If Deaf never had sign language, would you hearing still want to know us??

[Bebonang]

If we never learn sign language, hearing people will treat us like an animal in zoo! That's what is really happened long time ago before sign language was introduced in 19th century. So your question is really moot and should be grateful that we no longer stay in a locked room 24/7 and act like wild animals.

You got a point there.

But most hearing would try to make the deaf learn to speak and hopefully that the deaf can hear with CI so that the hearing can communicate with the deaf. But when it come to that, it is impossible for some deaf not be able to know how to speak and lipread and trying to hear. They will try to gesture to get across to the hearing person. Yeah, almost pretty much most Deaf get lonely and feel like being locked in their room when they can not communicate with the Deaf community and the hearing world.

This is what happened in the mainstream school where there is no sign language to teach to the deaf students. We get frustrated and unhappy that the school don't care about the needs of the deaf students.

That is why it is very important and a must to have ASL to communicate in the Deaf world. As for hearing, it is great that the hearing people can try to communicate with the Deaf in sign language. Without it, most hearing people have no idea what silence is like. We are not faking it. :roll:

 

[Bebonang]

I would love to still learn about the culture of the Deaf community if there wasn't sign language.

Phfft! You are making all assumption out of this. Geeze.


EDIT: Remember that Deaf Culture is sign language. Without sign language, there will be no Deaf Culture. Get it!!!!!

 

[Bebonang]

There are a lot of deaf ferrets and cats that have no language skills, but we love them the same.

On a more serious note, I would suggest that if someone wants to learn ASL to find ASL clubs or maybe similar interest. What if I found someone who liked Jeep just like me? They want to learn ASL not because ASL is hip and flashy, but rather to share interest in Jeep with me.

What about communication? ASL is to the communication so that you can understand better than lipreading. Do you have to repeat again and again to be able to understand what the hearing person say? Hearing people don't understand that ASL is communication and that they think that ASL is something very beautiful and flowing language and don't think it is a language for us Deaf people to communicate. So come on, dereksbicycles. Are you deaf or hard of hearing? Eh????

 

[Mimsy]

I think the attraction is the language of ASL. Why else would someone say "I love the Deaf"?? Are Deaf more special to be loved than any other kind of people? I don't think so. The ASL makes Deaf culture interesting.

I am hearing, I am not an ASL student, I don't love Deaf more than any other culture and this is only my opinion. I found AD by accident on the internet and I like the posters here, not because you are deaf.

 

[Kat01]

If we never learn sign language, hearing people will treat us like an animal in zoo! That's what is really happened long time ago before sign language was introduced in 19th century. So your question is really moot and should be grateful that we no longer stay in a locked room 24/7 and act like wild animals.

Not always true. You seem to associate that all hearing people are bad. I'm deaf - profoundly deaf since birth. I find some of the responses to this thread to be horrible. Some things have changed since the 1800s. :roll:

My parents have the attitude that all hearing people are bad and etc. They would automatically say, "No, hearing people would treat us like animals."

As for me, I would feel lost without ASL. I wouldn't be able to keep up many people. However, I do know some hearing people who are considerate and try to be my friend even when they ask me to teach them sign.

At times I think the increase in learning ASL though is because of the show Switched at Birth and people wanting to learn a new language - whether hearing or deaf.

 

[diehardbiker]

Please re-read again, what year is 19th century? And what is it like before that? Please read carefully before you bark at the other tree..

Not always true. You seem to associate that all hearing people are bad. I'm deaf - profoundly deaf since birth. I find some of the responses to this thread to be horrible. Some things have changed since the 1800s. :roll:

My parents have the attitude that all hearing people are bad and etc. They would automatically say, "No, hearing people would treat us like animals."

As for me, I would feel lost without ASL. I wouldn't be able to keep up many people. However, I do know some hearing people who are considerate and try to be my friend even when they ask me to teach them sign.

At times I think the increase in learning ASL though is because of the show Switched at Birth and people wanting to learn a new language - whether hearing or deaf.

 

[Bebonang]

Not always true. You seem to associate that all hearing people are bad. I'm deaf - profoundly deaf since birth. I find some of the responses to this thread to be horrible. Some things have changed since the 1800s. :roll:

My parents have the attitude that all hearing people are bad and etc. They would automatically say, "No, hearing people would treat us like animals."

As for me, I would feel lost without ASL. I wouldn't be able to keep up many people. However, I do know some hearing people who are considerate and try to be my friend even when they ask me to teach them sign.

