Why are deaf people against those with hearing learning asl?

[DeafNerdMommy]

Years ago, whem i only have modorate hearing loss, I had a guest when I worked at Carl's Jr who was deaf. I saw them staring at the menu and writing stuff down. I was helping another person and had no way of telling them I signed. When they came up he signed he was deaf and I told him I sign. He had just spent 5 minutes writing down his order. I told him I will take the card if he wanted but he tore it up and signed. He was so happy, told me I was the first person he had actually talked to that day. On my break I went out and talked to him somemore. I understand how hard it is to write everything down.

 

[bexx]

I worked at an Unos when I still lived in Baltimore and there was always a gentleman who came in who was deaf. I hadn't decided on becoming an interpreter at this time but I would practice sign now and again; he had asked for a mountain dew and I misunderstood him and brought him the wrong thing. I remember how mad he got and I signed "sorry" and corrected his order. At the time I didn't understand why he got so angry, and the only conclusion I could come up with at the time was maybe he thought I was mocking him? Keep in mind my signing was VERY poor at the time.

 

[Cappy]

I told him I will take the card if he wanted but he tore it up and signed. He was so happy, told me I was the first person he had actually talked to that day. On my break I went out and talked to him somemore.

You are such a sweetheart for doing that.

 

[Cappy]

t the time I didn't understand why he got so angry, and the only conclusion I could come up with at the time was maybe he thought I was mocking him? Keep in mind my signing was VERY poor at the time.

I think, you got a grumpy customer. Keep up the good work.

 

[bexx]

I actually hope you're right and he was lol

 

[Moondancer]

keep practicing with your signing while you are in the bathroom, shower, eating alone and driving (watch yourself on the road!)

 

[DeafDucky]

keep practicing with your signing while you are in the bathroom, shower, eating alone and driving (watch yourself on the road!)

^^ good ideas. I once had an AOL friend who would practice cued speech (her son was about 2 at the time... and yes they knew some ASL too) everywhere... including at the supermarket (still remember watching her do that lol).

 

[Aji]

What is annoying is young people who love SAB TV, or people who are overly solicitous ("I want to help the deaf"), or kids who just want to be "cool." It's also annoying for a hearing person to be on the search for meeting deaf people to use as guinea pigs for deaf-related product development, unpaid ASL tutors, or ASL homework doers, instead of making genuine friendships.

Meh, I was into German at aged 10, but I no longer am that into it. I personally think that in the U.S., all languages other than English are 'fads'. I took mandatory Spanish classes though I do not remember all the basics.

It's kind of like African American Vernacular English. It was cool in the 1990's, but just plain 'broken english' and not widely tasteful these days.

Hearing person: Hi, my name is Ana...wait let me think of next letter....oh yes I remember now, stasia.
Me: zzzzzzzz, oh sorry, my name is ______.
Hearing person: (laughing awkwardly), sorry, please spell slowly.

Me: darn, this subway train just left, have to wait another 15 mins (me thinking oh shit, I will be stuck with this hearing person for another 15 mins)

This post reminded me, do most Deaf people have less respect for those who speak other (oral or written) languages like that? Do most of them speak English? Do most of them find oral English too complicated to interpret? If not, do they always ask hearing people to speak slowly since hearing people might be fast talkers? I'm new to this site and hearing, but I'm interested in different cultures (Deaf or non-Deaf).

 

[Aji]

Most people learning a new language will do exactly that- learn
vocabulary and substitute in the grammar of their first language. If you want to understand grammar of Mandarin talk to a Mandarin speaker in English.

Well, they 'make' it like english because ASL is based on English wording, hence U.S. Deaf schools teach (greatly American) English, and hence most American Deaf people read in English. You can't even compare making ASL like English to making Wolof like English because the Wolof wording is different from English wording, despite them both being written in Latin alphabet. It doesn't matter that Wolof is also sometimes written in Arabic alphabet.

Anyway, for the above reason, people thus think English is simply a written language, rather than an explicably oral one. Certain (spoken) languages were/still are not written because of lacking [neo]colonialism.

 

[Aji]

I recently began learning ASL because my baby brother was born deaf and I want to be able to interact with him on his level and encourage him to embrace himself, but whenever I bring up that I'm learning ASL to a deaf person they seem to get angry at me and act as if I shouldn't even dare try to learn ASL. Why is this? Is it a coping mechanism they use or do they just tend to think ASL belongs to them?

They feel as if they're being colonized. It's similar to Afro-Jamaicans being offended by white people speaking Patois, though I have not come across that feeling. However, I think speaking another language is appreciation, not imperialism.

I can't compare their feeling to how native Americans felt when white people made their religious/cultural objects fashionable, because native American religions/cultures are almost extinct, to the point where they are hardly recognized. As a result, they'd be glad to have more white people speaking the indigenous language. Plus, you have American Deaf organizations dominating foreign countries with ASL.

ASL also benefits hearing kids with communicative disorders since ASL makes it easier for them to excel in communication.

 

[DOD]

I have never heard of that. As far as I can tell, Deaf people encourage learning ASL.

