ASL vs SE vs CS for mostly hearing family

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Gallen

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I'm in my early 40's, and only went deaf about 2 months ago due to strong medications. Otherwise I had been hearing all my life, and I think in terms of spoken english. My wife and kids would like to learn some basic sign language along with me this summer (while school's out), as a backup to speechreading. Before embarking on this effort, we would like some guidance on which signed language would be best FOR US to use speaking to one another.

In my local bookstore I was attracted to a book on "Conversational Sign Language" for complete idiots. I figured this must be just a basic beginners's book on ASL (the only signed language in the world, I thought), but found out it was very different. As the book explains it deaf people tend to use ASL, hearing people tend to use signed english (for what, I don't know), and when they talk to each other they compromise in the middle to conversational (or contact) sign. My logic is that since ASL has a very different syntax from SE or spoken english, but seems to be more universal, my family would actually be best to learn CS to use both omongst ourselves and with other deaf people we may encounter. Any advice?

Thanks
 
hearing people tend to gravitate toward signed english because it follows english syntax. its it however, very cumbersome and unnatural.

ASL is easier on the eyes, and feels more natural


by contact sign im assuming you mean PSE, pidgeon signed english, which is kinda like ASL signs in english word order.....it feel somewhat natural because you aren't using riduculous suffix signs, and conversation can flow better than signed english. however, you will continue to "think" in english, and therefore spend alot of time expressing ideas that would be easier in ASL.
 
Here's my take on it.

As a late-deafened person, you may be more comfortable with Signed English (which doesn't use suffixes as Ariakkas mentioned, that's SEE or Signed Exact English which I definitely don't recommend). SE uses ASL signs in mostly English word order, although there is usually some ASL grammar incorporated.

Your language has developed along the lines of a hearing person and possibly it will feel more natural for you to use English word order. On the other hand, you may end up becoming more visually oriented and prefer using ASL.

I do recommend either way that you start out learning ASL. It is much easier to learn ASL as its own language than to simply learn signs and try to impose English syntax on them. Once you've learned some basic ASL signs and grammar, you will be able to tell if you prefer to use ASL or English syntax.

Contact sign (also called PSE but that's the older term for it) isn't really something you learn. It's not a set language but rather a fluid type of signing that is different for whoever uses it. For example, if you end up using signed English and you encounter someone who uses strong ASL, you can find a common ground using contact sign. If you understand what a pidgin or creole is then you have the idea.

Lastly: don't let anyone bully you into thinking that one form of signing is superior to another. There are many strong advocates for ASL, and I would consider myself one of them, but you are in a special situation and it's more important that your wife and kids and you feel comfortable communicating with one another than adhering to one language or another for someone else's reasons. Take an ASL class or two, or use a videotext, and decide for yourself how you want to communicate.

There's an organization that used to be called SHHH (Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing, I think?) but changed its name to Hearing Loss Association of America. I was going to recommend checking them out but the thing is I think they're more focused on the hearing angle than the signing angle so they might not be entirely helpful for you.
 
Interpretrator said:
Here's my take on it.

As a late-deafened person, you may be more comfortable with Signed English (which doesn't use suffixes as Ariakkas mentioned, that's SEE or Signed Exact English which I definitely don't recommend). SE uses ASL signs in mostly English word order, although there is usually some ASL grammar incorporated.

Your language has developed along the lines of a hearing person and possibly it will feel more natural for you to use English word order. On the other hand, you may end up becoming more visually oriented and prefer using ASL.

I do recommend either way that you start out learning ASL. It is much easier to learn ASL as its own language than to simply learn signs and try to impose English syntax on them. Once you've learned some basic ASL signs and grammar, you will be able to tell if you prefer to use ASL or English syntax.

Contact sign (also called PSE but that's the older term for it) isn't really something you learn. It's not a set language but rather a fluid type of signing that is different for whoever uses it. For example, if you end up using signed English and you encounter someone who uses strong ASL, you can find a common ground using contact sign. If you understand what a pidgin or creole is then you have the idea.

Lastly: don't let anyone bully you into thinking that one form of signing is superior to another. There are many strong advocates for ASL, and I would consider myself one of them, but you are in a special situation and it's more important that your wife and kids and you feel comfortable communicating with one another than adhering to one language or another for someone else's reasons. Take an ASL class or two, or use a videotext, and decide for yourself how you want to communicate.

There's an organization that used to be called SHHH (Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing, I think?) but changed its name to Hearing Loss Association of America. I was going to recommend checking them out but the thing is I think they're more focused on the hearing angle than the signing angle so they might not be entirely helpful for you.
Click to expand...

:gpost: Can't think of a single thing to add!:giggle:
 
I have noticed that when debating something (politics, philosophy) or just chatting I am very PSE. But if I'm upset about something, or angry, or excited, I slip into ASL. I'm hearing, my brain thinks in English most of the time, but if I am doing more feeling and less thinking, the ease of ASL as a conceptual language takes over.

For me, I am more ASL syntax for easy things. I wouldn't say "I past go store and then I past go gas station and past get gas." I would sign "I go store finished, I go gas station, get gas finished." One tends to do what is easiest--if the mind learns how to sign something easily, it will slip into it. If it's easier to think in English and translate that more to signs, that's what you end up doing.
 
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