At times I think the increase in learning ASL though is because of the show Switched at Birth and people wanting to learn a new language - whether hearing or deaf.

Okay, that not all hearing people are bad but still they are not very considerate of us at all. They ignored us when we had made plea to them that we want to use sign language so that it would be more easier to understand than trying to go through the oral only method.

Early 19th Century, Alexander Graham Bell is the one who was pushing us to go the oral method route. He made us very separate not being with other Deaf people and to be in the Deaf community. That would made the deaf child very lonely and disconnected from the world where there is not much communication. Alexander Graham Bell does not understand or not get it if we tried to tell him that we are totally deaf. Funny thing is that he married a deaf wife and we will never know what is going on in his household. He forbidden us, d/Deafies, not to have deaf children. That was his most fearful concern. He was almost just like Hilter who wanted every child to be perfect. No one was or is perfect. But we were made to suffered going through with the mainstream schools or some deaf schools where there are oral only program. Other Deaf schools have sign language which the Deaf students were lucky to sign. But still many hearing people would like to see us talk and lipread and just use a miracle devices that would make us hear like the hearing person. A lot of time devices are not that excellent and they still don't understand why we have problems with speech or trying to understand in the classrooms. Now we have many deaf children who have CIs going to the deaf schools because they have lots of problem in the mainstream school (oral only program). They were frustrated just like I was when I was young.

They make it harder for us to be in the hearing society when we are adult finding jobs but required us to lipread and to fend ourselves without an ASL interpreters or told us that we have to use the phone instead of the vp or tty/tdd. We need accommodations so that we can function better on the job. But no, they ignore us no matter what. We were very unhappy about them not respecting us as deaf people or hard of hearing people. That is why we want to be in the Deaf world more than in the hearing world. Do you understand what I am getting at?

 

[rockin'robin]

Would like to pit in a "few cents" here...One of my neighbors...She had badgered me for months to attend her Church...I asked her if her Church had an intrepretor...she replied she was "not sure", but would find out....

A few days later, she came over, saying there was a woman who knew sign language and would I attend Church with her on Wednesday night? So...I finally agreed to do so....We got to the Church, sat down, waiting for the services to start...I again asked her about the Intrepretor....she took me over to a Lady, and the Lady said..."Oh, I don't know ASL that well...just a friend of mine is deaf, so I would not be able to intrepret for you"....My friend then got a litle "mad"...then she started taking me around to people she knew or were her friends at the Church...all the time saying..."She is deaf but works on the Computer"...one Lady said...Hello! and I replied "nice to meet you"...she replied..."Oh, you speak so well!".... I began to feel as if I was a "retard" on display!...

We sat down and the services started....I sat there for almost 2 hours :roll:...getting madder by the minute!...So I wrote down to my neighbor that I didn't understand a thing that was being said!...And I had told her that I was profound deaf and felt it was no use to attend her Church if there were no Intrepretors....She replied..."Well, do you want to leave?"...then saying..."There is Victory in Jesus!"...

I felt she was about to "lay hands on my ears"....:roll:...so I got up to leave...she followed me to the hallway...writing furiously on her paper..."You don't want to atend our Church!...then you better leave!"....

I did leave....and as for that Neighbor...she can kiss my arse!....

 

[BecLak]

Wirelessly posted

Would like to pit in a "few cents" here...One of my neighbors...She had badgered me for months to attend her Church...I asked her if her Church had an intrepretor...she replied she was "not sure", but would find out....

A few days later, she came over, saying there was a woman who knew sign language and would I attend Church with her on Wednesday night? So...I finally agreed to do so....We got to the Church, sat down, waiting for the services to start...I again asked her about the Intrepretor....she took me over to a Lady, and the Lady said..."Oh, I don't know ASL that well...just a friend of mine is deaf, so I would not be able to intrepret for you"....My friend then got a litle "mad"...then she started taking me around to people she knew or were her friends at the Church...all the time saying..."She is deaf but works on the Computer"...one Lady said...Hello! and I replied "nice to meet you"...she replied..."Oh, you speak so well!".... I began to feel as if I was a "retard" on display!...

We sat down and the services started....I sat there for almost 2 hours :roll:...getting madder by the minute!...So I wrote down to my neighbor that I didn't understand a thing that was being said!...And I had told her that I was profound deaf and felt it was no use to attend her Church if there were no Intrepretors....She replied..."Well, do you want to leave?"...then saying..."There is Victory in Jesus!"...

I felt she was about to "lay hands on my ears"....:roll:...so I got up to leave...she followed me to the hallway...writing furiously on her paper..."You don't want to atend our Church!...then you better leave!"....

