je_suis_chic

I've noticed that a lot of deaf people just, expect hearing people to sign. I think this is kind of strange and hypocritical. which comes to my question, If you were not deaf, would you sign? Also, would you know other deaf people and be able to communicate efficiently with him/her?

Deafness

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apathrev

Its only natural for one to expect another to communicate in their own langauge. There are hearing people who expect deaf people to hear their English and understand. Its just communicating with how you've been taught.

As for the answer to you second question, yes I would use the little ASL I know to try and communicate. But I'd likely end up having to fingerspell everything or type it out on my Sidekick.

Alisteal

There are quite a few non-deaf people I know who do signing. and baby signs is also very popular. There is a group of women at the mommy group we go to who are all learning to sign to make it easier on Freja and I since we're learning

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Melissa- HOH mom to
Freja Eowyn 1/6/04 - High Functioning Autistic, HOH, SID, Allergies, Awaiting First AFOs due Oct 11th
and
Raeden Storm 1/15/06- Asthmatic, Sleep Apnea, and GERD

Teresh

I don't expect hearies to be able to sign well or at all, though I certainly would like it as it would probably make my own learning of ASL proceed faster and open more doors for deafies.

CODAchild

Today, so many hearies do want to learn ASL whether it be job related or just for their own personal sake. Coming from parent's who are deaf, they did have a bit of a hard time understanding a hearing person who couldn't sign, unless I was around, and I would sign to them what the hearing person is saying.
Today, I am married to a deaf man, with 2 hearing daughters and a deaf foster son, and we all use ASL. I have been around the deaf for over 50 years, and there isn't a day I can't remember when I don't use it. So, all in all, I am signing 24 hours a day, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

sr171soars

It is unrealistic to expect normal hearing people to sign especially when their exposure to deaf people is minimal or non-existance. They will do what comes naturally which to them is spoken language.

There are those that have family or close friends who are deaf and therefore they are willing to learn to sign. There are others who are simply interested and they will learn as well.

To answer your first question, I'm willing to learn some sign but I know that I will probably never be really fluent in it since I live in the hearing world (went from HA to CI). It is the problem where if you don't use it, you lose it proposition. I know enough that ASL is not English and it is akin to learning an entirely different language. I was told also that I could sign as I speak which would be more natural for me.

As for the second question, yes there are opportunities for me to sign and I probably could communicate decently (once I learn more).

je_suis_chic

that was really cute...

bigdaddyb

There are a couple of things about other hearies learning/not learning ASL that really bug me.

First of all. Hearies who have a close family member who is deaf and REFUSE to learn to sign. I've met people who grew up with a deaf brother or sister and never learned even rudimentary ASL. What kind of a waste of humanity lives like that?!?! I've met several. Usually, the conversation ends there. I have significant contempt for people like that.

Second. Hearies who want to learn to sign as some form of artistic expression. This is usually on the female side. Watching a hearie try to turn signing into some form of interpretive dance makes me want to hurl. These folks learn 25 signs and act like they have some sort of performance talent.



If you want to learn to sign, use it for what it is....a language. Live a little. Stretch yourself. Learn to COMMUNICATE, and go make friends with a deaf person.

</rant>

brianb

sr171soars

Good points... *Sigh!* Knowing human nature, I can very well believe it especially the first one. The second one surprised me. I would never have thought of that. I guess these types always have to have all the attention on themselves...

Tousi

.....and then there are those few who only want to know the dirty signs.

deafdyke

OMG, bigdaddyb......I totally agree with you about the second one. It does seem like there are these females who are into ASL b/c it's tReNdY....those types make me want to VOMIT. I remmy reading on another site a girl saying she wanted to be a 'terp but not get paid for it, b/c you know like it was so much fun and so cool......
On the upside, I have noticed a little more openmindedness in heary parents learning ASL.....a lot of families tend to be like "OH....ASL could be a tool that really helps dhh kids!" I know of quite a few audilogically hoh kids whose parents are sending them to schools for the deaf or who are learning ASL! Perhaps the tide is slowly but surely changing....that would be AWESOME!

bonjoey

(Hope you dont mind i am kicking this post back up)
I am now in a the second course of dutch SL.
I am hearing, and followed the course because my son of 6 is on a school for childeren with hearing and speach problems.
My son is hearing as well, but some kids in his class are HOH.
The teacher at school said he picked it up quite easy, and the amazing thing was, his speech went better as well.
The problem he had, was he sometimes had trouble with expressing what he had to say, but by using signs, he was able to make himself understood.
So although i only now i few signs, and me neither my son is deaf, i am glad i know some signing and, to make a short story long, i dont have to yell at him over the playground to remember him to go to the bathroom, but just sign, and he won't be embarresed.

Joey.

Rose Immortal

I can't understand how a person could have a family member who is deaf and signs, and not want to learn their first language. That's just stupid and I can't understand the mentality behind that.

I agree about the "artistic expression" thing...but lemme ask you, if a hearing person doesn't have a friend or family member who is deaf, under what circumstances do you think it's OK for that person to be interested in ASL?

I do also agree it's natural to wish people would use your native language. But I also don't think it's right to be angry at a stranger when they don't know it. (Friends ought to take an interest, and family--well, that ought to be required!) If I ever got time to learn, I'd have to be with someone very, very patient, who would not laugh at or belittle me when I messed up.