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A fact from Richard Aslatt Pearce appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 25 December 2016 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
@Storye book: Please remove the term "mute". As I have pointed out several times, there is no evidence that Pearce was literally mute. The terms "deaf-mute" and "deaf and dumb" are very outdated and offensive, similar to using the N-word to refer to someone with African ancestry. Using the term in a DYK where there is no explanation adds to the offensive misunderstanding of the term. Almost no deaf person is literally mute; some simply choose not to speak. There is discussion on this issue at Talk:Deaf-mute; please take the time to read it. Sundayclose (talk) 16:32, 1 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for this. I have removed all repeats of the word "mute" in the article, in response to your request. I don't see how I can remove "dumb" though, because those uses of the word are all historical: either quotations or historical names of instutions, commissions etc. The primary meaning of "dumb" in the UK is still "non-speaking", and even if (rarely) used in the American pejorative sense, it does not have the same offensive effect here, as it does in the US. The most common use of "dumb" in the UK is "struck dumb", usually used when one is shocked into temporary silence by an unexpected event, such as for example an employer's reprimand. I have had partial hearing loss all my life, and attended a school alongside mostly deaf pupils in the days when there were not enough schools for everyone, but I have rarely heard the word "dumb" used as an insult, outside US movies. I have never heard the word "mute" used as an insult. So please have patience and let me know how I can avoid offending Americans with this article. Thank you. Storye book (talk) 17:07, 1 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
@Storye book: If you are making a direct quotation, obviously you can't remove the word "dumb", just as I wouldn't change a direct quotation that uses the N-word in a quotation. But if you are describing deaf people, you shouldn't use "deaf-mute" or "deaf and dumb" even if your source does, just as you would not describe a person of African descent with the N-word even if your source does. I disagree with your characterization of "deaf and dumb" in the UK. I know thousands of deaf people all over the world. Every deaf person that I know from the UK views "dumb" and "deaf-mute" to be pejorative. "Struck dumb" is used in the USA as well, but that doesn't make it less offensive to describe a deaf person as "deaf and dumb". By the way, I think the item about Pearce at Deaf-mute should be moved to another article, possibly Deaf culture. The Deaf-mute article pertains to the historical use of the term rather than to deaf people in general. Thanks. Sundayclose (talk) 20:55, 1 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for the information. Forgive me but I can't understand why you need to tell me not to use "deaf and dumb" to describe people, because I have not done that (the phrase is no longer used in UK), and I consciously avoided that phrase when writing the article anyway, because I had seen "dumb" used offensively in American movies. As you know, I have removed the word "mute" (which is not in any source) after receiving your explanation. So please could you kindly tell my why you think there is still a problem with the article and then we can sort out how to put it right. I have checked the Deaf culture article and I cannot see a section where the mention of the article about Pearce would fit, so I have not added Pearce to it. I have removed my edit from Deaf-mute as per your request. Storye book (talk) 21:29, 1 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
@Storye book: Sorry, didn't mean to give you the impression that I was preaching at you, and I do appreciate your removal of the word "mute". My only point was that I don't think "mute" or "deaf and dumb" should be used, even if the source uses it, except with a direct quotation. Thanks again. Sundayclose (talk) 22:32, 1 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
No problem. I'm grateful for your help. As far as I can see, the article now fits your requirment inat respect. Please let me know if you see any more need for improvement. Cheers. Storye book (talk) 10:44, 2 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Please not that this is a sensitive article, which in the past has raised questions in the US, because many people unfamiliar with British English are not aware that until the mid-20th century the word "dumb" did not have the American pejorative meaning of "stupid". During Pearce's lifetime, in British English, "dumb" only meant non-speaking. It is also important to understand that during the 19th century, people who were considered to have a disability could be subject to enforced prevention of breeding, especially if that disability were perceived to have been inherited or genetic. Pearce's deafness can be understood to have been genetic, since he was deaf from birth. He therefore lied on the census to say that his deafness was due to illness. When I published this article, I expected Pearce to be perceived as a hero who educated those profoundly deaf people who had previously had no access to education. However the main reaction to this article was distress that the word "dumb" was used. It was therefore necessary to make clear the situation in the UK in the 19th century. So please do not unilaterally remove content from the article without discussion here. Thank you. Storye book (talk) 09:17, 31 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
