Is ASL Fading Away or Not?

Considering how many oral deaf adults are taking up ASL, I doubt this language is fading away. There's an obvious need for it.
 
the contrast between the need for it and those implications, and how it is actually generally de-valued, is quite striking-
 
It's very much a living language, yes? So I think it will change and expand, like other living languages, but I don't see it disappearing. I think current technology has allowed hearing people who have never met or seen a deaf person to be exposed to the language and to Deaf culture in a way they never would have before.
Sign language is incredibly visually appealing and beautiful, even to hearing people who do not know anything about it.

I am talking about youtube, vimeo, shows like Switched at Birth, performing artists like Sean Forbes and Signmark (and probably others I don't know about), the involvement of people like Keith Wann in a national reading campaign. This wider exposure builds up interest.

I also think that more and more young parents are starting to use some sign with their babies. We use it with our mentally retarded daughter, who cannot speak, and we used it a lot with our seventh child, who did not speak until after he was two. It's not enough to sustain a full language, but it's part of the wider exposure sign is getting.
 
DeafCaroline said:
Considering how many oral deaf adults are taking up ASL, I doubt this language is fading away. There's an obvious need for it.
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not as many as we'd like...

and it IS under threat.....just look at how many newbies coming in here, MOST of them have CI and prefer oral.......get real
 
Grummer said:
not as many as we'd like...

and it IS under threat.....just look at how many newbies coming in here, MOST of them have CI and prefer oral.......get real
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Yes that's what I see here. So i had to bump every asl threads in order to be recognized that is really useful. I know im just an asl user but its my age. BUT i do think of other young kids who would like ASL very much for their own people to hang out together.

social skill is very important that would not impact the self esteem issue.
 
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Grummer said:
not as many as we'd like...

and it IS under threat.....just look at how many newbies coming in here, MOST of them have CI and prefer oral.......get real
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I see no threat to sign language or it disappearing anytime soon. In fact, it is technology that has helped preserve and propagate this concept called "sign language."
 
Frisky Feline said:
it is all in your head. :aw:
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Nope. In fact, go to YouTube and type in "ASL" or "American sign language" or "sign language"

"ASL" = 96,700 results
"American sign language" = 30,500 results
"sign language" = 123,000 results

YouTube technology has allowed the preservation and propagation of sign language to flourish and grow. This has been growing ever since YouTube and other video sources came on the scene over the internet. This wasn't possible 10 years ago. Since it's available over the internet interest in signing would be much more receptive viewing it on a video than say in a bland sign language book available only in a bookstore or library.
 
Sign language is NOT a 'concept' it is a REAL language thank you very much, also as for the internet 'phenomenon' same goes for Anything, the thing is the
'internet age' as i might say (others more 'offical terms might be information age") ... it doesnt really REALLY allow information flow, it does however, opens up abit but moreso it opens to new ways of trading (information) for $$...and fetishising many curious things/activity about, in the world. I dont believe it preserves, because to REALLY preserve thet language is HAS to be USED daily in ordinary lives (or weekly, whatever float the deaf individuals boat) but it is prefered to be used as the 'norm' not as some 'i can sign' as a 'cool status' which is basically where it lands for Most HEARING people, CODAs might feeling it about different though, as it was their parents language , including 'homesigns' which could be mistaken as 'grassroots culture'...anyway

just because theres internet, dont kid us, its arent 'that' safe...its just a novelty to most internet users, nothing more...

after all, it IS under threat, look at school, how many younger people are most oralised..
it is something to be alarmed about...moreso whats really alarming it the mental and social health of Deaf youth is No different as in the 1960-1970-1980s...it is still Mainstream and mainstream means cutting off signs from linguistic exposure. Whereas on internet, (ok some are good) but it doesnt cut it it doesnt provide REAL exposure. it had to be used in REAL LIFE....always.
 
Grummer said:
Sign language is NOT a 'concept' it is a REAL language thank you very much, also as for the internet 'phenomenon' same goes for Anything, the thing is the
'internet age' as i might say (others more 'offical terms might be information age") ... it doesnt really REALLY allow information flow, it does however, opens up abit but moreso it opens to new ways of trading (information) for $$...and fetishising many curious things/activity about, in the world. I dont believe it preserves, because to REALLY preserve thet language is HAS to be USED daily in ordinary lives (or weekly, whatever float the deaf individuals boat) but it is prefered to be used as the 'norm' not as some 'i can sign' as a 'cool status' which is basically where it lands for Most HEARING people, CODAs might feeling it about different though, as it was their parents language , including 'homesigns' which could be mistaken as 'grassroots culture'...anyway

just because theres internet, dont kid us, its arent 'that' safe...its just a novelty to most internet users, nothing more...

