The Deaf community views themselves as linguistic minority, and not as a ____________?

The Deaf community views themselves as linguistic minority, and not as a ____________?

• A. economic class
• B. political faction
• C. cultural group
• D. linguistic minority; handicapped group

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is how identity is framed through labels. The Deaf community understand themselves primarily as a linguistic minority because sign language is their natural language with its own grammar and community. They also see Deaf culture as its own distinct cultural group, formed around shared language, experiences, and norms. What they don’t want is to be seen as a handicapped group. That label implies impairment and a deficit model of disability, which many Deaf people resist in favor of recognizing sign language and Deaf culture as valid, equal parts of society with rights and access. So, the statement that best fits is that they do not view themselves as a handicapped group. The other options don’t capture the central rejection in this context—the Deaf community is not defining themselves by economic class or political faction in this framing, and while they are indeed a cultural group and a linguistic minority, the distinguishing contrasts in this question center on disability labeling.

The main idea here is how identity is framed through labels. The Deaf community understand themselves primarily as a linguistic minority because sign language is their natural language with its own grammar and community. They also see Deaf culture as its own distinct cultural group, formed around shared language, experiences, and norms.

What they don’t want is to be seen as a handicapped group. That label implies impairment and a deficit model of disability, which many Deaf people resist in favor of recognizing sign language and Deaf culture as valid, equal parts of society with rights and access. So, the statement that best fits is that they do not view themselves as a handicapped group. The other options don’t capture the central rejection in this context—the Deaf community is not defining themselves by economic class or political faction in this framing, and while they are indeed a cultural group and a linguistic minority, the distinguishing contrasts in this question center on disability labeling.