zethrine44

i wanted to learn ASL because my aunt was an interpreter for a police department. she passed away 2yrs ago april and i thought that learning asl (along with getting a tattoo) would be a neat way to remember her.

plus i really got into the show switched at birth and i wanted to know what the signs were w/o reading the subtitles.

Deafness

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bluepeach

I have loved American Sign Language since I was first introduced years ago and I flat out refuse to learn Spanish!!!

Vee

It feels more expressive.

iMacTini

Because I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. I want to be able to experience a new culture, meet new people, unlock previously closed doors. At first I took ASL class because I am a visual learner and I thought it would be cool to learn a visual language. Little did I know there was a whole world and community hidden right in front of my vary eyes! There was so much more to learn about the Deaf and their culture than i ever could have imagined! Sadly though, I live in a small town where the deaf community is almost non-existent. So I found this site in hopes of meeting deaf/HOH or other people like me and get some form of experience from it. I know it's not the same, but it's the best I've got for now. I hope, when I go to college, to get to experience, and if I'm really lucky, become a part of the Deaf community there. That is my reason.

eirlys

Whenever I took ASL (classes for 6 years until I got into high school and decided to go against my parents and be a teenager and quit), it was because my parents weren't sure how quickly my hearing would deteriorate and I would need it. Of course, they didn't take classes, so I wouldn't have been able to talk with them.. -_-

AlohaJamaica

Well, in Canada, we are taught ASL and it kind of stuck to me. Later on, I realized I had hearing problems and so I took hearing test over and over again and found out that I was HOH and it was just going to get worse. That means, I needed to learn ASL.

This is why I learned ASL. Not because of a trend!

MoonCrest33

MY first reason was because I need to take a language credit in college and my sister told me the ASL classes she took were so much fun and that she loved it. Now that I passed the required amount (2 classes) I am still taking ASL course because of my teacher and the people I have met. Taking these courses opened my eyes up to a new world with an amazing culture. I even have gone from a biology major to an Interpreter's major so I can become more involved with the Deaf community and learn more about the people. I also look at some of my more ignorant friends and try to explain the beauty and emotion that must go into this language.

Auroke22

I am learning asl because my mother has Menieres disease and I don't like talking, let alone repeating myself. I started heavily learning because of switched at birth, it was my first experience to asl and my only glimmer of the Deaf community.

theseoulian

When I was in 5th grade, I saw a group of people signing to each other at a local airport. Back then, I didn't understand why they were not speaking. After learning about Deaf people, I wanted to learn to be able to communicate with them.

Rei

i want to learn asl to help people. my goal is to become a counsler and fluent in asl so i can help people who are hard of hearing or deaf without them having to go through the hassel of getting an interpreter.

BlackLaceRoses

I don't really know why I started, but I just remember practicing ASL. I loved the language and worked on it. Even if I only met 1 person I could eliminate the communication boundary I did it. I fought my high school district to get Asl offered. It took them a few years but it happened. Since I worked at the mall, I was able to communicate with a few deaf through the years. I loved the looks on their faces when they are shocked they don't have to write anything to order.

Mohave

I took my first ASL class last semester, at first it was to fulfill an elective requirement for a foreign language, and since I am a shy person, I thought it would be a better choice than a spoken language. Not long after, I thought I had made a big mistake, like the rest of the "others," I was and am still very ignorant of how complex, and challenging ASL really is. Although I struggle at times, I can honestly say I have developed a love for ASL, and the Deaf community. Currently, I'm finishing up 102, and looking to progress further.

bness37

I work with a deaf gentleman and it was necessary for me to learn sign in order to communicate successfully. However after a few weeks we had become very good friends and I wanted to learn more than what was needed. I have found that ASL is a beautifully streamlined language that makes so much more sense than English when trying to convey thoughts. I agree with with many deaf people that do not like that many people try to learn ASL simply because they think it looks cool, but if the motive of learning ASL is genuine then I think it is a great thing. Those of us that are hearing will never fully understand deaf culture, but I think its important that we try, keeping in mind that we are outsiders.

