Correct Terms to Use for Persons with disabilities

對殘疾人使用正確術語

陳豪在北京的ABC美國公司工作，下班后跟美國同事Amy一起往外走。

(Office ambience)

CH：Hi Amy. 碰上你太好了！

A: I haven't seen you all day. Is there something on your mind?

CH: 你還記得不久前，我們那兒來了個坐輪椅的新同事嗎？

A: Yes, and we talked about your being uncomfortable around her because you weren't sure what to do.

CH: 現在好多了，我們已經成了好朋友。要是我什么地方做得不得體，她會直截了當地告訴我。

A: What do you mean?

CH: 比如說那天，我們一起聊天，她就很客氣地告訴我，不應該把她的輪椅當家具，倚在上面。

A: It soun ds as if you are handling this issue well.

CH: 可是，有時候遇到其它handicapped的人，我還是有點兒不知所措。

A: First of all, you shouldn't refer to those people as handicapped. That is something of an old-fashioned term that is demeaning to many.

CH: 不說handicapped殘疾人，那要怎么說呢？

A: Refer to these employees as having a disability. It shows more respect.

CH: 這么說是不是太籠統了？別人會問，是什么樣的殘疾。比如說，我們辦公室的Mary就是個聾子。

A: If someone asks you what kind of disability, your response is not "She's deaf." Instead you say, "She has a hearing impairment or a hearing problem.

CH: 聽力有障礙？那不就是聾子嘛！這不是一回事嗎？

A: I'll explain it tomorrow. I have to meet some friends for dinner now.

C: 那好，明天見。

第二天在辦公室。

CH: Hi Amy, 昨天你說，不應該說Mary聾子，應該說Mary聽力有缺陷。這是為什么？

A: Because then you are describing her by her disability. If she had a disease, you wouldn't identify her by that. For example, if she had measles, you wouldn't say, "She's measles."

CH: 這倒也是。那除了耳朵聾要說聽力有缺陷，其它身體殘礙是不是也不能直說呢？

A: Nowadays, you wouldn't say that a person is blind today. You would use the term visually impaired to describe the person.

CH: 不說盲人，要說視力有缺陷。要是瘸子呢？

A: Just say that he has a disability.

CH: 看來，在這方面，我還真得注意，否則一不小心就會冒犯別人。Amy, 你能再重復一下嗎？

A: Sure. We say visually-impaired, not blind. It's hearing-impaired, and not deaf. Use person with a disability rather than crippled, and person who uses a wheelchair, rather than wheelchair bound.