Do I have the right to refuse to use spoken english?

MikeJ said:
Do I have the right to refuse to use spoken english and resort to only sign langauge and writing on paper even though I am fully capable of communicating verbally?

I've been looking all over trying to find the answers, but I have no clue.
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Yes.
 
MikeJ said:
Do I have the right to refuse to use spoken english and resort to only sign langauge and writing on paper even though I am fully capable of communicating verbally?. . .
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I can talk. I may sound terrible under stressful conditions or sometime when the moon is funny and my kidneys makes me hear funny, I'd rather not talk. My problem is: I don't know Sign language. Seems like the hearing world tells you to either speak/hear or watch/ASL. I'm caught between the two worlds. I probably fall into the foreign language category and tell them a have a language barrier. Writing on paper would be my solution.
 
Doing What One Wants and Doing What's Best..

The question was asked by MikeJ.. "Do I have the right to refuse to use spoken english and resort to only sign langauge and writing on paper even though I am fully capable of communicating verbally?"

IndieVisible;1242194 then said in part..

You are entitled to do as you wish..
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You also went on to say, "I am fully capable of communicating verbally" but seeing you have decided NOT to do so would tend to make me think you're knowingly placing those who may not know ALS in situations of difficulty through no fault of their own.

I agree with IndieVisible;1242194. "You are entitled to do as you wish", but sometimes doing what you wish and doing what is best is two different things on opposite sides of the coin.

As a example, ie: you have a right to ride a bicycle (or even walk) to work instead of using your car.. but don't blame your employer for being mad if you're two hours late.

Life is hard enough as it is without making it any more diffucult!

Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com
 
Shi-Ku Chishiki said:
The question was asked by MikeJ.. "Do I have the right to refuse to use spoken english and resort to only sign langauge and writing on paper even though I am fully capable of communicating verbally?"

IndieVisible;1242194 then said in part..



You also went on to say, "I am fully capable of communicating verbally" but seeing you have decided NOT to do so would tend to make me think you're knowingly placing those who may not know ALS in situations of difficulty through no fault of their own.

I agree with IndieVisible;1242194. "You are entitled to do as you wish", but sometimes doing what you wish and doing what is best is two different things on opposite sides of the coin.

As a example, ie: you have a right to ride a bicycle (or even walk) to work instead of using your car.. but don't blame your employer for being mad if you're two hours late.

Life is hard enough as it is without making it any more diffucult!

Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com
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I agree with you.

While you have a right, you also need to be reasonable.

If you know that not spoken English will create many hardships, then be reasonable and use spoken English. It would certain make things a lot easier.

Think about the tax dollars that are being spent on these proceedings. The harder you make it for them, the more they have to spend. The more they have to spend, the more we have to spend.
 
Spoken English

"BE DEAF & PROUD"

I am deaf proud, I wearing hearing aids.
I am proud to be a BSL (British Sign Language) user.
Would love to learn ASL.

My partner is hearing he can sign.
 
I guess I just don't understand the whole story. Seems like this is an ongoing saga. I would have to ask the question why would you not want to use English if you know it and can speak it? I don't get it. Wouldn't you want to use whatever tools you have to communicate with the world around you.
 
rockdrummer said:
I guess I just don't understand the whole story. Seems like this is an ongoing saga. I would have to ask the question why would you not want to use English if you know it and can speak it? I don't get it. Wouldn't you want to use whatever tools you have to communicate with the world around you.
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I can see from your point of view. My hubby sees the way you too about this issue. It could be because for the OP and others, just being able to pronounce the words is very very difficult for them. Maybe the OP has that issue and was wondering if he/she has the right not to use it. I know many deaf people use writing instead of trying to use their intelligble speech to avoid misunderstandings and frustration from both parties. Sometimes, it is just more trouble to use spoken English. I can't pronounce hamburgers very well and no matter where I go and whom I speak with, almost nobody can't understand me whenever I say that word especially when I am ordering it so it is easier for me to write it down then even bother trying after years of no success with that word. Lol
 
rockdrummer said:
I see your point Shel but this person said
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Good point..maybe the effort put to communicate verbally takes this person a lot of work? For me, communicating verbally doesnt require me to think..it comes naturally but for some deaf people, they have to work at it so perhaps it is the case. If not, then that's a question the OP would need to answer.
 
shel90 said:
Good point..maybe the effort put to communicate verbally takes this person a lot of work? For me, communicating verbally doesnt require me to think..it comes naturally but for some deaf people, they have to work at it so perhaps it is the case. If not, then that's a question the OP would need to answer.
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Agreed. We can spcualate all day. I would defer to the original poster to answer. My feeling is that anyone has the right to not speak but the question is why would someone want to do that especially if you are "fully capable" of speaking and if you are in a room of non-signers.
 
rockdrummer said:
Agreed. We can spcualate all day. I would defer to the original poster to answer. My feeling is that anyone has the right to not speak but the question is why would someone want to do that especially if you are "fully capable" of speaking and if you are in a room of non-signers.
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True...:hmm:
 
Well, I think the OP's logic, if you will go back and check his posts, is that by speaking, he is being accused of not being deaf, or of faking his deafness, and being denied accommodation as a result.
 
