The culturally Deaf see themselves as belonging to their own People Group. Generally accepted definitions of a People Group include words like ethnolinguistic group; common self-identity; shared cultural patterns among various members; unique language in common; etc.  The Joshua Project defines a People Group as “a significantly large sociological grouping of individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity with one another.” In addition to the obvious language identification shared among a People Group there are additional considerations that help define ethnicity such as a shared history; common customs; the identities of clans and families; marriage rules and traditions; and covenants and inheritance patterns. All of these are indicators that help identify the Deaf as a People Group.