Powerful Video Shows Just How Difficult Lip Reading Can Be For People Who Are Deaf

Powerful Video Shows Just How Hard It Is For Deaf People To Lip Read

More than 900,000 people in the UK are severely or profoundly deaf and many have to rely on lip reading to communicate with others.

But that is far from easy.

The video above, created by production company Little Moving Pictures, seeks to give people who are able to hear an insight into the difficulties of lip reading.

The clip begins with people speaking clearly while subtitles appear on the screen. Then, their words become quieter and the subtitles fade.

As the actors appear in different scenarios, such as dancing in a night club, it becomes almost impossible to concentrate on their mouths and figure out what they are saying.

The video ends with one deaf woman, Rachel Kolb, telling viewers about her lip reading frustrations.

"There have been times when I've questioned why I even try to lip read, to wade through this swamp, when I could just use sign language," she says.

"Some deaf people choose to do just that. It's like a different world - a world filled with rich expression and culture.

"When people sign they come alive. But I know I want both worlds."

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[H/T: BuzzFeed]

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