 

[Augusta86]

CADAVIS- I am sorry you have has some resistance. I think it is great that you are learning, and even more so that you are doing it so you can communicate with your brother! I hope you don't let any negative reactions stop you, you have one of the best reasons to be learning and are a part of the signing community. Why do some Deaf people react that way- I think you hit it right with your comment, some feel a sense of pride- language is critical for Deaf culture and ASL has a long hard history of being repressed, forbidden, mocked and marginalized. I know some people who feel put off when hearing people try to learn because it feels stolen, but that is a small group. As an example, Baby Signs is a program (or book, or DVD?) that encourages hearing parent of hearing babies to use rudimentary signs to encourage early linguistic development. While that should be fine, many Deaf people are victims of language deprivation because of myths and biases about allowing deaf or hard of hearing babies having access to ASL (myth:"they can't learn English if they learn ASL", "they will never speak if they can rely on ASL", "they need a 'real' language, and ASL isn't", etc). So the idea that hearing people can casually learn sign and benefit while deaf and hard of hearing people are systematically held back from it is a very real frustration for lots of people. But again, not everyone! I love it when hearing people can sign (or even fingerspelling) because it provides communication access. The only time I get frustrated is when someone says "oh I know sign language", and then doesn't use it (or makes it up!). But that isn't a 'hearing' thing, thats just rudeness Please continue to learn, and if you run into someone with that attitude the best thing to do is show that you are trying, or politely ignore the negativity. Your brother, I am sure, will not have this attitude

 

[sonocativo]

I recently began learning ASL because my baby brother was born deaf and I want to be able to interact with him on his level and encourage him to embrace himself, but whenever I bring up that I'm learning ASL to a deaf person they seem to get angry at me and act as if I shouldn't even dare try to learn ASL. Why is this? Is it a coping mechanism they use or do they just tend to think ASL belongs to them?

Because theyre assholes. I am late deafened and still get that from some and I am "learning" asl myself.

 

[Snowiii]

Wait... there are people who are against it? I never knew this... I mean I get it if someone does it out of pity, I would be made at that. Deaf people are normal people, they don't need pity. However having a bit of experience communicating with a deaf person, she always smiled with my efforts when trying to sign. So this is all knew to me. But again my experience was with EU Portuguese sign language, not other. I truly wish to speak more sign language, specially in english , due to the fact I think is something we should all learn. Nowdays in society is incredibly hard for deaf people to have friends or to do simple tasks cause people just don't give a damn about understanding them. So if I speak it I could have a conversation, get to know them, and even be more educated on the subject.
Hopefully I don't get anyone upset....

 

[Frankenstien]

I don't give a dam if you can sign or not the fact that you notice that I was deaf and went out of your way to talk to me was wierd and cool at the same time but really I don't owe you a listen or a conversation sation any time soon so like basically kidnap is illeagl and you can get shot and arrested for it so is assault

 

[Jane B.]

I just went through this thread again and what I didn't find was anyone bringing up the fact that ASL uses the same words as American English but in such a completely different order. I feel this makes it harder to learn if you have grown up with English. In contrast other languages use different words not just different grammar.

By the way, I tried to learn it through a couple of community college night courses many years ago but made not contacts to continue using it and really learn it.

 

[Griffin134Geco]

I recently began learning ASL because my baby brother was born deaf and I want to be able to interact with him on his level and encourage him to embrace himself, but whenever I bring up that I'm learning ASL to a deaf person they seem to get angry at me and act as if I shouldn't even dare try to learn ASL. Why is this? Is it a coping mechanism they use or do they just tend to think ASL belongs to them?

Hey so I'm hearing and I'm learning ASL. I'm always really worried that I'll offend people because I don't have a very understood reason for learning it. I'm young and already bilingual. I don't have anyone in my family who is deaf and I only have possible mild-moderate hearing loss. I have serious anxiety issues and during panic attacks I find it difficult to speak. Since Ive started learning asl I've found siging as I speak helps me calm down. I think the language is absolutely amazing and I want to use it to make new friends. But I worry it's offensive that I'm learning it for small reasons. I'm being sure to study the history and rules of the community so I'm educated. Is it wrong to learn ASL when you are hearing?

 

[sonocativo]

I just went through this thread again and what I didn't find was anyone bringing up the fact that ASL uses the same words as American English but in such a completely different order. I feel this makes it harder to learn if you have grown up with English. In contrast other languages use different words not just different grammar.

By the way, I tried to learn it through a couple of community college night courses many years ago but made not contacts to continue using it and really learn it.

its the same, just not dragged out. Subject then action.
Like example 1:
My name is mike in English grammar converted to ASL is : My Name, Mike.

example 2:
We are going to the store, do you want to go with us? in English but in ASL is: To Store, you come? I believe I have that correct, it is a little different from the normal English grammar, but once you use it often it becomes natural. Others will sign the exact English grammar know as SEE ( signed exact English )

 

[sonocativo]

I don't give a dam if you can sign or not the fact that you notice that I was deaf and went out of your way to talk to me was wierd and cool at the same time but really I don't owe you a listen or a conversation sation any time soon so like basically kidnap is illeagl and you can get shot and arrested for it so is assault

Why you so bent out of shape about it for someone trying? if you were severely, gravely injured would you feel the same way of someone trying to help you or are you going to shun them away? feel sorry for you.

 

[Reba]

I just went through this thread again and what I didn't find was anyone bringing up the fact that ASL uses the same words as American English but in such a completely different order. I feel this makes it harder to learn if you have grown up with English. In contrast other languages use different words not just different grammar....

ASL does not use American English words--it uses conceptual signs. When English words are used to define signs that is called giving the gloss version of the signs. Gloss words are not direct translations of signs. They are descriptions of the concepts behind the signs.

For example, the sign that is glossed FATHER, could be voiced father, dad, pops, daddy, daddy-o, papa, or pappy, depending on the context. The concept is the same for each word but the interpretation (voiced) or translation (written) is dependent on the context. There is no sign=word equivalence.