Deaf Culture Alphabet Soup 

Behind the Acronyms… 

The Deaf community, services that support it, and components of its culture utilize a variety of short-hand acronyms. Explore these acronyms and their meanings below! 

ASL: American Sign Language – The primary language for Deaf community members within the United States. 

PSE: Pidgin Signed English- A mixture of ASL and signed English often used by individuals not fluent in ASL or late-deafened.  

SEE: Signed Exact English- A visual display of English exactly as it is spoken in sign, contrasting from ASL that has its own unique grammar and syntax.  

CODA: Child of a Deaf Adult(s)- An identifier for those who have a parent who is Deaf.  

SODA: Spouse or Sibling(s) of a Deaf Adult(s)- An identifier for those who have a spouse or a sibling(s) who is Deaf.  

NAD: National Association of the Deaf- the premier advocacy and resource organization for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in the United States.  

DB: DeafBlind- An identifier for individuals who have both significant hearing and vision loss.  

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act- The civil law of the United States passed in 1990 written to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities.  

VRI: Video Remote Interpreting- This is a form of interpreting utilizing remote interpreters via video calling to interpreter for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with hearing individuals.  

CART: Communication Access Real-time Translation- This is a form of captioning that involves a writer typing captions as written English from vocalized spoken English in real-time.  

VRS: Video Relay Service- An assistive program that connects an American Sign Language user to a communication assistant via video for that communication assistant to make phone calls on behalf of the sign language user and to interpret phone conversations for both parties.  

VP: Video Phone- A telephone with calling capabilities that displays the caller visually for easy signing communication.  

RID: Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf- The national certifying organization for sign language interpreters of the United States.  

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