Απορία δική μου: αν τα λεξικά δίνουν deafness για τη "βαρηκοΐα", τότε η "κώφωση" τι είναι;
Δεν υπάρχει πρόβλημα (από πλευράς ορισμού), Βασίλη.
Δηλαδή (ακόμα και στη wikipedia):
In scientific and medical terms, deafness generally refers to a physical condition characterized by lack of sensitivity to sound.
Notated as deaf with a lowercase d, this refers to the audiological experience of someone who is
partially or wholly lacking hearing.[1]
In legal terms, deafness is defined by degree of hearing loss. These degrees include profound or total deafness (90 dB - 120 dB or more of hearing loss), severe (60 dB - 90 dB), moderate (30 dB - 60 dB), and mild deafness (10 dB - 30 dB of hearing loss). Both severe and moderate deafness can be referred to as partial deafness or as hard of hearing, while mild deafness is usually called hard of hearing.
Ανεξαρτήτως ποσοστού λοιπόν (συνώνυμα) και το «deafness» (ας μη φαίνεται με την πρώτη ματιά), κατάλληλο και για τα δύο:
deafness (defnes) General term for inability to hear.
όπως φαίνεται και από την ενημερωτική σελίδα του NHS (HB):
Hearing impairment, or deafness, is when your hearing is affected by a disease, disorder or injury.
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleid=518(btw: το παλαιότερο «βαρυηκοΐα»: ελαφρά κωφότης -καθομιλουμένη κ.λπ.)
Στην περίπτωση που έχουμε μια πρόταση όπως η παρακάτω:
Η σοβαρή (μεγάλου βαθμού) βαρηκοΐα κυμαίνεται στα όρια της κώφωσης.το αν θα αναφερθούμε σε «
severe deafness» και «total deafness» (πρώτος και δεύτερος όρος αντιστοίχως) ή
σε «severe hearing loss/impairment» και «total/complete/profound deafness/hearing loss» εξαρτάται από το κείμενο/τους αναγνώστες, το σκοπό του κειμένου (υπάρχει και νομική/ασφαλιστική διάσταση στο θέμα) κ.λπ.
There are different levels of hearing impairment, defined by the quietest sound you are able to hear, measured in decibels:
Mild deafness - if you have mild deafness the quietest sounds you can hear are between 25 and 39 decibels.
Mild deafness can cause some difficulty following speech, mainly in noisy situations.
Moderate deafness - if you have moderate deafness the quietest sounds you can hear are between 40 and 69 decibels. People with moderate deafness may have difficulty following speech without a hearing aid.
Severe deafness - if you have severe deafness the quietest sounds you can hear are between 70 and 94 decibels. People with severe deafness will usually need to rely on lip-reading or sign language, even with a hearing aid.
Profound deafness - if you have profound deafness the quietest sounds you can hear are 95 decibels or more. People with profound deafness will usually need to rely on lip-reading or sign language.
Hearing loss can be present at birth or develop in childhood or adulthood. People who are born able to hear but who become severely or profoundly deaf after learning to speak are sometimes described as deafened.(Tέλος, για τα ελληνικά, έχουμε και το «απώλεια της ακοής» -φύση και δριμύτητα καθορίζουν αν θα αναφερθούμε (στο PC, που αρκετοί θεωρούν πιο «ήπιο») βαρήκοος ή στο κωφός (κουφός
κθμ.) κ.λπ.)