Final answer:
Historically, there were misconceptions that if deaf individuals married each other, their children would also likely be deaf. These stigmas stemmed from a lack of understanding about the genetics of deafness. Today, deaf culture embraces the marriage of deaf individuals, valuing the shared language and experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question, "What was believed to happen if the deaf married each other?" appears to inquire about historical attitudes and beliefs concerning deaf individuals marrying each other. Historically, there were misconceptions and stigmas surrounding the deaf community and their capabilities. These societal stigmas often discouraged or stigmatized the marriage of deaf individuals amongst themselves due to a lack of understanding about deafness and inheritance of traits. It was commonly believed that if two deaf individuals married, there might be a higher probability that their children would also be deaf. Today, thanks to advances in genetics, we understand that deafness can be caused by both genetic and non-genetic factors, and the probability of deaf parents having deaf children varies greatly depending on the specific genetic circumstances.
Deaf culture has evolved to be very supportive of deaf individuals marrying each other, recognizing the shared language, experiences, and understanding that can come from such unions. Within deaf culture, there's an appreciation for the continuity of sign language and the shared customs that a deaf couple can offer a potential family.