If that is true then it sounds like an issue to be taken up with NAD/ADA. It would be a terrible injustice for someone to be treated this way. I also belive if a person is treated like this and chooses to do nothing about it then they are contributing to the problem.
 
rockdrummer said:
If that is true then it sounds like an issue to be taken up with NAD/ADA. It would be a terrible injustice for someone to be treated this way. I also belive if a person is treated like this and chooses to do nothing about it then they are contributing to the problem.
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Yeah, that's why we all referred him to legal means to remedy the situation. He made a couple of other threads that went into detail about the situation.

And I agree completely. If one chooses not to defend their rights, they give implicit permission for the violations to continue.
 
jillio said:
Well, I think the OP's logic, if you will go back and check his posts, is that by speaking, he is being accused of not being deaf, or of faking his deafness, and being denied accommodation as a result.
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sometimes that is a problem. I often have to refer myself as deaf instead of hard of hearing because people tend to treat me as a hearing person. Like expecting me to call them or face away from me.

another reason is that some people laugh at the way you sound. For me, they ask me where I come from because my accent is weird.
 
Shel, people have said I am starting to get a deaf accent. (I did not invent that phrase it's just what was said about me) I am late-deaf. Still, it sounds pretty flat I guess. I often just pass a note at the store or maybe at a takeout stand. My boss says it's baby talk. when I have an ear infection and can't hear my own voice at all it really is hard to pronounce some things or get the tone right. Shame on me, too. Because when she said that to me, like making fun, I dropped the "F" bomb. I really did, and two times. (blush)
Orally and ASL, oh gee. I got a pretty good laugh though.
 
First Language versus Primary Language

I grew up in a Hearing family. I knew only English. I started learning Sign when I was 20 years old. I am almost 40 years old. I have been signing for half my life. PSE/ASL has become my PRIMARY LANGUAGE/mode of communication.

I have a documented disability that has been dx'ed TWICE. I have received accomodations for said disability in a college setting. I have a record of said disability. I am regarded as having said disability. Whether I have (C)APD or some other hearing loss/impairment/disorder (such as AN/AD) cannot be determined without further testing. I am SICK OF testing. It is a waste of time. Some people benefit from hearing aids/FM system with CAPD. Some don't. Some people benefit from hearing aids/FM system with AN/AD. Some don't. I happen to benefit to a degree from hearing aids, an FM system, a Sign Language interpreter, lipreading, etc. There is no one accomodation or solution.

BUT, as far as language(s) and culture go; I MUCH prefer the Deaf world. I do not view myself as "a broken Hearing person." I am just me. Sometimes I label myself "hearing impaired" (mostly with Hearing people). Sometimes I label myself "Hard-Of-Hearing" (mostly with Deaf people). I am neither fully Hearing nor fully Deaf. I am "hearing impaired" AND Hard-Of-Hearing.

I don't think people who are outside the Community have a right to force me to use expressive/receptive spoken English. Or to use it at all. And if autistic people are better at using ASL/PSE, then I think they should be encouraged and accomodated. I am an Aspie myself, and there are times when my English just SHUTS DOWN.

What I do want is CLEAR COMMUNICATION.
 
Asl

Dear MikeJ

Surely its common sense. Once you have asked for a Sign Language Interpreter, they have to provide you with one, it's your legal right.

Over here in the UK if we request for Sign Language Interpreter they have to provide us with one as BSL is a recognized language.

Please keep in touch I am very interested to find what happens...
 
BSL is a recognized language
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That is one of the problems in may areas of the US Claire, in my and many others opinions, that ASL is recognized but is not recognized as a language.
The contradictions in recognition and accomodation are the big problem.

My husband fit into defgrl's description. He is neither fully hearing or fully deaf and get the same mistreatment.
For example, he had an appointment yesterday. They finally listened to his description of what his hearing aids have been doing and they realized -finally - that there is a problem with them. They kept them for repairs so now he is without any assistive device and therefore deaf.

So, for how ever long it takes to fix the devices he will be signing more and talking less. The reactions of hearing and deaf will vary.
 
Hi ASLGAL

Thank you for reply.
It make me angry that hearing people decide how deaf people should communicate.
Yes I wear hearing aids only they help with balance when sitting in my wheelchair, I can hear with them abit, but I do prefer to sign.

I find hearing people look at me allot when they see me sign, they are shock.
 
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