Fiction and sign language

[Marcille]

Hello everyone,

I'm not deaf or hard of hearing, but I'm interested in Deaf Culture in fiction. I am an aspiring writer and I was wondering how much fiction there is out there with deaf characters/ Deaf Culture depicted realistically. Can anyone point me toward some good books?

I'm even wondering how the translation of sign language would be formatted into English. The Chicago Manual of Style (sort of the writer's bible for grammar, punctuation, and formatting,) really doesn't give any examples of it.

Most foriegn languages use italics. But I'm wondering if you also use quotation marks since it's not a spoken language.

Anyway, I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this matter. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Marcille

 

[JamieLynn]

I'm currently working on a fictional story where I use a deaf character. Ever since the beginning of the introduction of the character, the readers will know that the person is deaf, so I personally opt to use words such as: she says, she adds, she counters... while using common dialogue format.

I won't use word descriptions such as: she exclaims, she yells,... occasionally (I think I used it once or twice) I used the phrase: she tried to scream out loud but barely managed a few low groans...

Don't know whether this is much of help. I am not a huge writer,... mainly just doing it for fun.

It's a good question though... maybe somebody will give us a different insight... :shrug:

Jamie

 

[Marcille]

Thanks, JamieLynn. Yeah, we could get into a whole writer's discussion on dialogue tags. There's one going on on a different writer's forum I'm on, but that's not so much what I mean as how you format it...

Example:

"Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary asked.

Now if Mary was speaking in English, that's how you would write it.

If Mary used ASL how would it be done in fiction?

Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market? Mary asked.

Or:

"Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary asked.

The difference being whether or not to use italics, and/or quotation marks.

Or even if you would use the syntax which you use in sign languge which is different from English and I'd be inept to use since I really am just trying to grasp the language (I'm trying to find a course which will fit into my schedule, but even so I'm sure it would take practice for me to become fluent.)

I'd love to see an example of a published work of fiction.

I'm playing with a Romance genre idea where one character is deaf and the other is hearing but grew up in a Deaf Cultured family. Obviously I would want this to be respectful to the Deaf Community and feel as much like reality as any other romance ever does.

 

[Berry]

I'd love to see an example of a published work of fiction.

I'm playing with a Romance genre idea where one character is deaf and the other is hearing but grew up in a Deaf Cultured family. Obviously I would want this to be respectful to the Deaf Community and feel as much like reality as any other romance ever does

.

I think you are trying to bite off more than you are ready for when you want to use a person who grew up in the Deaf community -- It would have to be more than respectful to the Deaf Community, it would have to be knowledgeable -- Also you would almost certainly be talking about a CODA.

CODA's have got to be a complex study in and of themselves.

To give an example let me tell you about meeting my friend. I was about 8 years old, already interested in language and my mother had once told me deaf people could talk using their hands. Keep in mind this was 55 years ago so things may have changed, by how much I have no idea.

One day the teacher made an announcement, "There is going to be a new kid in class today. I don't want anybody to make fun of him because his parents are deaf and dumb." There was some laughter: She frowned: The laughter ended.

When the kid walked in it seemed like half the class was making the sign of the donkey ear. Where they learned it or how they knew what it meant I'll never know because I never saw it used before. The teacher acted as though nothing was happening and told the new boy which seat was his.

At recess he was standing by himself. I went up and asked him if it was true his parents were deaf and he said yes. I asked him if he knew how to talk with his hands and he said yes to that too. I asked if he would teach me.

He thought about it for a while and then said, "Okay."

During the rest of the time we went to that school we were the "dummy boys' and whenever we were caught using sign we were suspended.

I believe things are better today, but I doubt any CODA could get by unscathed and it has to effect their psychology in ways that would be difficult to write about effectively.

My suggestion would be to have someone with your own level of knowledge and experience fall in love with a Deaf person. Then at least what you have to say will ring true because it will be. You can have the hearing person making mistakes even the best intentioned hearing person will make -- such as turning their head away while a Deaf person is lip reading... etc.

Your story could be a learning experience both for you and your readers.

 

[Marcille]

Thanks for the insight. As I said, I'm just playing with the concept. Not one written word yet.

.

 

[Berry]

Thanks for the insight. As I said, I'm just playing with the concept. Not one written word yet.

.

A lot of people think once something has been written it is there to stay. Fact is rewriting something completely from a different angle, ending, point of view, etc can be very rewarding and instructive.

Other writers when they are not happy with something they have written drop it completely. While I won't go so far as to say they have not learned anything from the experience, I will say they could have learned a lot more by forcing it into something they were happy with.

Fixing what is wrong is as much a part of writing as any other part.

 

[Marcille]

A lot of people think once something has been written it is there to stay. Fact is rewriting something completely from a different angle, ending, point of view, etc can be very rewarding and instructive.

Other writers when they are not happy with something they have written drop it completely. While I won't go so far as to say they have not learned anything from the experience, I will say they could have learned a lot more by forcing it into something they were happy with.

Fixing what is wrong is as much a part of writing as any other part.