after all, it IS under threat, look at school, how many younger people are most oralised..
it is something to be alarmed about...moreso whats really alarming it the mental and social health of Deaf youth is No different as in the 1960-1970-1980s...it is still Mainstream and mainstream means cutting off signs from linguistic exposure. Whereas on internet, (ok some are good) but it doesnt cut it it doesnt provide REAL exposure. it had to be used in REAL LIFE....always.
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Preservation is being done when more people become aware of sign language by coming across a video whether it's the show "Switched at Birth" or on YouTube. And with awareness comes with interest on learning it and using it. Greater exposure increases the chance for greater preservation. I'd say that more deaf/hh people are learning and using sign language today than did back in the 1960s and 1970s.
 
Grummer said:
I dont believe it preserves, because to REALLY preserve thet language is HAS to be USED daily in ordinary lives (or weekly, whatever float the deaf individuals boat) but it is prefered to be used as the 'norm' not as some 'i can sign' as a 'cool status' which is basically where it lands for Most HEARING people, CODAs might feeling it about different though, as it was their parents language , including 'homesigns' which could be mistaken as 'grassroots culture'...anyway
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I agree it's not enough to preserve. I also agree that much of the newly generated interest is faddish in nature.

I just also think the broader exposure is still good, and does open up a 'wider market' for ASL, and that there are some hearing people who will persist in learning and applying ASL, who never would have seen it 20 years ago.

Or there's the situation in my life where a deaf lady has started coming to church and several of us are trying to learn sign or improve our ancient, rusty sign so we can communicate with her better. The internet is making that possible. I think without the youtube videos and sites like Lifeprint, even the hearing that *want* to learn in order to communicate with a real deaf person would get discouraged sooner.

So I agree that's not enough, but I do think it helps. Really, I think even the faddish interest helps some.
 
kokonut said:
Nope. In fact, go to YouTube and type in "ASL" or "American sign language" or "sign language"

"ASL" = 96,700 results
"American sign language" = 30,500 results
"sign language" = 123,000 results

YouTube technology has allowed the preservation and propagation of sign language to flourish and grow. This has been growing ever since YouTube and other video sources came on the scene over the internet. This wasn't possible 10 years ago. Since it's available over the internet interest in signing would be much more receptive viewing it on a video than say in a bland sign language book available only in a bookstore or library.
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Not too mention Vid phones....
 
I'd be hard pressed to use AD (those who contribute in here) as a demographic tool thinking it's reflective with the rest of the deaf/hh community (signers and non-signers) as a "bell weather" on determing the trend of ASL. It'd be a poor choice to do that because people would just guess instead of validating it.

What is a known fact is that there are more deaf and hard of hearing people than Deaf people. It wouldn't be a surprise if we see more "oral" or deaf/hh non-signers come in here in AD to read and participate (as opposed to lurkers).
 
kokonut said:
What is a known fact is that there are more deaf and hard of hearing people than Deaf people. It wouldn't be a surprise if we see more "oral" or deaf/hh non-signers come in here in AD to read and participate (as opposed to lurkers).
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That is b/c a) Most dhh people lost their hearing as adults, rather then as children. It's pretty much the same with the blind population. Most blind people are those who lost their sight as adults. The pediatric blind population is tiny compared to adult blind, and b) a lot of HOH kids weren't exposed to ASL/deaf culture historically.
The totally blind(NLP, which means No Light Perception) population is VERY tiny. Does that mean that Braille shouldn't be used?
 
One thing that I REALLY think that Schools for the Deaf need to do is create a program for middle/high school so that kids whose first language is spoken English, can become fluent in ASL. I guanetee you ASL use would skyrocket.......HUGELY!
 
deafdyke said:
One thing that I REALLY think that Schools for the Deaf need to do is create a program for middle/high school so that kids whose first language is spoken English, can become fluent in ASL. I guanetee you ASL use would skyrocket.......HUGELY!
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Many of them are already doing that.
 
shel90 said:
Many of them are already doing that.
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Yes, but do they advertise it? I do think some of the problem is that we have a lot of parents who might just be kind of clueless about the fact that oral kids can go to signing deaf schools. I think actually a lot of parents are prolly very uninformed about what goes on at a deaf school, and think it's something out of the 1800's when things were voice off. I also think they need to really push their middle and high school programs for kids who are struggling.
 
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