I did leave....and as for that Neighbor...she can kiss my arse!....

I am saddened that your neighbor would do such a thing to you! That just isn't right

 

[needsleep]

I don't care if the person is hearing, deaf, black, white or purple. I'm friends with people because I like *them*, not because they use a specific language or not. I *do* love ASL, don't get me wrong, but it's the PERSON I am most interested in, you know what I mean?

So, for me, yes. Yes, I would still want to have some sort of a relationship (friends or whatever) with a Deaf person even without ASL. A true friend is worth writing a gazillion notes back and forth or whatever needs to be done. (Not all of us hearing people are jerks, I promise!)

 

[Bebonang]

I don't care if the person is hearing, deaf, black, white or purple. I'm friends with people because I like *them*, not because they use a specific language or not. I *do* love ASL, don't get me wrong, but it's the PERSON I am most interested in, you know what I mean?

So, for me, yes. Yes, I would still want to have some sort of a relationship (friends or whatever) with a Deaf person even without ASL. A true friend is worth writing a gazillion notes back and forth or whatever needs to be done. (Not all of us hearing people are jerks, I promise!)

Be careful of what you are saying just because you are hearing. You don't know how we have struggled in the hearing world. You and the hearing society always expect us to lipread (not exactly true as it is not 100% accurate). We had tried many times writing down on papers to communicate. A lot of time we see them not want to write down to communicate with us, but prefer to have us speak and lipread. There is a lot of frustration on trying to make out what the hearing person said. You have never had the experience of being deaf or hard of hearing. Just accept the d/Deaf person or d/Deaf people as they are. Never try to change them when you want them to be like you.

When a person fall in love with someone who is signing ASL and was in a fanatsy (dream world) wanting to make that person change to get what you want him or her to be like you. He or she will never change because that would be impossible to become and expect that person to be hearing just like you. I guess that is why we get upset about it all. Most hearing people do not get it when we tried to explain to them in our Deaf world. They do not believe us at all or don't want to believe us. They want us to be in their hearing world more than the Deaf world and that make us suffer the most (both childhood and adulthood).

 

[needsleep]

Be careful of what you are saying just because you are hearing. You don't know how we have struggled in the hearing world. You and the hearing society always expect us to lipread (not exactly true as it is not 100% accurate). We had tried many times writing down on papers to communicate. A lot of time we see them not want to write down to communicate with us, but prefer to have us speak and lipread. There is a lot of frustration on trying to make out what the hearing person said. You have never had the experience of being deaf or hard of hearing. Just accept the d/Deaf person or d/Deaf people as they are. Never try to change them when you want them to be like you.

When a person fall in love with someone who is signing ASL and was in a fanatsy (dream world) wanting to make that person change to get what you want him or her to be like you. He or she will never change because that would be impossible to become and expect that person to be hearing just like you. I guess that is why we get upset about it all. Most hearing people do not get it when we tried to explain to them in our Deaf world. They do not believe us at all or don't want to believe us. They want us to be in their hearing world more than the Deaf world and that make us suffer the most (both childhood and adulthood).

You're right. I don't know from experience so far in my life as far as being deaf goes and I'm only just beginning to have issues hearing in crowded/noisy places but it's still a fairly new thing for me (tinnitus getting worse/just not hearing as well as I used to for whatever reason. You're right about it being frustrating though!!). The way the majority of the hearing world treats the d/Deaf people out there disgusts me too though. I'm appalled buy the lack of respect and compassion going on from the hearing side of things. Trying to change a person like that is just plain wrong. And for someone to just decide to not believe you because they just don't feel like it/haven't gone through it themselves/can't be bothered is so disrespectful and flat-out RUDE. Honestly, I don't blame any of you here for the way you feel towards the hearing people out there. I know I'd probably (will probably?) feel the same way. I'm sorry if I offended you in my post.

 

[TXgolfer]

Be careful of what you are saying just because you are hearing. You don't know how we have struggled in the hearing world. You and the hearing society always expect us to lipread (not exactly true as it is not 100% accurate). We had tried many times writing down on papers to communicate. A lot of time we see them not want to write down to communicate with us, but prefer to have us speak and lipread. There is a lot of frustration on trying to make out what the hearing person said. You have never had the experience of being deaf or hard of hearing. Just accept the d/Deaf person or d/Deaf people as they are. Never try to change them when you want them to be like you.

