Ely599

Ok well basically I am hearing and I've been signing for four years now and my bestfriend and I took ASL together in high school. We would sign everywhere we went so we could practice at anytime. One day in Target, we were signing off and on and laughing and talking and this girl came up and said "my dads deaf and he finds it offensive when hearing people sign and they arent helping a deaf person" and it seems odd to me because we want to become interpreters and I'm wondering how anyone is supposed to learn if they cant sign without a deaf person present. My teacher is deaf and he was outraged that someone would get mad about that.
We went to Washington school for the deaf and only the top three people in the class could go and my friend and I were chosen. For three days we participated in a program where we could expand our knowledge and were not able to speak. We were complimented on how well we sign and our use of facial expressions. I don't think a whole school would allow this program of hearing students to be able to come if they found it offensive but I'd like to hear from others. What do you think? Is it offensive if a hearing person signs in public when Deaf arent around?

Deafness

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souggy

I have never found it offensive for ANYONE to sign in public. If hearing people can't sign in public, then may a higher being, if there is one, strike me down for speaking in anything other than Canadian English when I am around hearing people.

Oh, bloody... I hope I don't get struck down. That would be like half of everyday day for the rest of my life!

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kyleb

No, it is not offensive. I feel that your dad finds it offensive because he may have been left out when hearing people don't tell him what is being said. Since ASL is another language, such a justification falls down on itself when you consider the fact that there are relatively few deaf people that know ASL and Deaf culture. It is extremely important that hearing people learn ASL because it also helps them when they need it.

Hutt5asl

I wouldn't think it would be offensive at all! Should we not speak Spanish without a Hispanic person with us? Or speak German without a German person with us? ASL is simply another language. That girl was just silly.

I think most hearing persons are learning ASL because they want to be able to interact with those who are Deaf (and it's such a beautiful language!) If we can't practice it to learn it, how will we ever get better at it? Heck! If I had seen ya, I would've come up to you and tried signing with you! :smile:

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Frisky Feline

I don't find it offensive. I think that's neat for hearing people to sign in public. It's a great exposure for others to see it and get use to it eventually.

Phillips

No Offensive!!

My Bf's hearing parent is practice sign everywhere!! Even At casino too!


You and your friend..

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Bottesini

Ahem! I thought that was illegal????

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Phillips

..

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Babyblue

No I do not find it offensive at all. Actually I would find it exciting to see hearing people signing among each other.

Buffalo

Not at all. You two need all the practice you can get. Go for it!

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JClarke

I thought deaf people who talks are offesnive in the public?

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Bottesini

At least that may be true about me!

But the no signing in casinos is because it is a great way to cheat!

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Cheri

Not at all that I would find it offensive. I would only find it offensive if hearing people mocks at my signs.

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C.C.Sinned

no it's not


i do laugh at the hearing people that mistake the thank you sign is the offensive gesture of bring the hand forward under the chin (f.o.)

Cheri

Oh yeah it's a commonly mistake that hearing people make.

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KarissaMann05

Nope. I don't find that offensive as long as they want to learn or say.

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Babyblue

I heard the same... No hand signals or anything of such.

Oceanblue7

I don't find it offensive to practice and communicate in sign language in public. Your engaging in conversation to sharpin your skills and signs. I agree, with OP its like speaking Spanish, French etc for the better.
I remember, practicing my French where in area there is nothing French to practice with. I think, my neighbors thought I was psycho for speaking French to my cat LOL
Hey, it worked at earned B+ in the class!

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Mrs Bucket

I would rather have the hearing people sign or at least learn to sign and make mistakes because they are learning.

It is better than those hearing people that just stare at us brazenly and know they are staring at us.

Yesterday I was with friends signing and there was an older man just staring at us, half hour passed of him staring at us, I looked at him. Eye to eye contact and signed.. "Hello, deaf you? Sign you? Finish look!" The man was startled and first thing he did was "oh umm umm" he giggled and avoided eye contact and then start to glare left and right.

I encourage people to sign, make mistakes all you want as it is called learning.