Annieroseco

I am 19 years old and I have wanted to learn since the first time i saw it (about 5 years old). i think it is a beautiful and complex language and i one day hope to be able to know it fluently and interpret it. I just barely started learning on my own, but if there is anyone who would be able to teach me, i would love to learn!

ps i dont think its considered a fad... at least not here in utah.

Arthaey

I'm learning ASL because I love languages. I can get by in Spanish, I can buy things & get directions in German, and I've taken a quarter of Japanese and Russian. I minored in linguistics in college. One of my hobbies is to create languages (just for fun).

When they offered free ASL classes twice a week at my work, it was a no-brainer to sign up.

GrayEagle

I chose Other, also. I am HOH, wearing 2 hearing aids, and as I have lost hearing gradually over the last 20 years, having to replace hearing aids as I "out grew" them, that I can't just depend on the aids to do it all for me. I am left out of so much and have become more of a hermit because I can no longer jump through all the hoops to communicate in the hearing world, and I don't know the language, so I don't fit in, in the Deaf community, either. So I decided it's never too late, right?

MintyOreo

I'm learning ASL because I'm deaf. I wasn't able to learn ASL as a child - and I regret that VERY much. I wish that I had the opportunity to learn ASL as a child. But oh well. It's in the past now. What matters is that I have the opportunity to learn NOW (as a teenager). I'm trying to learn as much as I can!

There really should be a "I'm learning ASL because I'm deaf/hoh" option on this poll...

Proserpina

I was introduced to ASL as a 5th grader in school. I really enjoyed learning a different language. Later in life, when I was supposed to learn a language in middle school and high school, ASL was not offered. So I tried to learn Spanish. Now that I am at an University that offers an Interpreters Certificate Program, I have the opportunity to learn ASL. So that is what I am doing, learning ASL and about the Deaf Culture just to know. Knowledge is the closest you can get to understanding and stepping out of your shoes gives you better perspective. Plus Exposure = Awareness and the more people that use ASL, regardless of the reason, is just one more reason ASL will survive the ages.

Suethewanderer

I suppose I do sound like I want to learn ASL because its a fad. I read my introduction post and it probably sounds ridiculous for a person who hasn't even taken one ASL class to know she wants to be an interpreter.

But there are a lot of reasons why I want to learn how to sign. When I was little I read a book about a deaf-blind girl and got intriged by fingerspelling. So my mom took me to the library and I found a couple of books on Braille and the manual alphabet. Language is just interesting to me. I didn't know anyone Deaf or blind; I just bought a bunch of books and taught myself and all my friends some signs. I didn't know I was doing Signed English. Later, when the 1990 ADA law came out I worked for one of the first Relay Centers in Baltimore, MD. I couldn't type fast enough so I had to quit, though, then life got in the way of further pursuit of Deaf culture.

What all this boils down to is that I've been fascinated by ASL and Linguistics for years. Now I'm at a place in my life where I can pursue my interest, finally, without any discouragement from my family.

Erooa

I am a student of language and sign language I believe is one of the most beautiful ways of expression. It is also a great feeling to be able to communicate with someone of a different language. It shows respect and is a great way to communicate.

MsSaraB

I have a cousin and an aunt that are deaf. The cousin is younger but growing up my aunt would come to events but no one really talked to her much. I would try to communicate with her and she could understand me pretty well because she is incredible at lip reading but I always had a hard time understanding her. She was sort of a mystery to me and so I usually hung out with her and tried to learn more about her. so I grew up with an interest in ASL but was never encouraged. Now I am older and I want to get to know her better and try to open the rest of my family's eyes before my cousin gets older and resents the family for not even taking baby steps to meet her halfway.

JunJun10

Personal reason: I have several Deaf friends, and I want to improve communication with them.
Academic/professional reason: My research is on "Deaf Culture(s)", and it seems quite clear to me that the only way to truly understand people is to speak their language.

Frisky Feline

just that's a badass!

