Lack of privacy..

[gnulinuxman]

How do you sign-ers copy with obvious lack of privacy when conversing in public?

One way is to pull a jacket around us and sign behind it. Or we can sign smaller or under a table, or just fingerspell under a table.... There are ways. Or, if it must be private, we can write it down instead of signing it.

Hearing people are guilty of saying private things in public, especially on cell phones. While in line at the store check out, I heard this woman talking about her divorce and legal problems. Some people don't seem to care who hears or sees their conversations.

Oh yeah, and these idiots usually have their phones up so loud I can hear the other end of it too...

Thanks for posting this links for prospective readers by the way, FYI that SHHH is now HLAA as of March 2006 they change name to Hearing Loss Association of America. Yes, the url you provided does work but redirect the reader to HLAA now.

Thanks again!

I really think Mookie was being sarcastic. Please stop worshipping your CI long enough to pay attention....

 

[Interpretrator]

Hearing people can't help but overhear other people, whereas signers (deaf or hearing) can be polite and look away from other people's conversations.

In our ITP we were told it is polite to inform people in a situation like Audiofuzzy's that you can sign, so their conversation may not be as private as they think. I think our teacher's motivation in telling us this was to encourage us to interact with deaf people, but personally I've never felt comfortable with this. I just try not to look at them. If I notice a break in the conversation I may sign something like "nice day" or other small talk just to give them a hint that there's a signer around, but generally I try to ignore it, although it can be difficult. (Not because I care about the gossip of strangers but because it's just hard for me to look away from signers!)

Please stop worshipping your CI long enough to pay attention....

What positive results are you expecting to accomplish with a comment like that, I wonder?

 

[Audiofuzzy]

Hearing people are guilty of saying private things in public, especially on cell phones. While in line at the store check out, I heard this woman talking about her divorce and legal problems. Some people don't seem to care who hears or sees their conversations.

But of course, yes, that is true some hearing people does not care what they say in public and who may hear it,
but I only asked how do you deal with the lack of privacy, there is no need to compare yourself to the hearing people over and over. We already covered that...

Just because the signing is rather obvious and easily readable form afar does not mean it is any lesser form of communication, just different and one that comes with it's own set of problems, that is all.

No need to compare to hearing ways.

One way is to pull a jacket around us and sign behind it. Or we can sign smaller or under a table, or just fingerspell under a table.... There are ways. Or, if it must be private, we can write it down instead of signing it.

Now, that seem to be a good way.

Fuzzy

 

[SxyPorkie]

Nothing is wrong with using ASL in the public places same as hearies... we the deafies usually use ASL in normal consverations in the public... we are private too conservations in the private places like close friends or family...

Too bad for you... you are stuck in between hearing and deaf worlds... you dont understand everything in life...

Thanks!
SxyPorkie

 

[Cheri]

Hearing people are guilty of saying private things in public, especially on cell phones. While in line at the store check out, I heard this woman talking about her divorce and legal problems. Some people don't seem to care who hears or sees their conversations.

Most of my family have cellular phones, They think I wouldn't understand what is being said, They intended to forget that I can read lips it's not that they care who's listening over their conversation. Same goes for deaf people as well, When I bump into some Deaf at a local restaurant or shopping malls, overseeing them signing, there are times I cannot see what they're talking about, because they intended to sign fast before your very eyes can catch what they're saying. I can only catches part of their sign language, not word for word, because of that they would be already signing by the time I walk past or see them.

When Angel and I are anywhere out in public we use half signs and half spoken english language so that there would be no nosey folks can catch what we are really talking about.

I've noticed that a few people would looked over us and watch us sign, then sometimes one would come over and ask questions like, what's the sign for "Ily" I like it when people get interesting.

 

[lilylover72]

One time my husband and I went to resturant. We chatted with sign language. My husband saw the lady who was interpreter and she told her groups what we were talking. My husband had to change the subject and I was so cunfused. I asked him what hell were you talking about? His subject was about You are so rude about interpreter what we talk and you are so big nosey. I realized that the lady knew sign language and she stopped interepter for her groups. She never aplolize to us at all. What a b*** was she?

 

[Audiofuzzy]

She never aplolize to us at all. What a b*** was she?

She was extremely rude and inconsiderate, yes.

Fuzzy

 

[Opal]

When I was in a train, chatting with other deaf friend for 45 minutes until the next passenger was about to leave for her home departure, she turn round and said "I am Deaf" nice to see you!

I was godsmacked why didn't she tell us in first place! :fu2:

 

[signer16]

. I realized that the lady knew sign language and she stopped interepter for her groups. She never aplolize to us at all. What a b*** was she?

That has happened with many languages, my family will ask me "What are they saying?" when we see people speaking Spanish or signing. I don't tell them even if I can and do understand, BUT I know with deaf friends I wouldn't do that. When they ask me what the hearing people around us are saying, I always answer them- many deaf people would consider me rude if I didn't. I realize the reasons behind it, but isn't it a bit of a double standard?

 

[Interpretrator]

I realize the reasons behind it, but isn't it a bit of a double standard?

Yep. It is. It's something I struggle with a lot as an interpreter.

I've had discussions with master interpreters about the whole inherent imbalance of power between deaf and hearing and how it may be part of interpreters' jobs to correct that imbalance (without going back to the "helper" mode). That's one way to look at it.

Still, it does bug me, because often I do think hearing signers don't "play fair," myself included (meaning we tend to favor deaf accessibility over hearing accessibility), and sometimes it seems okay and sometimes it seems like very much of a double standard.

 

[Demise]

How do you sign-ers copy with obvious lack of privacy when conversing in public?
I was sitting at the train when two deaf men got on the train and started talking.
I couldn't help but thought If I knew ASL then I surely would understand every thing they said.

