Ear Plugs and Chewing Gum!!

J

JonRobrt

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First a tip for "baby birds (new ASL students, including me!)" DO NOT chew gum during your expressive tests:Ohno:

Second, for the deaf members of AD, would you mind sharing your thoughts (pro or con) on hearing people wearing earplugs during deaf events. My ASL teacher (deaf) recommended wearing them to our local deaf club to make the loud music tolerable while also allowing me to minimize the distraction that interferes with my visual receptive skills. I purchased some silicone plugs that were not very obvious but, many deaf people noticed and seemed delighted. One man even clapped! Enroute to the club I feared how the earplugs might be perceived.

Any additional insight that people would like to share?? I'm all eyes:)

John
 
well....2 things


if the point of the ear plugs is to protect your hearing from obscenly loud music, by all means do it. When my Deaf friends drag me to the speaker at a concert, if i didn't bring ear plugs i'd be in constant pain. Same thing with road trips

if your trying to get what is it to be deaf....leave em at home. and be yourself
 
I agree with the reply, and I'd like to add that ear plugs aren't just for hearing people. I know D/deaf people who can hear better than I can, but due to the nature of my hearing loss I still wear earplugs from time to time, not only to prevent me from loosing more hearing (natural causes have done a dandy job by themselves I see no point in assisting) but loud noise/music is as uncomfortable and painful for me as a hearing person.

If you're a hearing person, earplugs won't give you much of a taste of what it's like to be deaf. even with the most effective ear plugs, you'd still be able to hear better than I can.
 
Ariakkas said:
if your trying to get what is it to be deaf....leave em at home. and be yourself
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Very well said.

But yeah, I have been to deaf parties that were so loud it was kind of hard for me to focus. In retrospect earplugs might have helped. In those cases you certainly want to protect your ears and if anyone has a problem with that, it's easy enough to explain.
 
One time I was assigned (last minute) to interpret a "meeting" that turned out to be mostly skits and a "concert." I was positioned directly in front of humongous, blaring amplifiers for almost two hours. It was extremely painful.

One of our recent silent dinners was held at a "sports bar" restaurant that plays several different games on the big screen TV's that are positioned throughout the restaurant. That, combined with large groups of team fans SCREAMING at each play and each other was very distracting. Ear plugs would have been very nice that night.

I haven't been to any Deaf parties with loud music but I have been to Deaf gatherings with LOUD TV playing the whole time. Very annoying for hearies.
 
Think about it - chewing gum on the expressive tests tends to convey that "Like, I care..." mood to the instructor.

Not only that I think I would find it very annoying to be signing with someone who makes large chews on the gum, especially since my receptive skills are crap at the moment.
 
It doesnt bother me if hearing people wear earplugs at deaf events for the purpose of protecting their hearing or preventing pain later on.

However, if a person is doing that to try to experience what it is like to be deaf, I would find it odd but it probably wouldnt bother me either anyway unless the person keeps going around saying "Hey! I know what it is like to be deaf." That would be annoying.
 
Dixie said:
Think about it - chewing gum on the expressive tests tends to convey that "Like, I care..." mood to the instructor.

Not only that I think I would find it very annoying to be signing with someone who makes large chews on the gum, especially since my receptive skills are crap at the moment.
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Ahhh....thanks for the explaination! :ty:
 
Brydie714,

I am a new signer but, can convey what was explained to me by my deaf ASL teacher:
Apparently the mouth is used with ASL to "lip sync" proper names (people, places, etc.) while fingerspelling AND the mouth is also expressive for facial expressions when communicating emotion. Also, and I am not this far along, the mouth is used for pop and other sounds WITH various signs! I am sure this explanation is lacking due current level of knowledge. My teacher never considered it disrespectful and he himself chews gum frequently...I just can't!!!

Thanks for the replies,
John
 
I went to the Deaf club yesterday with some ASL students... I told them to bring earplugs but they didnt believe me... Well they all said they would bring earplugs next time
 
shel90 said:
It doesnt bother me if hearing people wear earplugs at deaf events for the purpose of protecting their hearing or preventing pain later on.

However, if a person is doing that to try to experience what it is like to be deaf, I would find it odd but it probably wouldnt bother me either anyway unless the person keeps going around saying "Hey! I know what it is like to be deaf." That would be annoying.
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:gpost: 100% agree.

My hearing sister wears ear plugs when we go to deaf events. Before we went to a deaf club and she wanted to leave because the music was so loud. So I understand she wants to wear ear plugs - no problems and better than leaving.
 
I think the use of the earplugs is to help a hearing person very curious about why deaf people can not hear the sounds or noise and what is being deaf is like. I remembered when I was at the Canadian Hearing Society in the city on the mainland about a year ago, I noticed some hearing people wear the earcups. They were told by the staff that will help them understand why the environment is quiet to the deaf, but loud to the hearing. That is why most of us deafies clap or say go for it. I also think that it is a good idea to have a ear plug for the loud music like rock band or any other loud music bands so that the hearing people will not lose their hearing, otherwise they will be deaf for a while or become deaf for life if they are not careful. As for chewing the gum, I remembered when I was riding in the car with my Mom or Dad. When we come down in the hill and my ear got clog up and it hurt almost like an infection but it isn't. So chewing the gum help to loosen up the eardrum when you are in a different elevation. As for your teacher, you will have to ask him why he is chewing the gum while in class with you and other students, otherwise it is rude to do that and not okay. :cool2:
 
Thanks for sharing Bebonang,

Happy Holidays:) It's getting close, I hope everybody's ready!!!! I know I am!!

John
 
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