ASL student attending Deaf event

Lipreading is inaccurate. You are going to this event as a class assignment. If it is a Deaf event, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

There is nothing to argue here. The spirit of the assignment is for the students to mingle, practice sign, and not huddle in a group away from deaf.
 
I fully understand that speechreading is not 100 percent and it is very difficult. Again the OP stated only using spoken language when there were no deaf folks involved in the conversation. I don't see why that would be a problem.
 
rockdrummer said:
I fully understand that speechreading is not 100 percent and it is very difficult. Again the OP stated only using spoken language when there were no deaf folks involved in the conversation. I don't see why that would be a problem.
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Because they are wasting time they could be learning skills.
 
TwentyBucks said:
Hello, I am a hearing ASL student, and as part of my ASL course, I am required to attend "Deaf Culture" events. Tonight is my first event and I think that the only hearing people there are going to be me and my fellow students.

I have one simple question. If I am talking to a hearing person at this event, is it okay to use voice? Like if there are no Deaf people involved in our conversation, would it be okay to voice some things with some of my classmates?

I am asking this because I really think it is going to be an overwhelming experience and I'd like to be able to talk to one of my classmates and say "Are you having a hard time communicating? Cause I sure am"
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rockdrummer said:
right but it's not about that. I would say to sign to keep up your ASL skills but that is not what I percieve the comment to be about.
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I perceive what the student wants to say as rude and talking behind the backs of others.

Do they want to learn ASL or not?
 
rockdrummer said:
Why is it rude when there are no deaf people involved in the conversation?
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Because... they are at a Deaf-majority event. They don't have full access to spoken languages.

You can sign in BSL, or AUSLAN or whatever you want at an ASL event to your friends. Why? They can still see what is going on, even though they don't understand it.

SEE is a bit tricky because it became symbolic of oralism.
 
TwentyBucks said:
Okay thanks, I guess I will try to avoid speaking :(

I think it is unfair though because I go to school at a large university and there are people from all over the world here, speaking their native languages amongst eachother. If there was a large event hosted by native English speakers I wouldn't expect the Japanese students to speak Engligh to eachother in their private conversations.

Oh well I guess it will probably just help me learn faster anyway. Thanks guys.

Edit: Oh and if I am signing WHILE I speak to a hearing classmate, is it appropriate to use SEE or do I need to sign ASL and speak English? Thanks a lot!
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I heard that most foreign language class do not allow people speak in English anyhow. They have to speak as much foreign lanuage as they can. ASL class should do the same.
 
A deaf event... yeah, I think you should sign. This is their time to feel equal. When hearing people are with other hearing, they can hear the beautiful group of people chattering in their language (think Cafe'). Deaf people are not nosy, it is just nice to do what hearing people do when they are around other hearing people. It gives deaf people an experience to what what it is like for people to socialize with each other . Hearing people watch people and even overhears other people's conversation everyday. It's all part of socializing and being aware of their surrounding.

When there are bunch of hearing at a deaf event speaking in Spoken language, deaf people are going to feel left out as always. They already feel that way everyday (and if hearing people can't understand sign language, then you know what it is like to be deaf around hearing people).

unless you mean this deaf events is for hearing people only. Then I think it is the most offensive deaf events I ever heard.

Like someone wrote, if it is really necessary to use spoken language, then take it outside. Because imagine majority of hearing people doing that at deaf events, it wouldn't be a deaf event at all.
 
Lighthouse77 said it the best.

Even though deaf people might not be part of conversation, it doesn't mean they can't overhear or watch the conversation going on.

And I am pretty sure it's rude because it's deaf culture or something. At least I was taught it was rude not to signing in front of other deaf person whether that deaf person is listening or not.
 
Bottesini said:
Lipreading is inaccurate. You are going to this event as a class assignment. If it is a Deaf event, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

There is nothing to argue here. The spirit of the assignment is for the students to mingle, practice sign, and not huddle in a group away from deaf.
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:gpost: I agree. In fact, a previous teacher of mine required us all to go out to dinner wearing earplugs. It was our entire ASL class, plus our teacher, her hearing kids, and a friend of theirs. Signing only, absolutely no talking. You will have a better appreciation of ASL if you were to sign only. Your communication problems, if you have to write a paper about it, should be documented.

For instance, "I didn't know the sign for this _________. So I had to fingerspell the word/gesture-pantomime/ etc." Ask for the sign if you don't know it. I LOVE finding out new signs like last week, I said, "What's the sign for 'on purpose'?" My friend showed me and because I had to ask, I remember it better.

Come to your event with an open mind, as a learning experience and a chance to talk to people from a different background than yours. But most of all, HAVE FUN :)
 
Thanks for all of the opinionated discussion here. I really hope that people aren't upset by me asking this or anything.

