Got questions you’ve always wanted to ask a deaf person? Curious about the differences between the three main forms of (American) sign language? Curious about language development in deaf children and various education strategies?
Of course, there are no limits to what you can ask, so fire away. What’s been bugging you?
(1) I hadn’t realised there were three forms of American sign language, so explain away (I already know that the main form is derived from French sign language, and not closely related to British or Australian sign language.
(2) Do you prefer being called “deaf”, “hearing-impaired”, or something else?
(1) You are correct, what is known as American Sign Language (ASL) got its roots out of a collaboration between Thomas Gallaudet, an hearing American, and Laurent Clerc, a deaf Frenchman. Many deaf people will strenuously object to this, but Gallaudet and Clerc created a language which closely followed the rules of English grammar, with all the requisite verb endings and prepositions, called “old signed English.”
The descendant of this particular form of sign language (Signed Exact English, or SEE) is used mostly in educational settings. It is what I was taught as a child by my educator mother.
American Sign Language, on the other hand, is less of a strict interpretation of written and spoken English than it is an expression of concepts. In ASL, there are no expression of articles, prepositions, or conjunctions. “I am going to the store” becomes “I go store I.” Gallaudet’s students, prior to him exposing them to Old Signed English, already possessed a natural form of sign language, which forms the fundamentals for the modern-day ASL.
Pidgin Signed English, as the word “pidgin” implies, combines the two previous forms. It is best summarized by saying “ASL signs in English order.” This is the form of sign language that I use predominately.
(2) Calling me hearing impaired would be technically incorrect, since it implies poor function. I have no hearing whatsoever; consequently, to call me deaf would be appropriate.
Thank you for offering to answer questions.
I am curious about how persons deaf from birth perceive their ‘inner monologue’. When I think, I perceive my thoughts as a voice- as though they were being spoken aloud. Likewise, when I read, my brain seems to convert the image of the words into the sound of the words, which I then process. How does a congenitally deaf person perceive their thoughts - as a series of images? Is the image of a word on a page enough for comprehension and association, or is it tied to some other sense or combination of senses? I would suspect that if one was fluent in some form of sign language, that thoughts could be ‘seen’ as a series of signs - but what about folks who are not signers?
Again, I appreciate your willingness to help us gain a better understanding of deafness.
This should be an informative thread!
Wasafiri, were you born deaf? Is “hearing” something you understand but can’t do (like say gymnastics), or is it a very foreign concept to you (like say tasting colors)?
Do you have any opinions regarding teaching modified “baby” ASL to hearing infants? My daughter may be hearing impaired (left ear only, right ear is fine) but we were thinking it might be fun to learn to sign together anyway. Do you find this offensive for any reason, or would you get a chuckle of seeing more little 'uns running around in the park signing “dog!”?
Do you speak orally at all? If so, how did you learn to do that? Were your parents deaf?
What’s the spoken language development like for a hearing child born to deaf parents? Delayed, as I would assume?
Thanks for the thread.
I can’t speak broadly, since how deaf people perceive their inner monologue is most certainly influenced by the age at which they became deaf.
I became deaf at approximately 30 months, so I had substantial exposure to spoken English, but I have no concept of sound, and it follows that I have no concept of what words sound like. When I think, I’m usually either (1) mouthing words or (2) reading words. Think of it like television captions in your head.
For me, the image of a word on a page is certainly enough for association.
For those who were born deaf, and learned ASL as their first language, they almost always think in Sign. For those who were born deaf, learned English, but never learned sign, their inner monologue is probably similiar to mine.
Does that help? Let me know if I can clarify.
jsgoddess–I became deaf at 30 months.
“Hearing” is not a foreign concept to me. It’s not like tasting colors, but there is difficulty in, for example, understanding that EVERYTHING makes noise. I recently got a cochlear implant at age 23, and the experience of “hearing” did not come as a complete surprise to me. However, I’m still trying to figure out where all these godforsaken noises come from… ;j
Nitpick about SEE, I don’t beleive it can be regarded as a direct descendant of “old american sign”. Rather it is a modification of ASL, invented fairly recently (in the 70s IIRC). SEE is pretty much the same as ASL, except in english word order, using affix signs to convey english grammar, and modified ASL signs to convey exact english synonyms (there is no ASL sign for “huge” for example, SEE would take the ASL sign for “big” but with an “H” handshape.
