Question for folks who grew up oral only

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deafdyke

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I recently returned from a folk fest. While there, I ended up literally bursting into tears and losing my speech when saying goodbye to someone I love dearly. Luckily she knew ASL and could "read" my signs. When I was younger when I got upset or emotional, I would have meltdowns where I'd lose my speech. Does this happen (losing your speech when you get emotional) to any other oral only folks? I really do think a huge part of it is b/c I didn't develop sophisticated speech until I was three.
 
I grew up orally, and yes, even now when I get really upset or emotional, my jaw clenches and I can't speak. Just happened to me the other day as a matter of fact. It wears off when I calm down, but I am still pensive and won't talk for the rest of the day.
 
lol - if anybody is emotional, he/she cannot communicate lucidly anyway - spoken or signing
 
Jiro said:
lol - if anybody is emotional, he/she cannot communicate lucidly anyway - spoken or signing
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Word. I grew up oral only. When I'm REALLY emotional, I might not be able to express myself like I want to and end up not making sense, in ASL or speaking!
 
Yes - When I would get upset (or when I was really ill etc) I wouldn't speak. Some times I wasn't ABLE to speak (due to frustration, unable to find words etc) and sometimes because I was so angry at having to do all the "communication work" that I'd just "shut off" and make THEM work for a while.

From the time I knew ANY sign when upset I would go "voice off" and switch into using my limited sign vocabulary (started learning individual signs out of SEE & ASL books from the library etc when I was about 7years old). I'm still like that - when I get upset, tired, not feeling well etc - I just don't have the energy or focus for speech/listening ... I flip into ASL (not always the most eloquent if I'm upset etc, but certainly MUCH more understandable than any speech I'd be able to use)


I remember when I was in 7th grade (so 11years old) that I got SO fed up with the "professionals" and teachers that I stopped talking in school for an entire month - I JUST signed (all my answers to my teachers etc with my limited knowledge of signing) - of course no one had a clue what I was saying! I was so tired of being pulled out for hearing tests (the useless school kind) because they thought my hearing might be causing the to fall behind (I guess) - however when I continually asked everyone (parents, teachers, audiologists etc) for support services including being able to learn ASL properly and have interpreters in class, not to mention teachers that didn't talk to the board constantly while also accusing me of "pretending to be deaf" (+120db HL - I don't have to "pretend"!). The reasons they give me for why they couldn't/wouldn't give me any support services varied from that I: "didn't qualify", "they didn't have anything","I needed to listen better"(+120db HL!!!) etc... eventually I just "had enough"

It's interesting to see that I'm not alone in the "voice off" reaction !
 
Yes - I find that happening. Not just in an emotional setting though. I find that I forget how to say words quite frequently. And no, I have had enough tests to know that it's not some brain mis-function, it's just forgetting how to say it due to not hearing the spoken word for a while.
 
Sure. When you are emotionally upset your voice does break up. It's quite common.
 
deafdyke said:
I recently returned from a folk fest. While there, I ended up literally bursting into tears and losing my speech when saying goodbye to someone I love dearly. Luckily she knew ASL and could "read" my signs. When I was younger when I got upset or emotional, I would have meltdowns where I'd lose my speech. Does this happen (losing your speech when you get emotional) to any other oral only folks? I really do think a huge part of it is b/c I didn't develop sophisticated speech until I was three.
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The term for this in common english is the idiom/phrase "choked up with tears" or "choking back over tears". Happens to anyone.
 
naisho said:
The term for this in common english is the idiom/phrase "choked up with tears" or "choking back over tears". Happens to anyone.
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I never heard of "choking back over tears." You mean "choking back the tears?" Sorry to be nitpicking but I just HAD to speak up. :lol:
 
alrighty then, whatever gets the point across. Thought I saw it used in some context like that - I come across something like this but don't really use them myself.
 
kokonut and naisho, I do know about that happening with hearing people. But it does seem like with hearing people it happens when they are VERY emotional.
And it doesn't happen just when I'm upset ...emotional means a lot more then sobbing.
 
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