So how do you protect yourself from, say, accidently spilling too much that may even land you in hot water?

in other words how do you secure your privacy?

Fuzzy

Yeah, be aware. Go someplace where there are no people around. I'd use one hand sign language with my friends and family that no one will ever be able to read us. Of course I'd have to limit myself and my hands in small motions. That way I'd still have my private conversation with my family.

 

[shel90]

That's right, hearing people blurt out things in public too, or so my girlfriend tells me.

I don't worry about privecy when I'm out in public. and speaking of privecy I have a story with a weird twist.

I was at the rehersal dinner for my brother's wedding. It was kind of noisy and everybody was just talkinng back and forth. My girlfriend (she's hearing) and I start signing so that we can have a usefull conversation.
My entire extended family is hearing, my (future) sister-in-law's family is hering. I grew up hearing so the whole being nearly deaf and using ASL is new to them, I guess.

Anyway, the next day, my dad scolded me for signing. He said that it makes the rest of the family uncomfortable because they think we're talking about them.

All I could think was wht the F@#$^!??!

U are not the only one that happened to. I was at my friend's house (we grew up together and we were both orally deaf until we finally learned ASL) for the first time since I learned ASL. I have known her mom since I was a year old. Anyways, we were all sitting at the dinner table and my friend's brother who is deaf was so fascinated that I finally learned ASL and wanted to chat with me. So, the 3 of us were signing away catching up on news when all of sudden my friend's mom turned around to her other son who is hearing and hid her mouth to talk to him. All 3 of us were like huh? She said that we were all being rude by signing without our voices on cuz it left the others out. I was :jaw: cuz when they talk among themselves, the 3 of us CANT understand what they are saying so fair is fair, right? I got up and left cuz I wasnt putting up with that insensitivity. I told my friend sorry for my rudeness but I was sooo pissed. Oh boy...

 

[shel90]

One time my husband and I went to resturant. We chatted with sign language. My husband saw the lady who was interpreter and she told her groups what we were talking. My husband had to change the subject and I was so cunfused. I asked him what hell were you talking about? His subject was about You are so rude about interpreter what we talk and you are so big nosey. I realized that the lady knew sign language and she stopped interepter for her groups. She never aplolize to us at all. What a b*** was she?

Yea, that was rude of her. To tell her friends what u and your husband were talking about is a total lack of respect on her part.

 

[spainmale]

If you happen to see deaf talk in public transporation. You dont know them but you can understand in ASL. The same way as hearing people they can overheard about them talking issues.. That's nornal

 

[VamPyroX]

Simple, don't talk about things you don't want others to see you say.

If you're going to talk about something secretive or about someone else, then do it in your own room or in a car... not in public.

As for you seeing someone else, that's their problem. However, you could show respect and not stare at them. I'm sure that you would be curious, but then again... how would their conversation benefit you? They're both strangers and finding something about them won't really benefit you or anything.

For instance, I see these two strangers talking about how they lost their jobs. Well, I'm not working. I won't be working in this city in the near future. They may have done something wrong to have lost their job and it isn't my concern or business of why this happened to them. So, I just ignore them.

 

[Interpretrator]

If you happen to see deaf talk in public transporation. You dont know them but you can understand in ASL. The same way as hearing people they can overheard about them talking issues.. That's nornal

Except that deaf people often assume that they are speaking "privately" since the average group of people on the subway don't know ASL. I was taught that if you know ASL and see people signing, either join them if you're so inclined, or just don't watch.

 

[shel90]

Hearing people can't help but overhear other people, whereas signers (deaf or hearing) can be polite and look away from other people's conversations.

In our ITP we were told it is polite to inform people in a situation like Audiofuzzy's that you can sign, so their conversation may not be as private as they think. I think our teacher's motivation in telling us this was to encourage us to interact with deaf people, but personally I've never felt comfortable with this. I just try not to look at them. If I notice a break in the conversation I may sign something like "nice day" or other small talk just to give them a hint that there's a signer around, but generally I try to ignore it, although it can be difficult. (Not because I care about the gossip of strangers but because it's just hard for me to look away from signers!)



What positive results are you expecting to accomplish with a comment like that, I wonder?

I may be interpreting u wrong but are u saying that in ITP, u were told to tell other people who do not know signs what people are conversing about in sign language? If so, then that is not fair cuz I would be in a crowded place with all different spoken conversations going on around me, I wouldnt know what is being said unless I have an terp with me all times. Also..I think that is kinda rude anyway.

If I read u wrong, pls let me know.

 

[Interpretrator]

I may be interpreting u wrong but are u saying that in ITP, u were told to tell other people who do not know signs what people are conversing about in sign language?

No. See my more concise version above. (Didn't realize this thread was so old.)

 

[GalaxyAngel]

When I was in a train, chatting with other deaf friend for 45 minutes until the next passenger was about to leave for her home departure, she turn round and said "I am Deaf" nice to see you!

I was godsmacked why didn't she tell us in first place! :fu2:

Yeah so am I and happened like this several few times!
Mak'n me fumes my ears out... why can't you being nosy while I'm coverstation w/my friend..? I feel alike *shove their arse out of train door* but too late!

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Tonight at a party, this deaf guy was talking about his kidney stones and how that the doc has to stick a tube or whatever into his penis in order to get the stone out...I and my friend didn't want to know that, but we were right next to him and happened to look his way...we were like oh yikes, and looked away. It is not our business and we didn't want to know his personal details! But he was talking about it out in the open! He didn't even attempt to conceal what he was saying to his friend!

I'd think that if someone has something that needs to be talked about that is personal, he should have gone out in the hall or whatever where there is no one! Cause we didn't want to know the details!