de sévère à profonde, avec peu ou pas d'audition résiduelle. 2, record 1, French, - Sourd
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record 2 - internal organization data 2024-03-25
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Hearing
- The Ear
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- deaf person
1, record 2, English, deaf%20person
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
- person who is deaf 2, record 2, English, person%20who%20is%20deaf
correct
- deaf mute person 3, record 2, English, deaf%20mute%20person
avoid, see observation, noun
- deaf-mute person 4, record 2, English, deaf%2Dmute%20person
avoid, see observation, noun
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A person who has severe to profound hearing loss, with little or no residual hearing. 5, record 2, English, - deaf%20person
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
The term "deaf" may be used on its own as a collective noun ("the deaf") to form compound words such as "school for the deaf" and "class for the deaf." 5, record 2, English, - deaf%20person
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 2 OBS
deaf-mute person; deaf mute person: [These] terms associate deafness with the inability to communicate in a spoken language. A deaf person may choose not to use their voice; this does not make them mute. 5, record 2, English, - deaf%20person
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 3 OBS
deaf person: Not to be confused with the term "Deaf person," where "deaf" is written with an uppercase "D." This term refers to a person with hearing loss who uses a signed language as their primary language, identifies with the Deaf culture and is active in the Deaf community. 5, record 2, English, - deaf%20person
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Ouïe
- Oreille
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- personne sourde
1, record 2, French, personne%20sourde
correct, feminine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
- sourd 2, record 2, French, sourd
correct, see observation, masculine noun
- sourde 3, record 2, French, sourde
correct, see observation, feminine noun
- sourd-muet 2, record 2, French, sourd%2Dmuet
avoid, see observation, masculine noun
- sourde-muette 3, record 2, French, sourde%2Dmuette
avoid, see observation, feminine noun
- sourd et muet 4, record 2, French, sourd%20et%20muet
avoid, see observation, masculine noun
- sourde et muette 3, record 2, French, sourde%20et%20muette
avoid, see observation, feminine noun
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Personne ayant une perte auditive de sévère à profonde, avec peu ou pas d'audition résiduelle. 3, record 2, French, - personne%20sourde
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
sourd; sourde : Bien que les termes «sourd» et «sourde» employés seuls puissent sembler offensants pour certaines personnes puisqu'ils mettent l'accent sur cette seule caractéristique, leur emploi est tout de même accepté. 3, record 2, French, - personne%20sourde
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 2 OBS
sourd-muet; sourde-muette; sourd et muet; sourde et muette : [Ces termes] associent la surdité à l'incapacité de s’exprimer oralement. Une personne sourde peut choisir de ne pas utiliser sa voix; ceci ne fait pas d'elle une personne muette. 3, record 2, French, - personne%20sourde
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 3 OBS
Ne pas confondre avec les termes «Sourd», «Sourde» et «personne Sourde» écrits avec un «S» majuscule. Ces termes font référence à une personne ayant une perte auditive qui utilise une langue des signes comme première langue, qui s'identifie à la culture Sourde et qui est active dans la communauté Sourde. 3, record 2, French, - personne%20sourde
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
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© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2025
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
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