karnott57

I am a sign language interpreter student and have met a really nice deaf woman, however, when she speaks to me she voices instead of signing. I really, REALLY need to practice signing and my receptive skills need help too. Would it be considered rude to ask her to sign instead of voice?

Deafness

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Bebonang

Does she know ASL? If she does not know ASL or any other sign language, then she is use to using her voice instead of signing. Don't forget that there are other deaf or hard of hearing in the mainstream schools that don't allow signing at all. She must have been conditioned to be that way without the ASL accommodation. I was one of them going to the mainstream schools with no ASL and no notetakers. I had a very difficult time not understanding the teachers and the students in the regular classrooms. I used voice but my voice box is funny and deaf accent. I learned to sign in my twenty in a deaf church where the deaf pastor taught me to sign. It lift up off my chest with no pain and no suffering after years in the mainstream schools. So maybe the nice deaf woman might have problem like that in the past. You can politely ask her if she can sign. If she said no, then you will have to find someone to sign with.

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A

There are plenty of deaf people who grew up in oral-only environment (with the help of a very powerful HA because most deaf have some residential hearing left and there are some deaf how learned to just lipread and speech). These people usually do not know ASL and if they did, they learned it late in life. You are going to run into them a lot. You will also run into deaf who hear with cochlear implant.

A

if you want to learn ASL, you should go to youtube and watch vlog

sallylou

It doesn't hurt to ask. You can tell her that you're interested in her experiences as a deaf person. Most people are happy to tell you where they went to school and how they learned ASL. You seem interested in getting to know her better and she may consider that a compliment.

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karnott57

Yes, she knows ASL. When I speak to her, I sign, but when she speaks to me, she voices. I noticed that she voices with everyone, so maybe she's just more comfortable doing that because she thinks that's what hearing people want??

lovezebras

Maybe she is just more comfortable voicing period..maybe her ASL skills aren't that great or she would just rather talk

Tousi

That's her choice and you want her to not do that when there's many others who will sign to/for you because you need the exposure?

Bottesini

Three cheers Tousi!!

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hohDougRN

Do you mean as in dating this woman? If she wants to use voice then respect that personal preference of hers. Get your receptive and signing skills from other sources and activities.

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Doug

Bottesini

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jillio

True. I have a deaf client that attended a deaf school, and she uses SimCom. That is what she is comfortable with. So, even though I am not a big fan of SimCom, I switch to it when I have a session with her. That is what she prefers.

JennyB

Communication preference in any situation can really differ. However, your role as an interpreter is to always MATCH the Deaf person. I they want you to sign PSE and mouth that is what you do, if they want you to sign ASL that is what you do, if they want you just to mouth that is what you do. If they want to speak, they can.

I have one situation that comes to mind...

I work with one interpreter pretty often and she knows that when there are hearing people around I won't speak. I will sign and I will watch her for the ASL. However, when we are alone together we speak or "sim-comm". No idea why - it just happens. If we are surrounded by others we sign and it is fine, we can switch back and forth with no problem. For whatever reason I just feel comfortable speaking with her though...so we do. I don't think she has ever asked me to sign...she just follows my lead.

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Anij

If you know this person fairly well - I'd ask her what her preferred means of communication is, and if it's different with hearing, Hoh and Deaf (ASLers) - of course ask at an appropriate time, like for instance during a discussion about how your ASL studies are going.

Every Hoh and Deaf person will have their own comfort level when it comes to communicating - and while I actaully prefer using ASL to speech& speechreading ... if person (especially if they're hearing) is new with a very limited vocabulary or signs in a choppy / messy way, long conversations can be draining - and I'll tend to switch to mainly speech because in some cases speechreading & listening is actually easier than trying to decipher their (well meant) signing. I'm not saying this applies to you - just that it's a situation that I've faced (as have many of my Hoh ASL friends).

Also keep in mind that this person may feel that if they start only signing that the only reason you want to spend time with them is as a free "practice session" instead of a chance to chat etc - that you value them because they sign, not because of who they are as a person (not a DEAF person, just a human being).

