Hearies attending deaf socials

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Ruthkelna

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Me and my friends are learning ASL and we often attend the deaf socials. I was curious if Deaf people mind that, or if they are open to having us there. Also, sometimes at the socials, I enjoy just watching a conversation between two Deaf people that I'm sitting next to. Is that considered rude just to watch?

Thanks for your help!
 
im HoH and when I see two people asling then I take interest too hehehe however I cant get a finger in wordwise there too fast hahaha
 
Ruthkelna said:
Me and my friends are learning ASL and we often attend the deaf socials. I was curious if Deaf people mind that, or if they are open to having us there. Also, sometimes at the socials, I enjoy just watching a conversation between two Deaf people that I'm sitting next to. Is that considered rude just to watch?
Thanks for your help!
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Let me answer your question with a question: Would you find it rude if someone eavesdropped on your spoken conversation?
 
Jillio said:
Let me answer your question with a question: Would you find it rude if someone eavesdropped on your spoken conversation?
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You beat me to the punch! :)
 
But could it be different if they know I'm just trying to learn their language? But you're right--it's probably not the most polite thing to do
 
I still dont think its rude only if you tried to interrupt but then again different perspective for everyone...i guess
 
Ruthkelna said:
But could it be different if they know I'm just trying to learn their language? But you're right--it's probably not the most polite thing to do
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Learning the language by eavesdropping on conversations is rude. Learning should take place in a situation designed for that. If you truly want to learn the language, converse with the deaf, don't eavesdrop on them. I don't mean to sound harsh, but private conversations are just that...private. It doesn't matter whether they are signed or spoken. Deaf socials are a place for deaf to socialize with each other and chat. They are not for the purpose of allowing others to observe them like animals in a cage.
 
jillio said:
Learning the language by eavesdropping on conversations is rude. Learning should take place in a situation designed for that. If you truly want to learn the language, converse with the deaf, don't eavesdrop on them. I don't mean to sound harsh, but private conversations are just that...private. It doesn't matter whether they are signed or spoken. Deaf socials are a place for deaf to socialize with each other and chat. They are not for the purpose of allowing others to observe them like animals in a cage.
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adding too that a good place to learn would be a school, or maybe a hoh or deaf friend to teach yah if your just watching someone it probably wont teach you hardly anything
 
Hmmmm...interesting! Thanks for your feedback!

Just to clarify, I did take 3 quarters of ASL at college, and i do converse with the people at the socials and I do have Deaf friends. But sometimes my brain just gets so overloaded that I just sit back and watch for awhile. But I'll def. be more careful about that from now on
 
Ruthkelna said:
Hmmmm...interesting! Thanks for your feedback!

Just to clarify, I did take 3 quarters of ASL at college, and i do converse with the people at the socials and I do have Deaf friends. But sometimes my brain just gets so overloaded that I just sit back and watch for awhile. But I'll def. be more careful about that from now on
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Cool. Glad you weren't offended by my comments.
 
jillio said:
"If you truly want to learn the language, converse with the deaf.."
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Don't be afraid to get in there and make a complete and utter fool of yourself. :P I'm speaking from personal experience, here. The good thing about making a mistake is that you're not likely to repeat it. :Oops:

There's your learning right there.
 
society's_child said:
Don't be afraid to get in there and make a complete and utter fool of yourself. :P I'm speaking from personal experience, here. The good thing about making a mistake is that you're not likely to repeat it. :Oops:

There's your learning right there.
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Had the same experience, lol.
 
society's_child said:
I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, but I bet that you can look back and find some humor in it. :giggle:
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Absolutely! At the time, I was embarrassed, and felt totally inept. Gave me a good idea of what the deaf person forced into oral communication goes through on a daily basis, though, so it was a valuable learning experience. And, yes, I laugh about it now.

Immersion not only taught me the language of ASL, it gave me a whole different perspective of deafness. That has been a good thing, no matter how much embarrassment it caused me at the time!:giggle:
 
I still get that totally inept feeling from time to time. Course i've only been learning sign for 2 years now so i'm sure those feelings won't dissapate anytime soon. The key is not to take myself so seriously.
 
society's_child said:
I still get that totally inept feeling from time to time. Course i've only been learning sign for 2 years now so i'm sure those feelings won't dissapate anytime soon. The key is not to take myself so seriously.
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Yeppers....you have the key!
 
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