When a person fall in love with someone who is signing ASL and was in a fanatsy (dream world) wanting to make that person change to get what you want him or her to be like you. He or she will never change because that would be impossible to become and expect that person to be hearing just like you. I guess that is why we get upset about it all. Most hearing people do not get it when we tried to explain to them in our Deaf world. They do not believe us at all or don't want to believe us. They want us to be in their hearing world more than the Deaf world and that make us suffer the most (both childhood and adulthood).

Apparently the world has changed or people I meet are much nicer than people you meet. I have never, never met someone that wasn't willing to use pen and paper.

My last flight to Hawaii I packed my hearing aid because I didn't want to mess with it plus I had a lot of writing to do. I ended up chatting the entire 6 hour flight with people typing on their iPad to me. Ended up making a great friend. Maybe it is all about attitude... I am usually pretty nice and people are generally nice to main return.

 

[Bottesini]

Apparently the world has changed or people I meet are much nicer than people you meet. I have never, never met someone that wasn't willing to use pen and paper.

My last flight to Hawaii I packed my hearing aid because I didn't want to mess with it plus I had a lot of writing to do. I ended up chatting the entire 6 hour flight with people typing on their iPad to me. Ended up making a great friend. Maybe it is all about attitude... I am usually pretty nice and people are generally nice to main return.

Really? You think the world might be different for a late deafened, privileged white male.

Meeting people while traveling the world? Writing on your iPad??

Yes, that is a little different from my experience too.

But I bet it is nice. Stop and buy me a lobster if you are ever in Iowa.

 

[TXgolfer]

Really? You think the world might be different for a late deafened, privileged white male.

Meeting people while traveling the world? Writing on your iPad??

Yes, that is a little different from my experience too.

But I bet it is nice. Stop and buy me a lobster if you are ever in Iowa.

The have lobster in Iowa?

Actually, I doubt my race has anything to do with it. I am nice to people and it doesn't bother me that people ask a lot of questions about deafness when they meet me....I have had many pen and paper convos at softball parks too.

 

[Bottesini]

The have lobster in Iowa?

Actually, I doubt my race has anything to do with it. I am nice to people and it doesn't bother me that people ask a lot of questions about deafness when they meet me....I have had many pen and paper convos at softball parks too.

Yes we do! And I will enjoy typing to you on your iPad also...

You could shadow me for a week and see how our lives differ.

 

[TXgolfer]

Yes we do! And I will enjoy typing to you on your iPad also...

You could shadow me for a week and see how our lives differ.

That's the thing though.....and I am not saying this to be rude...But I am very outgoing and have I very positive attitude so that makes things easier (I think) where as you have said here many times that you are uncomfortable in social situations and you avoid them, and there are a lot of people like that. But people pick up on these things and I think that is why they would react differently to us.

 

[Mouse2369]

Wow... as a (hearing) newbie to this site, I think I have pick the wrong thread to read first. I have been interested in ASL for most of my life (since I was 8yr) and want more than anything to be an interpreter, especially at my church as we do not anyone to sign during our services. God has laid it on my heart that it was time to "get serious" about my signing so I can communicate His love with others. I know that the Deaf culture has not had it easy and am dismayed by how they (you) have been treated in the past. I do not agree with forcing the Deaf to speak or telling them not to sign as was the practice years ago. There is nothing wrong with signing, it is a language use to communicate. If I went to Germany and wanted to befriend the Germans (or any other country) I would be expected to learn their language, not force mine on them and make them learn my language. I feel the same about the Deaf. If I want to befriend the Deaf (and I do), I am willing to learn the language. I hope not all the Deaf on this site share the same negativity that I have read in this thread, it is disheartening. I joined this site to better understand the Deaf culture and maybe even make a few friends. My stay may be short lived. I am sorry to see the stereo typing of hearing portrayed here.

 

[Bottesini]

That's the thing though.....and I am not saying this to be rude...But I am very outgoing and have I very positive attitude so that makes things easier (I think) where as you have said here many times that you are uncomfortable in social situations and you avoid them, and there are a lot of people like that. But people pick up on these things and I think that is why they would react differently to us.

It's ok. But it kind of supports my point. My whole background and beginning, does not predispose me to be confident and outgoing.

And that is a big difference between your start in life and a lot of the rest of us.

 

[TXgolfer]

It's ok. But it kind of supports my point. My whole background and beginning, does not predispose me to be confident and outgoing.

And that is a big difference between your start in life and a lot of the rest of us.

I know some people that were born deaf who are very social and outgoing.....I don't think the source of the differences is the level of deafness or when it was acquired. I think the difference is the result of all of our experiences. Just like everyone.