陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作，下班后跟美国同事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: 你还记得不久前，我们那儿来了个坐轮椅的新同事吗？

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

CH: 现在好多了，我们已经成了好朋友。要是我什么地方做得不得体，她会直截了当地告诉我。

A: What do you mean?

CH: 比如说那天，我们一起聊天，她就很客气地告诉我，不应该把她的轮椅当家具，倚在上面。

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

CH: 可是，有时候遇到其它handicapped的人，我还是有点儿不知所措。

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: 不说handicapped残疾人，那要怎么说呢？

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

CH: 这么说是不是太笼统了？别人会问，是什么样的残疾。比如说，我们办公室的Mary就是个聋子。

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: 听力有障碍？那不就是聋子嘛！这不是一回事吗？

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

C: 那好，明天见。

******

第二天在办公室。

CH: Hi Amy, 昨天你说，不应该说Mary聋子，应该说Mary听力有缺陷。这是为什么？

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: 这倒也是。那除了耳朵聋要说听力有缺陷，其它身体残碍是不是也不能直说呢？

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

CH: 不说盲人，要说视力有缺陷。要是瘸子呢？

A: Just say that he has a disability.

CH: 看来，在这方面，我还真得注意，否则一不小心就会冒犯别人。Amy, 你能再重复一下吗？

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.