Yes. I agree, which is why I am not flying with this concept yet. I'm not easily dissuaded by a challenge, but I'm in the process of rewriting a different manuscript, and I have another work in progress that is giving me a LOT of challenges. I need to finish its first draft before I try the story with a few deaf characters buzzing around in the creative part of my brain. So I'm just allotting a little time for research. (I always do a ton of research.) That's half the fun--learning enough details to make a story seem real.

Thanks to reading through some of the threads here, I found out about ASLPro.com. Many years ago I took a sign language class, but without practice about all I'm still able to do is fingerspell. So I'm just trying to learn a little (a lot) for now. If nothing else, maybe I'll learn more signs, which is something I've always wanted to do.

Thanks again.

 

[blackjack102]

"Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary asked.

Maybe you can say "Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary signed.

 

[restless_heart]

Thanks, JamieLynn. Yeah, we could get into a whole writer's discussion on dialogue tags. There's one going on on a different writer's forum I'm on, but that's not so much what I mean as how you format it...

Example:

"Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary asked.

Now if Mary was speaking in English, that's how you would write it.

If Mary used ASL how would it be done in fiction?

Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market? Mary asked.

Or:

"Did you get the oranges I asked you to buy at the market?" Mary asked.

The difference being whether or not to use italics, and/or quotation marks.

Or even if you would use the syntax which you use in sign languge which is different from English and I'd be inept to use since I really am just trying to grasp the language (I'm trying to find a course which will fit into my schedule, but even so I'm sure it would take practice for me to become fluent.)

I'd love to see an example of a published work of fiction.

I'm playing with a Romance genre idea where one character is deaf and the other is hearing but grew up in a Deaf Cultured family. Obviously I would want this to be respectful to the Deaf Community and feel as much like reality as any other romance ever does.

Always, always use quotation marks as long as the speaker is speaking or signs. Or otherwise, without quotation marks is stating is what a speaker is thinking himself/herself...

Always use itlatic for a character's thoughts or a character is writing down something with out quotation marks, unless they are speaking out loud...

I only knew one, and that is Stephen King, The Stand. It is excellent book, but I warn ya, he should have done better with a deaf n' mute character of his...

I remember reading Jude Deveraux's book once, she had written a deaf character in a story. I don't recall a name of her book. I will ask my daughter...

 

[Marcille]

Thanks Blackjack and Restless Heart.

 

[JMackay]

deaf character

I think you are trying to bite off more than you are ready for when you want to use a person who grew up in the Deaf community -- It would have to be more than respectful to the Deaf Community, it would have to be knowledgeable -- Also you would almost certainly be talking about a CODA.

CODA's have got to be a complex study in and of themselves.

To give an example let me tell you about meeting my friend. I was about 8 years old, already interested in language and my mother had once told me deaf people could talk using their hands. Keep in mind this was 55 years ago so things may have changed, by how much I have no idea.

One day the teacher made an announcement, "There is going to be a new kid in class today. I don't want anybody to make fun of him because his parents are deaf and dumb." There was some laughter: She frowned: The laughter ended.

When the kid walked in it seemed like half the class was making the sign of the donkey ear. Where they learned it or how they knew what it meant I'll never know because I never saw it used before. The teacher acted as though nothing was happening and told the new boy which seat was his.

At recess he was standing by himself. I went up and asked him if it was true his parents were deaf and he said yes. I asked him if he knew how to talk with his hands and he said yes to that too. I asked if he would teach me.

He thought about it for a while and then said, "Okay."

During the rest of the time we went to that school we were the "dummy boys' and whenever we were caught using sign we were suspended.

I believe things are better today, but I doubt any CODA could get by unscathed and it has to effect their psychology in ways that would be difficult to write about effectively.

My suggestion would be to have someone with your own level of knowledge and experience fall in love with a Deaf person. Then at least what you have to say will ring true because it will be. You can have the hearing person making mistakes even the best intentioned hearing person will make -- such as turning their head away while a Deaf person is lip reading... etc.

Your story could be a learning experience both for you and your readers.

That's why my story is set in a mainstream school, it's something I had experience with as a hearing girl attending with deaf kids.

I plan to have my deaf friends read it and give me feedback.

I use italics and ACTION tags during the signing parts of dialogue. Lots of facial expressions, and describe emotions... very important. Paint a picture.

 

[JMackay]

exactly

A lot of people think once something has been written it is there to stay. Fact is rewriting something completely from a different angle, ending, point of view, etc can be very rewarding and instructive.

Other writers when they are not happy with something they have written drop it completely. While I won't go so far as to say they have not learned anything from the experience, I will say they could have learned a lot more by forcing it into something they were happy with.

Fixing what is wrong is as much a part of writing as any other part.

Yep, that's why writers have editors and test readers.

 

[JMackay]

oh silly me...

Always, always use quotation marks as long as the speaker is speaking or signs. Or otherwise, without quotation marks is stating is what a speaker is thinking himself/herself...

Yeah, you ARE right... usually it is used to show MENTAL thought... That's why I'm in rough draft stage!!

If the word was Spanish, or a sentence, it would be italic in a book...

Como se llama? (What is your name?) (I can't make the double question mark... sorry...)