Hello, I KNOW SIGN LANGUAGE...AAAHHHH!

tegumi said:
:rofl: Can you read Braille!!!! :rofl:
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I'd like to see a blind person know Sign Language. :lol:

Personally, I'd be too shy to demonstrate my little knowledge of signing. I'm very novice at this point, and am taking a couple of courses to help catch me up, but I'm just too afraid I'd be laughed at. :aw:
 
When I was in college and learning sign, a friend and I were in a restaurant signing. (She's an interpreter.) I was practicing by telling her jokes that our teacher (Deaf) had told us. We were laughing and having a great time. Two Deaf people came over to the table, said they were watching us and wondered if they could join us. We said sure, explained that we were hearing and were practicing, and they sat down and we chatted and laughed all evening.

Did they have a "right" to interfere with our dinner and our conversation? Could we have stared blankly at them and told them to buzz off? Sure. But Deaf/Hearing - all people. If you're the kind of person who enjoys the company of other people, and likes to talk to strangers, then you'll welcome those strangers "interfering" in your life. If you don't like it, then you wouldn't like it if they were hearing or Deaf.

As far as saying, "I sign" and then not being able to, well, I guess I've been in a similar situation very recently. I was trying to convey some information to some Deaf people because I thought it was important for them to know, but I wasn't great at conveying it. So I guess I should have kept my fingers shut?
 
I'll just add this as an aside...we "greyhound people" have a subculture as well. If we see someone with greyhound decals, greyhound clothing, or AHHHHH A GREYHOUND, we run to chat with them. We stalk them. We follow them around corners and slip notes under their windshield wipers. We yell, I HAVE ONE TOO! to a perfect stranger.

MOST of these strangers smile and engage in a conversations. Some of them aren't "in" on it! LOL They don't appreciate our enthusiasm for the culture and the subject.

Just drawing a parallel here...we are ALL people with our own eccentricities and personalities. We are drawn to people with similar interests. When you go to a foreign country, you are attracted to people who share your language...however vaguely.

Stereotypes and generalities will fail by definition. If you can't embrace humanity, at least try to tolerate it. It isn't perfect, and it isn't always fun, but it's better than nothing. :)
 
I think there is a difference in someone coming over and interrupting rudely to try to show off their nonexistant signing skills and someone asking politely to join the conversation.
 
cental34 said:
I think there is a difference in someone coming over and interrupting rudely to try to show off their nonexistant signing skills and someone asking politely to join the conversation.
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In one way yes, in that they aren't really capable of sustaining a converstation in the first instance...but I think the intent is the same: to make a social connection based on mutual interest (or, rather, what the interrupter perceives to be a mutual interest.) I think you have to realize that the "I can sign" statement is not intended as a statement as a whole, but as an introduction intended to create a segue into what I'm sure they hope will be an interesting conversation. Not unlike going to someone who has a greyhound and saying, "Hey, I have three at home." Yeah, so? But it's an attempt at breaking the ice. MOst people who learn sign (to whatever degree) do so because they have an interest in Deaf culture...not just because it's a language. So I THINK what people are trying to do in interrupting is to say, Hey, I'm interested in your lifestyle and I'd like to make a connection. Anyway, just another perspective.

THink about what you say to someone you don't know when you try to make conversation for the first time...it's usually something inane. "Are you from around here?" LOL or whatever.

I think it's perfectly natural for people to try to find common ground and common interests. Does it get old? Sure. Are there times when I'd just like to take my dogs for a walk and NOT have someone interrupt me (often when I'm in the middle of a conversation with someone already), or ask me STUPID questions like, Do you feed your dog? Yep. Am I RUDE and MEAN? No. Do I tell them (in ANY language) to fuck off? No. Never. I would never say that to someone except possibly my stupid and mean ex.
 
Hearing World

I am a hearing person in college getting a degree in ASL. I was taught to let Deaf people know that I know ASL, even it is just a little bit. I have asked many Deaf people how they feel about Hearing learning/knowing ASL and they said they are thrilled. The fact the Hearing people are trying to make an effort to learn the language should be ...I just know a lot of Hearing who don't care about Deaf people and the fact the some Hearing people do care and take out the time to learn ASL, even if it is only how to fingerspell their name is a big step. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting any Deaf person to fall to their knees and praise us idiotic Hearing people, for learning something the involves ASL, because it should be a natural thing for all people to know but at least give us a break. When I first started ASL, I was elated to finally talk to a Deaf person because I was nieve to think that they were anything but Human, even superior. I would think that it was a secret code that I knew and only a select knew. I was excited. I still get excited when a Deaf person talks to me, but I know now that Deaf people are PEOPLE. PEOPLE that I love to be around and talk with. :ty:
 
toodty04 said:
I am a hearing person in college getting a degree in ASL. I was taught to let Deaf people know that I know ASL, even it is just a little bit. I have asked many Deaf people how they feel about Hearing learning/knowing ASL and they said they are thrilled. The fact the Hearing people are trying to make an effort to learn the language should be ...I just know a lot of Hearing who don't care about Deaf people and the fact the some Hearing people do care and take out the time to learn ASL, even if it is only how to fingerspell their name is a big step. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting any Deaf person to fall to their knees and praise us idiotic Hearing people, for learning something the involves ASL, because it should be a natural thing for all people to know but at least give us a break. When I first started ASL, I was elated to finally talk to a Deaf person because I was nieve to think that they were anything but Human, even superior. I would think that it was a secret code that I knew and only a select knew. I was excited. I still get excited when a Deaf person talks to me, but I know now that Deaf people are PEOPLE. PEOPLE that I love to be around and talk with. :ty:
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You were not naive - we are superior. :bowlol: (Total joke)

It is great for hearing to learn ASL but I think the thread is about hearing who 1) interrupt and 2) can't understand ASL really. It is funny to me and not mean against hearing who say they know ASL. Many times I have a hearing person say they know ASL. I say "Great!" and ask their name or if they are student or if they take ASL classes and the hearing person doesn't understand at all. They have a face like --> :| or --> :eek2: Even when I go s.l.o.w. No problem really, just a little funny. Usually I have a pen and sometimes I talk to them with pen and paper and always (I think) they say they never use ASL in reality - just learn it online or in books. No bad feelings with the hearing person or me - we just laugh because no communication after the "I know ASL!".

Then I fall on my knees and praise them. ;)
 
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