Caidemma

Well, I had a friend in middle school who was hoh and taught me a few signs...later on I got a job at a cafe and had a deaf regualr who came in everyday and typed what he wanted on his cell phone then held it up so i could see it. He would look at the register for his total, pay and left.

Then one day (after studying for like a week!) I signed to him "Nice to see you again, how are you?" and his face just lit up completely!!! Even though im sure i looked like a fool, he was happy that someone cared to learn to communicate with him. That made me want to learn it more.

Less again...i had kids shortly after and didnt keep up with it, but since Switched At Birth came on, i am determined to finally really learn ASL

sorry this ran long...

mrsjeffereson

Lots of reasons for me. My first intro to ASL was in elementary school when we learned a few songs with some signs. I thought it was really amazing, but I had no clue at the time that I could learn more, I just waited around for another opportunity at school, that never presented itself. In junior high, we had an ASL club that met after school, but I wasn't allowed to stay late, so I never got to participatel. In high school, we had ASL classes, but by then I already had a few years of spanish under my belt, so I felt like I should just stick with that (and didn't, our spanish teacher at the high school was scheevy, ick). I homeschool my own children now (8, 5, 3, and 1) and we have been buying Signing Time videos and incorporating them into our homework. My two daughters (5 and 1) are especially interested in it, and my 5 year old is pushing for us to learn more so that we can be fluent.
We learned a few signs when my 5yo was a baby, and taught them to her. I'll never forget her signing "more" at the speed of light when she wanted more of something delicious. We also taught our oldest the signs too, and then taught our next two babies.
Signing Time has been a great tool for our family to learn signs, and I've also been using an online signing dictionary (I've probably got close to 200 signs now in the last few weeks), but I want to learn sentence structure now. So we're looking at options for classes. I may try to get certified to teach baby signs through Signing Time Academy to start with and take the online courses they suggest. I can't do any classes in a school because my husband is about to start Bible school and I don't want to be away from my kids. I want this to be a family affair for sure.
My husband also works with a deaf man (he has hearing aides and can hear and speak some, so I guess that would be HoH? His wife is profoundly deaf, as far as I know their 3 young kids are all hearing) and we'd like to be more friendly with them and cultivate a relationship with them.
We've felt like God is calling us to the mission field, but in what way...we aren't sure yet (hence the Bible school). We thought at first that maybe God would take us to a foreign country, so we are also learning spanish (though it's sinking in MUCH more slowly than ASL, even though I took 4 years of it as a kid...and we tried learning Czech too for a while). ASL seems to be coming surprisingly easy to me though (which honestly shocks me), so I'm exploring if this might be the arena God is calling us to. My daughter declared today that maybe God would bless us with a deaf baby (by birth or adoption) someday.
In addition to understanding sentence structure and the nuances that would help us communicate properly and respectfully, we also want to understand the culture.

charliegunk

i have to learn it through my job but i really want to learn it. it is really neat because i talk alot with my hands anyways, but now i can have a better way of communicating with my hands.

Lazarus404

I have CAPD and will soon be learning BSL (British Sign Language) so as to improve communication with my wife and children... Actually, I don't need to sign at all. They do. I just need to be able to interpret it

Nicole d

I want to become a speech pathologist when I'm older and knowing sign language is very helpful. I would research about the deaf culture and I want to know more about it. I take a class in school and i love it

caz12

bsl communicate, when in london use it everyday at deaf club and other people,Now live an area very little for deaf. use with son,daughter, daughterinlaw grandson is bringing up with it

Mimsy

I think it's fine for hearing people to learn ASL just because they think it's cool. I don't think French people get pissed that English speakers learn French for the cool factor, so why would deaf? Learning anything is good.


I'm hearing and I never think about being an outsider just because I'll never fully understand Deaf culture. Deaf are just people, not a clique that wants to remain separate from the world like a cult or something. I love the people here on Alldeaf, but I'd never treat them like they're fragile and thin-skinned. They deserve to be treated just like everyone else, and the smacks upside the head come with the hugs.