Comments on: Signing from a Hearing Perspective

By: sunflowerwoman99

sunflowerwoman99 — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:24:33 +0000

Where I’m from (the south), gestures are a part of everyday talk. I’ve been told that if I sat on my hands, I couldn’t talk. With that said, I do agree, that facial expressions do mean more than hand gestures (although there are a few gestures that are univerally obscene.. LOL), and I always try to see the clues in a person’s face. I can read lips pretty well, and can usually figure out what someone is saying in a crowd, even if I can’t hear them. I also know the frustration of trying to communicate with an elderly person who has lost their hearing, and refuses to do anything about it. I haven’t met that many deaf people, I believe Osh is the only one I have ever spoken to. Maybe I should learn ASL in case I ever lose my hearing, as it runs in my family. Of course, then no one else would be able to do it, so why bother? I’ll just have everyone yell at me, like we did my great Aunt.

By: Wolf Wind

Wolf Wind — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 17:48:37 +0000

It is interesting to see the differences between those hearing folks who were exposed to sign language and those who weren’t. For me, I was always exposed to sign in some form or other, in elementry school and in the community itself where I lived-California School for the Deaf (Riverside) was known to me from an infant. For me, it was a given HOH and Deaf community members were a part of my growing up. Perhaps in some ways, having grown used to a constant presence I just took it for granted. Sign language has always been beautiful to me, being HOH and Hearing both, what sign language I learned I didn’t retain because I didn’t use it very often. But I always enjoyed learning and re-learning watching the conversations and expressions, and on those rare events where I got to participate, the patience and humor as well. It is a puzzelment sign has not been incoporated too much to accomodate paganism, but perhaps too the same biases against non traditional spirituality carries over. I can’t help thinking about Yeat’s Easter Poem and the phrase, “A Terrible Beauty is Born.”

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:58:27 +0000

Beautifully written post!

I’m a hearing person who is just beginning to get involved in the Deaf Community, and began studying ASL this past fall. I admit that when I first began, my reason for wanting to take a sign language class was because I thought it was a “pretty language.” I’ve always had a knack for languages – besides English, I also speak French and Italian, and can read and write in Latin.

But it did not take long for my Deaf instructor to knock some of that “awe” out of my head and force me to realize that ASL is a rich and complex language with its own grammar and syntax, as well as its own history and idiosyncracies.

Shhh…don’t tell him, but I still think it looks pretty – especially when I watch him tell us ASL stories, which he is a master at! I almost feel like he’s creating a movie with his hands.

I agree…I love your last sentence!

By: Carl Schroeder

Carl Schroeder — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:20:40 +0000

“I wish everyone was taught sign language at school (as well as being able to communicate with Deaf people, it would also be useful in situations where there’s a lot of ambient noise).”

I wish the same thing! I wish we follow the 19th-20th century Martha’s Vineyard Island society in which everyone spoke sign language, not realizing whether they were deaf.

By: ocean1025

ocean1025 — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 14:43:53 +0000

I got an email from a Deaf friend commenting on how he loved that last phrase of your article – “signers have a whole vocabulary at their fingertips.”

While I could possibly slap him for not leaving a comment here himself…

I happen to agree – it’s a great line!

By: Gobae - The Smith

Gobae - The Smith — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:00:05 +0000

As a hearing person, who decided to learn sign for no other reason than I always seemed to be running into Deaf people, I must say that sign is SO helpful even when communicating with my wife and kids (all hearing and also know some ASL).