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shel90

Of course not...sign away!! It is a free country.

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lvlysangel

I personally can't understand someone saying people who are hearing shouldn't sign unless there are deaf people around. I mean I was learning to sign from my guidance counselor in middle school. My ex best friend and i used to sign everywhere we went. Thats how i met the deaf janitor, shes the sweetest woman I was sad when her and her husband moved with their kids closer to a deaf school. She encouraged my signing(which at the time was mostly finger spelling heh). Its something like that could deterre some young teen trying to learn for a good reason to stop signing. On the flip side the person who said this would complain that not enough hearing people knows his Language and how wrong it is.

Watermelon

That reminds me of when I taught my science teacher in high school how to say "good morning." He was so proud of himself for learning it, that he wanted to share with the rest of my class. He said, "hey! Look at what he taught me to sign... Good morning!" He, of course, bumbled it all up and did the offensive gesture (hand forward under chin... the "f.o."), followed by another offensive gesture (closed fisted hand raising upwards... "up yours", in other words).

[Edit]
Regarding the thread's original question, no, it's not offensive to sign in public. What is offensive, are the ones that mock, point, and make snide comments (making derogatory, negative comments) about signing.

Buffalo

I don't mind if the hearing people want to learn to sign and sign to each other for practicing. One thing I don't like at all is that some hearing kids want to learn JUST the dirty sign language and don't bother to learn the rest of ASL in order to communciate with deaf people.

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Dodge Trucker

Offensive? HA! I, for a fact, would actually encourage hearing folks to continue to learn/practice and to also accept constructive criticism to help further their knowledge. As for the girl and her father...I guess they had/have their own bad experience from whereever that stems from.

If you were in my town..I'd welcome you in open arms and help ya out!!

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inmate23

From JClarke;1385819I thought deaf people who talks are offesnive in the public?

Umm some of us are learning to sign or are out with hearing friends who sign so badly its not worth signing. Or the deaf person we are with thinks its easier to talk to you than sign. Or pro oral parents gets mad when you sign.

Please note I sound like im hearing

Bottesini

He was joking.

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LuciaDisturbed

Ah, tell her to fuck off and that she and her dad are being big babies about this. As long as you are using actual sign language and not mocking the deaf people, I don't find it offensive at all, deaf person present or not. It's great that you and your friend practice at every opportunity possible. Keep it up! You two are on your way to becoming great interpreters!

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DeviantArt

LuciaDisturbed

Yeah, that is why I learned how to voice the words "thank you" properly so that I don't confuse people when I say "thank you" to them for their service when I buy something at a store.

I can't speak much but I learned a few key words to get by in public such as "thank you" and "bathroom?" and that's about it, I think.

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LuciaDisturbed

If it was offensive to sign w/o no deaf people around, that's stupid.

I hardly know any LSM anymore, it was my first language as a child but I got very rusty since I have not seen my Deaf friends from Mexico since I was 8 years old (that's the last time I saw them). Since moving here, I am picking it up again. Many Deafies here use LSM, and do I find it offensive that they use LSM when I don't hardly know any? No. Instead, I ask my friends here to help me relearn my LSM skills. I like to learn different languages anyway.

I am not German at all and I do not speak German, in fact I know none at all but my sister learned German in high school as a foreign language requirement (she chose German, oh well). She speaks fluent German around us and I don't tell her that it's offensive. I don't care. It's great practice for her, especially if she is in the Navy, where they might need German interpreters or stuff for government stuff, or for a future job doing German interpreting. What's wrong with that?

Tell that stupid stuck-up know-it-all girl to beat it and mind her own business.

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Implanted left ear 10/11/06, activated 10/16/06 - Nucleus Freedom

My own CI experience, my views on CI and ASL and Deaf Culture and Society

DeviantArt

ASLGAL

I do not believe it should be offensive to anyone.

My hubs and I have never been chastised by D/deaf for signing in public - BUT - we have been chastised by hearing for signing in public.

For us, the enviroment is key to whether we can speak to eachother comfortably or sign comfortably or a combination of the two.

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