TTY vs. TDD
18 03 2007ASL Vlog - 2:34 Minutes Long
Grant Laird Jr. discussed why we should call it TTY instead of TDD? Eddy Laird (cousin) made point that we should called it TTY no matter what just like everyone still called "telephone" or "phone" whether it is cell phone or cordless phone.
Share your thoughts why should we continue with "TDD" (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf) or stay with "TTY" (Teletypewriter)?
Grant W Laird Jr.
http://blog.grantlairdjr.com
What’s up with Lonelygirl15? Ugh. I got confused…
Anyway… I call it TDD because that’s what it is.
I never owned TTY and didn’t know they even existed until I became older.
When I see that term “TTY” by deaf people, I know what they are referring to.
Doesn’t bother me which term to use, but I think the more proper term is TDD.
Sorry.
I always, and still, call them TTY. I was born with a TTY in my hand, figuratively speaking. When the TDD term came around, I found it awkward, but did not bother me if anybody says TDD. But coming from me, you will always see TTY.
This discussion brings a thought to me — TTY vs TDD seem to parallel with DEAF-MOUTH and DEAF-CLOSE discourse — except that this isnt gonna be emotional, right?
Hi Grant
Enjoyed your vlog very much!
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the TTYs appeared everywhere like fire. I vividly remember the original name was the “Teletypewriter”. We got them from big corporations and telephone companies. You can find details in the old NAD magazines and/or in other sources.
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, newer, lighter, portable machines showed up to the delight of deaf people. We began to call them “TDD” TDD meant either: Telephone Device FOR the Deaf or Telecommunication Device FOR the Deaf. The machines were FOR deaf people. Yes, FOR deaf people.
We accepted the word, “TDD” like a naive fish. We realized something was not right. Many of us thought: why TDD?? “FOR†is a problem. It is NOT only for deaf people… It is also for hearing family members, friends, and business. So do many hearing people with speech-impairments (who lost their voice due to stroke, cancer or other diseases). That was it! We threw out “TDD†and adopted “TTY†(or teletypewriter).
I understand more and more deaf people have abandoned their TTYs in favor of blackberry pagers and videophones and use Video Relay Services a lot. However, there are many hearing friends, family, and business who still use TTYs. I still have my TTY to keep in touch with my family (they are fast typists!) and with deaf and hearing friends who lack a computer or videophone.
Deaf TTY user
TTY is part of deaf culture.
TDD was made up by hearing people.
So I still use the term TTY no matter what.
The term TTY is historical, because the first ones were those huge, clunky teletypewriters. Then the smaller ones came on the scene and hearing people had decided we deserved Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf. I will always use TTY, because it came from the community, not from hearing people. I’m not going to be a party to linguistic oppression.
I did a research paper on that while at Gallaudet. I interviewed different students. Remember this was in the early 1990’s. The majority of the students interviewed preferred the term “TTY”.
MJ Bienvenu presented on this topic in a videotape about Deaf culture. Like Nick talked about the kitchen being a gathering place was one of the topics on the tape. I don’t have access to that tape now but maybe someone here has.
Two common reasons that I can recall to the best of my memory was:
1) it is the Deaf’s term; TDD is hearing’s word
2) easier to fingerspell; more smooth transition of letters
Grant, I dont see deaf people to sign *tty or tdd anymore and I only see them signing *sidekick or IMs and soures on tv. poor tty and tdd are sitting and build dust on them
Denise: You are right. I don’t use it anymore either. I just want to know what everyone thinking of using word TTY or TDD these days.
Good v-log, Grant. I should note that in the early days of the ADA, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) used the term “TDD” in its regulations and guidance. Recently, DOJ just released several “ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments” which only uses the term “TTY” and not the term “TDD”. So, looks like even DOJ is recognizing the deaf community’s use of “TTY” instead of “TDD.”
Link to ADA Tool Kit:
http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/toolkitmain.htm
are you trying to start another sign battle????
anyway… i remember one of Federal departments used “TT” as Text Telephone in 1980’s. Deaf community was not happy with the term. I think that is because fingerspelling “TT” looks like a “toilet” in sign.
Your point is good. My husband and I always use sign ” TTY ” and not TDD. TDD is hard to fingerspell. Thanks!
It was old when they choosed TTY in 1992
Terminology TTY vs TDD
Hello Grant: I am deaf and retired now. I coined the term Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) back in 1980-81 when I managed a distribution project in Philadelphia, PA. The newer devices were coming on the market although the project located at the Community College of Philadelphia had originally been funded for the old-time TTY’s. We added the new devices to the choice deaf people could make and I thought we needed a new name that would be comprehensive in describing the entire range of choice and use. MJ was mistaken in thinking that hearing people invented the term. We deaf people can be creative, too! Most deaf people in Southern New Jersey, where I live, continue to use “TTY”, though. It mostly caught on in the business world I think because it was descriptive of the new telecommunications world coming at us in those beginning days. I enjoyed your vlog! -Betty
NAD (National Associations of the Deaf), CAD (Canadian Association of the Deaf), CCSD (Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf), and CDSA (Canadian Deaf Sports Association)
Deaf communities in North Amercia prefer the word is TTY so it will be our history for longer and forever!
I use TTY because I know what it is. Hearies use “TDD” because they need the word “deaf” associated with the device, so they know it’s not for them.
Heh!
For many years, I was involved with NJ/NY Phone-TTY organization which is a service organization. We tell people to stick with TTY word.
I still use the “TTY” even though I don’t use it very often. Once in every blue moon, I would happen to use it! (Yes, “happen..”)
Now, how do you guys say about videophone?? VP? or V? or what? I use “VP” for any device such as webcam, Ojo, Sorenson’s, or any videophone set-top.
Cheers.
Oh great….
So I will be called an audist if I used the term “TDD”, not “TTY”?
By the way, I suggest we all keep TDD - er, TTY, for the sake of our DeafBlind fellows.
Or god forbid our cable goes down…which has happened to me twice. I was glad to be dusting off my TDD machine!
There I go again…
Well, for me the term “TDD” appeared to be more patronizing than “TTY” since “TDD” spelled out Telecommunications FOR the DEAF while “TTY” didn’t. “TTY” sounded more neutral yet empowering. I like to put in “TTY” next to my signature as a contact for the hearing people. They need it just as much as I do, via relay services.
I always sign “tty”, just out of a habit. I still have a pix of myself holding my very first tty that I got for Christmas in early 1980’s when I was a teenager. Nowdays, teenagers get a cellphone, pager or whatever!
The three signs I use for telecommunication, TTY, Pager, VP.
Fingerspelling TTY is much easier on the hand. TDD is arkward.
The only time I see the word TDD is from the hearing people. Rarely, do I see a Deaf person sign TDD.
Glad that you brought it up. I have spoke that some years ago when I start work for deaf company. It popped up in my mind when I was asked myself which I should put TTY or TDD in the information guide, catalog and business card. That led me to ask several people who would strong in favor word to choice. It appear that there are more people like “TTY” than “TDD”. I usually use “TDD” in first place and never know about “TTY” later. Anyway, once I made the finally decide and put “TTY” anywhere in media printing. I’m glad that I made the wise decide to satisfactory everybody.