giving up on asl

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saywhatkid said:
I understand you big time. I am a late-HOH and have no world that accepts me fully. What I have learned is that there are a**holes and idiots in all flavors, be they big, small, short, tall, black, white, deaf, or hearing. Do not stop learning ASL because of these people. Make it your personal mission to overcome these obstacles in spite of them!
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Amen brother!!
 
I was an oralist for a long time until high school...and finally took formal ASL classes in college.

It was not easy but in the end it was all worth it. I only use speech with my family, on a as-needed-basis. Other than that - I use ASL, Signed English, and the old-fashioned pen/paper method. :)

Keep on truckin', dude.
 
Doug5 said:
so deaf people can be just as big of jerks
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I have learnt that there are specific reasons for that too. I have learnt from my experiences and interactions with other deaf people that its mostly culture, cultural rules, an ignorance of how ASL works, etc.. that makes most those deaf people intolerant of some other deaf people.
 
deafbajagal said:
I was an oralist for a long time until high school...and finally took formal ASL classes in college.

It was not easy but in the end it was all worth it. I only use speech with my family, on a as-needed-basis. Other than that - I use ASL, Signed English, and the old-fashioned pen/paper method. :)

Keep on truckin', dude.
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Thanks for the nice words :)
 
You're very welcome. ASL is a wonderful language in its own right.
 
deafbajagal said:
You're very welcome. ASL is a wonderful language in its own right.
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Yes it is, but most deafs, in my experience, do not understand the structure of the language or textbook college level ASL.

I'm tired of being told by other deafs that i'm not signing in ASL or signing correct. I sign a lot in SOV or OV, but those are both still valid and correct ASL signing.
 
Why would they? ASL is not offered as a formal language in many schools through elementary through high school as English is...and that has an impact.

Unless they take formal classes, people who uses ASL will not really understand the linguistical perspective of ASL. They just "do it" since they acquired the language naturally. Also, the issue is compounded by the fact that ASL cannot be in written form...which makes it harder to study from a lingustic point of view.
 
deafbajagal said:
Why would they? ASL is not offered as a formal language in many schools through elementary through high school as English is...and that has an impact.
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Don't know about where you live, but all the high schools and community colleges here teach ASL. Also, In the hearing elementary schools the interpreters help the deaf students learn correct ASL. Its not formal in the hearing elementary schools, but many of the deaf are still being taught correct college level ASL.

Why should they? Because its their language and their world! Furthermore, its a bit insulting to correct another deafs signing when they are actually not signing wrong or incorrect.
 
jasin said:
Don't know about where you live, but all the high schools and community colleges here teach ASL. Also, In the hearing elementary schools the interpreters help the deaf students learn correct ASL. Its not formal in the hearing elementary schools, but many of the deaf are still being taught correct college level ASL.

Why should they? Because its their language! Furthermore, its a bit insulting to correct another deafs signing when they are actually not signing wrong or incorrect.
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these classes are usually designed for the hearing students not deaf students. i had ASL classes in my high school but it never occurred to me, nor was i encouraged to register into the ASL classes since it was already my native language. i learned the asl structure all on my own. so in other words, deaf students are not encouraged to take these classes.
 
missywinks said:
these classes are usually designed for the hearing students not deaf students. i had ASL classes in my high school but it never occurred to me, nor was i encouraged to register into the ASL classes since it was already my native language. i learned the asl structure all on my own. so in other words, deaf students are not encouraged to take these classes.
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That would be a shame cuz I grew up without exposure to ASL so if I was encouraged not to use it because it was assumed I knew it, then I would have been stuck miserable in an oral only environment. Thanks to taking ASL classes, I finally was able to connect with others who are like me. I am sure there are many deaf people out there who are miserable feeling like they dont belong anywhere so it would not be helpful to discourage them from taking ASL classes.
 
