NaturalRogue
New Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2009
- Messages
- 2
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Hello everyone,
For quite some time now, I have been very interested in learning about Deaf culture and its many components. I have studied aspects of Deaf culture. However, there is only so much a book, movie, textbook, etc can teach you. I think it's better to try and learn firsthand. Not only that, but popularized teaching materials do not always match or accurately reflect the actual concerns, needs, or thoughts of the Deaf/HH. For example, take ASL, at least where I live; you won't find a single deaf person that understands or uses ASL. If I were to try to communicate with them, yes we'd be able to understand each other, but not in a way that is truly effective, and certainly not in a fashion that they prefer. ASL takes the language (voice) out of a language, from what I understand anyway. Of course, I could be completely mistaken, and that is only the opinion of people I know. I know that they do not represent all deaf people.
In general, languages and cultures are my biggest passions in life. I can read, speak,and write Spanish at a fairly high level, but that's my only lingual accomplishment. I'd learn every language in the world if I could. I'm hearing but when I was young I was considered HH (hard of hearing), so bad I had to read lips. Somehow my hearing naturally improved as I got older. To be honest, for most of my life, I hadn't actually given a whole lot of thought to sign language or Deaf culture. Then, I went to college and everything changed for the better. I went to a play and off to the side of the stage was an deaf interpreter signing the play to the audience. The play was wonderful, don't get my wrong, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of the interpreter. Her language was so much more powerful, more beautiful than any language I had come to know. It had more feeling and depth to it as well. I saw how sign has a voice, a voice that can scream, whisper, and sing just like mine. A voice that is more than a voice because the whole body is involved. I was so moved by it, that I cried. Later in my college career, I feel in love with speech-language pathology. In one of my intro courses, we studied cochlear implants. We watched a documentary called, "Sound and Fury" that helped an outsider of the community understand the millions of emotions and considerations that come with implants. It was amazing to me. It wasn't that I didn't think that the deaf had a unique culture or language, but growing up as hearing my whole life, and in the absence of a deaf community; I hadn't ever been exposed to it or given it much thought. I'm so thankful for that play, because it really opened me up to the world.
Anyways, that's some of what brought me to the site. I love learning making new friends.
For quite some time now, I have been very interested in learning about Deaf culture and its many components. I have studied aspects of Deaf culture. However, there is only so much a book, movie, textbook, etc can teach you. I think it's better to try and learn firsthand. Not only that, but popularized teaching materials do not always match or accurately reflect the actual concerns, needs, or thoughts of the Deaf/HH. For example, take ASL, at least where I live; you won't find a single deaf person that understands or uses ASL. If I were to try to communicate with them, yes we'd be able to understand each other, but not in a way that is truly effective, and certainly not in a fashion that they prefer. ASL takes the language (voice) out of a language, from what I understand anyway. Of course, I could be completely mistaken, and that is only the opinion of people I know. I know that they do not represent all deaf people.
In general, languages and cultures are my biggest passions in life. I can read, speak,and write Spanish at a fairly high level, but that's my only lingual accomplishment. I'd learn every language in the world if I could. I'm hearing but when I was young I was considered HH (hard of hearing), so bad I had to read lips. Somehow my hearing naturally improved as I got older. To be honest, for most of my life, I hadn't actually given a whole lot of thought to sign language or Deaf culture. Then, I went to college and everything changed for the better. I went to a play and off to the side of the stage was an deaf interpreter signing the play to the audience. The play was wonderful, don't get my wrong, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of the interpreter. Her language was so much more powerful, more beautiful than any language I had come to know. It had more feeling and depth to it as well. I saw how sign has a voice, a voice that can scream, whisper, and sing just like mine. A voice that is more than a voice because the whole body is involved. I was so moved by it, that I cried. Later in my college career, I feel in love with speech-language pathology. In one of my intro courses, we studied cochlear implants. We watched a documentary called, "Sound and Fury" that helped an outsider of the community understand the millions of emotions and considerations that come with implants. It was amazing to me. It wasn't that I didn't think that the deaf had a unique culture or language, but growing up as hearing my whole life, and in the absence of a deaf community; I hadn't ever been exposed to it or given it much thought. I'm so thankful for that play, because it really opened me up to the world.
Anyways, that's some of what brought me to the site. I love learning making new friends.