I’m not deaf, but I’ve never heard of anyone being offended by anyone learning sign. What might Deaf people is teaching non-ASL sign…but for baby signs there really is no differnece between ASL and SEE
BTW, I’m not deaf, but I have a deaf nephew, my brother is a teacher of deaf elementary school kids and my sister-in-law is an interpreter.
I think it’s a great idea. Children can grasp the concept of a gesture much earlier than they can figure out to say words. Teaching rudimentary signs–“milk,” “food,” “dog,” and so forth gives the child a way to express themselves.
It is not offensive at all. In fact, I encourage it.
I could speak orally before I went deaf, and still can, but after 20+ years of being deaf, you tend to forget how to say things. Pronunciation gets lazier. It is hard for people to understand me unless they’re aware of where I’m lazy in my pronunciation. That said, I’ve been getting better lately, with people correcting my laziness.
Yes, the hearing child’s spoken language development will be delayed unless they’re exposed to hearing people.
Are there really deaf people who are against anybody getting cochlear implants? Think I saw it on Law & Order or something. I know its a stupid source but you know ripped from the headlines and all.
Yes, you are exactly right in saying that SEE follows the rules of English grammar, with all the requisite verb endings and prepositions. SEE has signs for gerunds, and the word “the” for instance, where ASL has no use for such English language components.
But this is not a recent invention. Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc modified “old signed French” into “old signed English” to do precisely this. Gallaudet and Clerc invented “affix signs,” as you put it, so that it was possible to faithfully render the English language through signs.
There are, yes, because some deaf people are very partial to their culture and see any attempt at regaining hearing as a repudiation of their culture. However, I have not met anyone at Gallaudet University (I live in DC) who has gotten upset over my cochlear implant.
Are there equivalents of interpreters in sign language? Let’s say the that Bush was deaf and could sign only in ASL. And Putin was deaf and could sign only in Russian Sign Language. Are there people who can view signing done in one language and then translate it into sign language for another? Then Bush would have a guy read Putin’s signings and translate it into ASL for him to understand, and vice versa.
Yes.
I can’t quite figure these two statements out. You have a concept of “hearing” without having a concept of “sound”? Could you elaborate on that?
That makes sense. In fact, I know a hearing couple who are teaching their hearing infant some ASL—I think because one of the kids in her daycare is deaf. She isn’t talking yet, but can get some basic concepts across with signs. It really seems to cut down on the frustration of the stage where the kid wants to communicate but hasn’t got the hang of talking.
My question: Is it impolite to “eavesdrop” on the signed conversation of deaf people in a public place? Does it make a difference if you know the language or not? I sometimes enjoy unobtrusively listening to the conversations of strangers on buses, for example, especially if they’re in a language I don’t know and I can try to guess what it is or what some of the words mean.
But when eavesdropping on spoken language, it’s easy to pretend that I’m not doing it. (As Miss Manners says, eavesdropping is one of those etiquette violations that’s rude if you’re caught but okay if you get away with it.) Watching signed language, though (which I don’t understand, btw), is much harder to disguise. Am I being rude to deaf people if I watch their conversations? I have a feeling that the answer is “yes”, so how about if I just casually glance their way now and then?
Yes.
I have a concept of hearing because, for some reason, I was able to imagine what hearing would “feel” like. This is perhaps a result of my being able to hear for the first 30 months of my life.
I do not have a concept of sound, however, because the rudimentary hearing that my cochlear implant allows does not convey the subtleties of sound. For me, it’s just a series of patterns. I can’t grasp the concept of “richness of sound–” that is, what people talk about when they say they’d much rather lose their eyesight than their hearing because it’s “such a beautiful experience.” To me, it’s just a series of patterns.
Casually glancing their way now and again is expected and natural, especially since sign language is so out of the ordinary for most people. When you do know sign language and you watch the conversation, amongst many culturally-Deaf people it would be considered extremely rude to not inform them that you’re capable of understanding their conversation.
That is up for debate with a lot of people with the caveat that, hey … you’re signing in a public place, what you have to say is public domain. If someone watches you talk about your hot night last night and understands it, that’s too bad.
But I was taught when learning ASL and “Deaf Culture” etiquette that as soon as I was fluent enough to understand what was being said, it was my duty to inform the people that I could understand what they’re saying so that they have the chance to modify their conversations accordingly.
That said, I do not inform every signing person that I know sign language just as I don’t inform every speaking/hearing person that I speak and understand English.
I agree with everything Aurorah said.
Lemur - what do you mean by this? There is no difference between ASL and SEE signs for baby signs? 