Unless they take formal classes, people who uses ASL will not really understand the linguistical perspective of ASL. They just "do it" since they acquired the language naturally. Also, the issue is compounded by the fact that ASL cannot be in written form...which makes it harder to study from a lingustic point of view.
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A person does not need to be a Dr. William C. Stokoe, Jr. to under ASL grammar. ASL grammar is like very, very basic ASL 1 stuff. Its not like anything sophisticated or overly complex.
 
missywinks said:
these classes are usually designed for the hearing students not deaf students. i had ASL classes in my high school but it never occurred to me, nor was i encouraged to register into the ASL classes since it was already my native language. i learned the asl structure all on my own. so in other words, deaf students are not encouraged to take these classes.
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That's why you take up ASL with a deaf teacher :D
 
it is in my opinion that each person with hearing loss has their own journey into the deaf world. some have it easier than others. i have noticed that the deaf community is becoming more and more accepting of hard of hearing, oral and cochlear implant members and welcome them into the deaf community. of course, there are some bad seeds here and there but you should not let them stop you from learning a language that belongs to you as it does to everyone else. those who prevent you, or put you down probably had a bad experience with oppression- please understand, i am not trying to make excuses for them, but keep that in mind and do not take it personal. just nod, and find other members that are more welcoming and accepting of who you are. trust me, there are definitely good people out there!
 
shel90 said:
That would be a shame cuz I grew up without exposure to ASL so if I was encouraged not to use it because it was assumed I knew it, then I would have been stuck miserable in an oral only environment. Thanks to taking ASL classes, I finally was able to connect with others who are like me. I am sure there are many deaf people out there who are miserable feeling like they dont belong anywhere so it would not be helpful to discourage them from taking ASL classes.
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Many deaf here where I live are the same as what you described yourself.
 
missywinks said:
it is in my opinion that each person with hearing loss has their own journey into the deaf world. some have it easier than others. i have noticed that the deaf community is becoming more and more accepting of hard of hearing, oral and cochlear implant members and welcome them into the deaf community. of course, there are some bad seeds here and there but you should not let them stop you from learning a language that belongs to you as it does to everyone else. those who prevent you, or put you down probably had a bad experience with oppression- please understand, i am not trying to make excuses for them, but keep that in mind and do not take it personal. just nod, and find other members that are more welcoming and accepting of who you are. trust me, there are definitely good people out there!
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Where do you live? Because I find the opposite to be true here.
 
deafbajagal said:
Why would they? ASL is not offered as a formal language in many schools through elementary through high school as English is...and that has an impact.

Unless they take formal classes, people who uses ASL will not really understand the linguistical perspective of ASL. They just "do it" since they acquired the language naturally. Also, the issue is compounded by the fact that ASL cannot be in written form...which makes it harder to study from a lingustic point of view.
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Most hearing people don't understand the structure of the English language at that level. I don't see the point.

And you are correct. They acquired the language, and therefore, they internalized the rules and guidelines of its usage intuitively. Just because they can't explain it at the level of a linguist doesn't mean they don't understand the language, its function, and how to use it. In fact, when a linguist wants to study the language, they don't go to someone who has had a couple of college classes...they go to the native users so they get the true structure.
 
jasin said:
A person does not need to be a Dr. William C. Stokoe, Jr. to under ASL grammar. ASL grammar is like very, very basic ASL 1 stuff. Its not like anything sophisticated or overly complex.
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And if you don't understand the complexity of the grammar, and the sophistication of the language, you don't understand ASL at all.
 
shel90 said:
That would be a shame cuz I grew up without exposure to ASL so if I was encouraged not to use it because it was assumed I knew it, then I would have been stuck miserable in an oral only environment. Thanks to taking ASL classes, I finally was able to connect with others who are like me. I am sure there are many deaf people out there who are miserable feeling like they dont belong anywhere so it would not be helpful to discourage them from taking ASL classes.
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yeah i agree. i think deaf kids should be taking asl classes as a requirement. then they can choose later if they want it part of their life or not. this brings us to the greatest irony that asl classes are readily available to hearing students but not to deaf students. this parallels to teaching hearing babies asl but not deaf babies.

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jasin said:
Where do you live? Because I find the opposite to be true here.
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having bad experience with 1 or 2 deaf people do not necessarily mean the whole deaf community won't accept you. i live in canada, but i socialize in many different deaf communities across the country and in usa and it is true in most places. a good example can be found right here...there are many us that are deaf and responding positively to your thread.
 
jasin said:
That's why you take up ASL with a deaf teacher :D
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i don't get your point? I support deaf teachers.

i was just saying that asl classes are not always available to deaf students as they are to hearing students. the classes were set up as a 2nd language option for hearing students to learn. it never occurred to the teacher of the deaf, to encourage their deaf students to take the class because they assume that since they are fluent, it is not worth it for them to take the classes but that is not true. it would have been nice to learn asl structure in a formal setting.
 
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