From the link:
"
So if it is a Deaf world that exists, is it a Hearing or hearing world that exists? Is there a Hearing culture or a hearing culture? What binds the Hearing culture together? Is it language?
If so, how can HOH truly be part of a Hearing world?"
Interesting! Can a hearing person answer?
<-- (smilie list for "Doh"
)
I am hearing and this is so interesting. It's something that I've never thought of in this particular way. Before taking ASL I saw culture as being from a particular country. My mother's family is Swedish and I liked learining there culture and went to a month long intensive Swedish language program. We were not allowed anything in english, at all!. We ate there food, sang there songs, played there sports and spoke their language. So culture to me was all elements that define a group of people who associated together. This included language.
Now that I have taken ASL I and am in deaf culture right now I find a lot of parallels to what I experienced before. There are customes that are specific to the deaf world and there is a specific language.
I keep trying to visualize the hearing world and what would happen if you took spoken language away. But as i picture it then I see that the customes that would be predominent would be ones that happen in the deaf world. SO maybe it is spoken language that mostly defines the hearing world.
Whether it is Hearing or hearing I do not know as I don't fully understand the distinction of it in Deaf / deaf reference.
But I aslo now that anyone can become part of any other culture or world. Just as I am trying to fit in here at AD and at deaf events or into the Swedish community at camp and in the area. An so I think that you can truley be a part of either world as HoH or deaf or hearing.
I also thick that it's the individual that decideds where they want to be. Just like I hope that I can become part of the deaf world and have friends here and at home. This can happen if that's what I want. So for a HoH person if they want to be a part of the hearing world or the deaf world they can, but they have to want to be a part of those worlds. I know it is probally not that easy as I am hearing and don't have that experience. I just hope that people will acept me for trying and I will do my best to follow the customes of the deaf world and that everyone is tollerant and helps anyone adjust to any culture they chose to be a part of. We should all respect those that try to be a part of something, because they are making the effort to be there and fit in!.
Sorry for the long explination. I hope it makes some sense.
