--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How must that feel to any Deaf person…" description: "\"How must that feel to any Deaf person, especially a culturally Deaf person, who hears nothing? Who goes through life, living their life here in America..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/paul-raci-9038_america_how-must-that-feel-to-any-deaf-person-es_2173570.jpg" --- # How must that feel to any Deaf person, especially a… ![“How must that feel to any Deaf person, especially a culturally Deaf person, who hears nothing? Who goes through life, living their life here in America, and it's as though you're not really in your own country, because nobody speaks your language? It's devastating, to say the least, for many people.” quote by Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/paul-raci-9038_america_how-must-that-feel-to-any-deaf-person-es_2173570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/paul-raci-9038_america_how-must-that-feel-to-any-deaf-person-es_2173570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/paul-raci-9038_america_how-must-that-feel-to-any-deaf-person-es_2173570.jpg) > “How must that feel to any Deaf person, especially a culturally Deaf person, who hears nothing? Who goes through life, living their life here in America, and it's as though you're not really in your own country, because nobody speaks your language? It's devastating, to say the least, for many people.” [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deaf individuals often feel alienated in a hearing‑centric society, experiencing cultural isolation and frustration. **In simple terms:** Deaf people feel isolated in a world that doesn’t speak their language. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive communication and cultural awareness. Themes identity language inclusion culture Mood empathetic urgent inspirational Type social advocacy When to use this quote - advocating for sign language - creating accessible media - supporting Deaf community events Key Concepts sociolinguistics disability studies Questions to Reflect On - How can we better support Deaf cultural identity? - What steps make public spaces more inclusive? A Different Perspective Not all Deaf experiences are identical; some may feel integrated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Culturally Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culturally-deaf-3210062/) [Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaf/) [Deaf Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaf-person-434993/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-deaf-1545589/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Speaks Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-language-277826/) ## Related quotes > [For me, culturally, I'm deaf. I'm a deaf woman, and my life choices are made because of my experience of growing up as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/for-me-culturally-i-m-deaf-i-m-a-deaf-woman-and-my-life-choices-are/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) > [Half of us are blind, few of us feel, and we are all deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/half-of-us-are-blind-few-of-us-feel-and-we-are-all-deaf/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Culturally deaf people don't want to be fixed. They don't feel impaired. They feel complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/culturally-deaf-people-don-t-want-to-be-fixed-they-don-t-feel/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [At one point during my childhood, I thought I was the only deaf person that walked this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/at-one-point-during-my-childhood-i-thought-i-was-the-only-deaf-person/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) > [“I’d never actually talked to a deaf person before but I’d been swimming and gotten water stuck in my ears lots of times, felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/i-d-never-actually-talked-to-a-deaf-person-before-but-i-d-been/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [I wonder if it's rude for a deaf person to talk with food in their hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-wonder-if-it-s-rude-for-a-deaf-person-to-talk-with-food-in-their/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [It can be frustrating, playing a hearing person's perception of what a deaf person is like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/it-can-be-frustrating-playing-a-hearing-person-s-perception-of-what-a/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [In Australia, a deaf person attending an interview must take their own interpreter at their own expense, or ask the employer to provide one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/in-australia-a-deaf-person-attending-an-interview-must-take-their-own/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Being the first deaf person to play a regular character is a huge privilege and was long overdue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/being-the-first-deaf-person-to-play-a-regular-character-is-a-huge/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The interests of the deaf child and his parents may best be served by accepting that he is a deaf person, with an elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-lane/the-interests-of-the-deaf-child-and-his-parents-may-best-be-served-by/) [Harlan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-lane/) > [Ultimately, I don't think you can teach a tone-deaf person how to sing. Some talents you're just born with, unfortunately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-camp/ultimately-i-don-t-think-you-can-teach-a-tone-deaf-person-how-to-sing/) [Anna Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-camp/) > [In the deaf community, we give people name signs based on their quirks or characteristics. So it means you can't really give someone a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/in-the-deaf-community-we-give-people-name-signs-based-on-their-quirks/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) > [“The average deaf person has the peripheral vision of a fish-eye lens, almost 180 degrees, and spots the tiniest movement within this range long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kisor/the-average-deaf-person-has-the-peripheral-vision-of-a-fish-eye-lens/) [Henry Kisor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kisor/) > [But people who think they can project themselves into deafness are mistaken because you can't. And I'm not talking about imagining what a deaf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-masur/but-people-who-think-they-can-project-themselves-into-deafness-are/) [Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-masur/) > [Before working with Deaf West, I had never met a deaf person, and now I can't imagine life without ASL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/before-working-with-deaf-west-i-had-never-met-a-deaf-person-and-now-i/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) ## More by Paul Raci > [I started professionally acting in '80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-started-professionally-acting-in-80/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I moved out here when I was 40 and guess what, they are not looking for 40-year-olds in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-moved-out-here-when-i-was-40-and-guess-what-they-are-not-looking/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You're going to see more inclusion in casting in this town, in Hollywood. You're going to see a lot more differently abled people, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-re-going-to-see-more-inclusion-in-casting-in-this-town-in/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You throw all these obstacles in front of people, especially a lot of the deaf people that I've known in my life, you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-throw-all-these-obstacles-in-front-of-people-especially-a-lot-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [What I'm going to make sure happens, if I have anything to say about it, now that people are listening - we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/what-i-m-going-to-make-sure-happens-if-i-have-anything-to-say-about/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [We all know in the deaf community, there are deaf actors, men and women who are highly, highly skilled, highly intuitive, highly intelligent, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/we-all-know-in-the-deaf-community-there-are-deaf-actors-men-and-women/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I had so many deaf uncles that instilled in me this feeling of unconditional love, that's how I was brought up in that community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-had-so-many-deaf-uncles-that-instilled-in-me-this-feeling-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [John Williams was a Vietnam veteran and I'm a Vietnam veteran, I did two tours in Vietnam. So knowing that, that he wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/john-williams-was-a-vietnam-veteran-and-i-m-a-vietnam-veteran-i-did/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [Everybody in Los Angeles is an actor, or they think they are, or they want to be. They're looking for that shot. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/everybody-in-los-angeles-is-an-actor-or-they-think-they-are-or-they/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [My father was deafened at the age of six months from spinal meningitis, so he never knew sound at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/my-father-was-deafened-at-the-age-of-six-months-from-spinal/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [This is why every actor wants to get a script - they want to see what the arc of the character is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/this-is-why-every-actor-wants-to-get-a-script-they-want-to-see-what/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [The Deaf population is not a monolith. It's so layered, so complicated. It's happy, it's sad, it's angry. The gamut of human emotion, amplified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/the-deaf-population-is-not-a-monolith-it-s-so-layered-so-complicated/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [There are too many talented deaf men and women out there who are actors, who really have chops, who really know what they're doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/there-are-too-many-talented-deaf-men-and-women-out-there-who-are/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I'm so blessed that the garden I'm able to pull from, the actor's garden, is as rich as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-m-so-blessed-that-the-garden-i-m-able-to-pull-from-the-actor-s/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) [Explore all 75 Paul Raci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How must that feel to any Deaf person, especially a culturally Deaf person, who hears nothing? Who goes through life, living their life here in America, and it's as though you're not really in your own country, because nobody speaks your language? 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