sign language in Mexico questions...

[Chopchop]

I am not deaf, nor do I know anyone who is deaf, but I am hoping it is okay to ask for some assistance on this forum. I am writing a novel and although it is fiction, I would like for it to be as accurate as possible. The characters in my book adopt a baby who is deaf and they all begin learning sign language. It is kind of a long story, but the child is Latino and will be raised bilingually - learniing both Spanish and English. They move from Mexico to the US with her when she is about a year old.

I would appreciate very much if anyone would be willing to correspond with me to help me by answering some general questions about Mexico/Spanish/Sign Language usage in the United States...ASL vs. International, etc. This part of the story is somewhat limited, so hopefully I won't be taking up too much of your time. Thank you so much!

 

[UpstNYDesigner]

I am not deaf, nor do I know anyone who is deaf, but I am hoping it is okay to ask for some assistance on this forum. I am writing a novel and although it is fiction, I would like for it to be as accurate as possible. The characters in my book adopt a baby who is deaf and they all begin learning sign language. It is kind of a long story, but the child is Latino and will be raised bilingually - learniing both Spanish and English. They move from Mexico to the US with her when she is about a year old.

I would appreciate very much if anyone would be willing to correspond with me to help me by answering some general questions about Mexico/Spanish/Sign Language usage in the United States...ASL vs. International, etc. This part of the story is somewhat limited, so hopefully I won't be taking up too much of your time. Thank you so much!

Hmm, all I can say is that from my experience in knowing and using American Sign Language and Central American Sign Language are not that much difference. I never went to Mexico except for a stopover on the plane to and from San Jose, Costa Rica. But I can tell you that ASL and CASL are not much difference. I said it twice since it is so easy. I learned to sign CASL like in a span of a month long lesson. I picked up pretty quickly.

CASL and ASL are used in Spanish grammar like man store go--Hermano Mercado vamoose. Mucho facil-very easy! However, Mexican signs are different than Central American. Even if you go to a country in Central America, it is different than it's neighbor. Say Nicaragua and Costa Rica. They both are different. Same concept with Mexican Sign Language. Of course, they all are speaking in Spanish but I tell ya, like accents and the speaking and writing language itself differ in each country. Like American English and British English. They both are quite different. For example. We say toilet, they say loo. We say police, they say bobby or Scotland Yard--depends on which level of law enforcement.

Both CASL and ASL have sign concepts that are very similar so for your story, it should be bit easier on the couple but if they are Americans adopting a Mexican Deaf girl, the couple should learn ASL first then teach the child ASL along with, perhaps, a tutor or a teacher who teach signs. Then they should visit Mexico AFTER learning and well skilled in ASL to learn Mexican signs. They should NEVER learn both at same time since it can be confusion for them. Have the baby learn primary language in US and that is English and ASL. Then visit Mexico and associate with Deaf Mexicans for MSL. And get books or videos. I do have two videos I received from Costa Rica prior to my trip there.

Speaking of CASL and ASL, in fact, currently I am more of.. Spanglish signer--that is, I mix both Central American and ASL since I like many sign concepts they have down in Latin America and some concepts we do not have so I threw in the mix and use it in the past 10 years or so. In fact, it has caught on a little bit in my hometown.

Only thing the Deaf disliked is my new invention of letter Z. Its a D but slant down the primary finger as like it was pointing with the middle finger on the thumb.