Also - if you tend to sign and talk at the same time, keep in mind that the subconscious message you are likely sending out is "I'm not comfortable enough in ASL to rely only on it ... so I'm supplementing it with voicing so you can speechread as well". I know in my case if someone learning ASL approaches me and signs&speaks I almost ALWAYS end up speaking back (or speaking and signing until I know if they're hearing or Hoh/Deaf).


I'd just gently ask if they would mind signing with you more, at least some times - however keep in mind that it's critical (especially if you plan to be an interpreter) that you respect whatever means of communication THEY prefer.

One other thing I wanted to mention - because I was in a car accident in 04 that permanently damaged my neck, shoulder and arm... so signing sometimes hurts. Because of that if I'm having a painful day (I also have Fibromyalgia) I tend to use ASL only with Hoh&Deaf ASLers and speak with hearing people ... to conserve my ability to sign when I need to (with those who's primary language is ASL). I still ask those who know ASL (PSE etc) to sign to me because it's much easier for me to understand ... however if they're hearing (or mildly Hoh and comfortable with oral communication) I tend to voice back only signing important concepts or expressions that make more sense to me in ASL. The bottom line is that there may be a number of reasons that this person doesn't tend to sign -from habit around hearing people (even if they know some sign) to an injury that you're unaware of.

lovezebras

Everyone makes excellent points..if this person doesn't want to sign with you then she has that right..she doesn't have to lol and if your pushing the subject then maybe you should re-evaluate your relationship with this person because that isn't very nice of a "friend" to do

emt_me911

Not all deaf people use ASL. I don't...I never learned it. I have the ability to speak and I use it. I suppose that someday I will learn sign but since I can talk, I talk. In fact, most people can't tell from my speech that I can't hear.

I took speech therapy for many years as a child and I was always mainstreamed in school. I'm grateful for that. If your friend prefers speech, then respect that. It's probably the way she wants to communicate. It's my preferred way. You can ask her if she would be willing to teach you some pointers but respect her decision if she doesn't.

deafannieboo

I dont mean to seem rude but if she your girl friend why dont you just ask her and talk to her about it. ya know? other people can only guess, i would guess she like me and voice out of habit with hearing people and prob just dont think much about it after years of doing so. just talk to her and be honest. ya know?

rockin'robin

Perhaps she's just wanting to practice more her "voice"...and you wanting to practice your "ASL"...It's fine to use both voice and ASL all at once....I really don't see what the "big deal" is here....but anyhow, if it's her preferred method of communication...just ask her to sign to you at times so you can learn ASL.

Kabbers

When you go out into the real world of interpreting and find that your deaf client can speak for themselves, a weight lifts off your shoulders. It's the hardest part of interpreting - trying to get out exactly what the deaf person wants to say. But sometimes they aren't exactly clear with their speech and will still need you to voice for them.

If I were in that situation, I wouldn't ask her to do that. I'd find other ways to practice my receptive skills. There are many deaf events and silent suppers out there, and youtube is a good resource as well.

Reba

Some deaf clients will tell me that they want me to voice for them. Then, when they're signing and I'm voicing they talk right on top of me! If I stop voicing, the hearing person says, "What?" If I continue voicing, the hearing person looks confused.

Also, some deaf clients prefer to do their own voicing even when it's obvious the hearing person is having trouble understanding them.

Terps have to be flexible with each situation.

Hohtopics

Yes, I'm another with such thoughts along with other responses in this thread. It seems almost as if the interpreter is trying to impose what his perception of the "deaf identity" should be all about on the deaf person who prefers to use her voice.

BecLak

Growing up oral and only now starting to pick up sign language, I find the switching to signing a little difficult particularly when I know the person is hearing. Even though personally I would much rather be signing, it is an old habit to break - almost like an automatic mode. I find it so much easier to sign to a Deaf person who uses sign language all the time. Are you actually speaking to her as you sign or voice off. That's usually is what throws me. Voice off is much easier for signing.

katz4life

Hmm. I use ASL (especially SEE and PSE) and voice at the same time but not all the time...just randomly words and sentences that I am able to voice-mouthing while signing.