I just got home from the Deaf event and let me just say that I found the answer to my question: as soon as I walked through the doors and approached the event room, there was a big sign that said "Voices off, please! =)"

I had a lot of fun and it was not as difficult as I had worried. I think that the native ASL users used more basic signs while they were chatting with the students, similar to how I would speak slower and more clearly if I was talking to someone learning English.

There were some storytelling performances by Deaf people and even though I didnt really understand all of it, the experience was definitely worthwhile to shut off my voice.
 
TwentyBucks said:
Thanks for all of the opinionated discussion here. I really hope that people aren't upset by me asking this or anything.

I just got home from the Deaf event and let me just say that I found the answer to my question: as soon as I walked through the doors and approached the event room, there was a big sign that said "Voices off, please! =)"

I had a lot of fun and it was not as difficult as I had worried. I think that the native ASL users used more basic signs while they were chatting with the students, similar to how I would speak slower and more clearly if I was talking to someone learning English.

There were some storytelling performances by Deaf people and even though I didnt really understand all of it, the experience was definitely worthwhile to shut off my voice.
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Good! Don't worry about our opinionated discussion here. This was very civilized behavior for us. :P
 
TwentyBucks said:
Perhaps the issue is not about using different languages, but using a language that the other people are missing out on because of their "disability". So it doesn't seem rude when Deaf use ASL amongst the hearing because they can still see the ASL clearly and even someone with no ASL background might stand a chance at understanding some classifiers.

But when speaking around deaf people, it is rude because you are using sound which they can't hear? Maybe a better analogy would be people using ASL in a room full of blind people? The blind might be able to hear people moving their arms around, but they stand little to no chance of understanding what is actually being signed.
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You got it!!! BRAVO!!! :cheers:
 
rockdrummer said:
What is rude is to refer to deafness as a disability. At least that is what I have been told. I don't agree that someone that has no signing will be able to follow a conversation of a fluent signer. And spoken language is accessible to deaf folks that can speechread.
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I am sorry but you have to be kidding me! Spoken language is not fully accessible to deaf people who speechread. I grew up with so much frustration trying to keep up with stimilatenous conversations in a social setting with hearing people. It is virtually impossible to get the same access to spoken language like hearing people do with speechreading alone especially at a social event.

That's why I prefer social events where ASL is the primary language whether the people areI deaf or hearing because I have the opportunity see and UNDERSTAND conversations happening around me that I dont get in a non-signing environment. That's why most deaf people prefer to go to Deaf socials than hearing socials. Everyone is at an equal playing field.
 
Bottesini said:
Lipreading is inaccurate. You are going to this event as a class assignment. If it is a Deaf event, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

There is nothing to argue here. The spirit of the assignment is for the students to mingle, practice sign, and not huddle in a group away from deaf.
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I agree with Bottesini here. I myself am still in the beginning stages of learning ASL and try to lipread. Even after trying for the last 25-30 years, I can still only get 1 out of every 4 words. I have to piece together conversations and a long-winded preacher is really tough to deal with.

When I went to my local deaf social, they told me that since I didn't know enough ASL, yes I could speak but would prefer me to use paper and pen. Most people in my group cannot lipread. I was also told to sign as a speak until I no longer need to speak at the social, then graduate to ASL structure. At our social, I was taken around by a person who was assigned as a guide for newcomers and introduced to each group of signers. After a while (10-20 minutes) we moved to another group. I met with about 40 people and had a ball and learned a lot.
 
In the end, you would be turning off your voice but your mouth is still moving like you're talking while signing at the same time and it helps with us to understand each other in the communication world ;)
 
I am new hoh, re-learning ASL, after forgetting so much from some years back when I worked w/Deaf kids and adults. Am getting involved in d/Deaf community here. My opinion- at Deaf social, sign, bring paper and pen, if voice-off, try your best and go voice-off; if sim-com allowed, fine. But also realize that actual speech and sign together not really ASL. Remember that purpose of social is DEAF social. Deaf people deal with hearing people all the time, hearing people may or not deal with any d/Deaf people at all. Think about from a "non-majority" perspective-
 
TwentyBucks said:
Thanks for all of the opinionated discussion here. I really hope that people aren't upset by me asking this or anything.

I just got home from the Deaf event and let me just say that I found the answer to my question: as soon as I walked through the doors and approached the event room, there was a big sign that said "Voices off, please! =)"

I had a lot of fun and it was not as difficult as I had worried. I think that the native ASL users used more basic signs while they were chatting with the students, similar to how I would speak slower and more clearly if I was talking to someone learning English.

There were some storytelling performances by Deaf people and even though I didnt really understand all of it, the experience was definitely worthwhile to shut off my voice.
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Congratulations you made it. Glad you had fun. I didn't have my opinions here since everyone had good advices. I personally prefer to see anyone to sign and I sign in the deaf socials. I didn't care if anyone uses voice and sign at the same time, as long as they do sign then it is all good.
 
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