From Nancy Frishberg, from a deaf friend on Facebook, this joke:
Two Deaf men and an interpreter are sentenced to death. On the day of their execution, they’re led to the electric chair room. The first Deaf guy is strapped into the chair, the executioner throws the switch, and…. nothing. The guy survived, so he’s pardoned and led off to stand in a corner while waiting for the other two. The second Deaf guy goes into the chair, is strapped in, and again, nothing. The executioner is a bit frustrated now, but the guy is pardoned and goes to stand with his friend. The interpreter is led to the chair and is strapped in. Before the executioner throws the switch, the two Deaf guys start talking together [that is to say, signing], like Deaf always do. The interpreter, being an interpreter, translates: “the chair is not plugged in. No wonder it was not working!”
I note that Nancy herself goes back and forth between deaf and Deaf (the latter involving cultural identification).
March 21, 2014 at 10:45 am |
You’re right, there is a cultural distinction between “deaf” and “Deaf” (although I personally now feel this usage needs to go, although it did serve a useful purpose). However, I identify as Deaf, and Nancy knows this. I think her non-capitalization in her post to you was accidental (I hope).
March 22, 2014 at 12:53 am |
For readers: Don Grushkin was the (immediate) source of the joke Nancy Frishberg sent me.