I think my language learning has gone well so far. My knowledge of deaf culture has increased dramatically and that has been very helpful. Because one of my goals is to be able to talk about religion in ASL, attending a church meeting held in ASL has been a great help to me.
Knowing the language is just one aspect of a culture. It is important to not only know what to say, but how to say it, which is of the utmost important when speaking American Sign Language. Because so much of a conversation in ASL is dependent on facial expressions, just knowing the signs does not necessarily mean you will be able to communicate your point effectively. Body language and facial expressions all contribute to the culture and language of ASL.
Learning about deaf culture has certainly been an eye opener. I always knew that there were still people who had incorrect ideas about the deaf (that they are all intellectually handicapped, that they are unable to communicate effectively, etc…), but it runs much deeper than I believed. I definitely need to learn more about deaf culture and about the stigmas that surround it. I’m sure that even when others see me in public signing, they automatically believe certain things about me, even though it is obvious that I am hearing (because I (as of right now) still speak more than I sign).
I always meet with my language partner in a public place (like a restaurant or a store). There are always people looking at us oddly. I’m sure they do not mean to in a bad way and they don’t mean to stare, but it is very rare to see people signing in public. There is not a large deaf population in Virginia and I cannot remember a time when I saw a deaf person speaking sign language in a public place. Because it is clear that I am not deaf, I’m sure many people wonder why I am learning ASL. It is not a language that many people want to learn and if I met someone else learning ASL, I would probably assume that they had a family member or close friend who was deaf and they wanted to be able to communicate with them.
Even though the culture surrounding ASL exists in the United States, it still differs greatly from what we consider to be “American” culture in some aspects. One thing that springs to mind is how often touching is used to communicate something. We often yell or say something to someone in order to get their attention, but that’s not possible with the deaf. It is completely normal to tap someone on the shoulder or arm to get their attention, even if you don’t know them, because it is most likely the best way to get their attention. I find deaf culture to be incredibly interesting and I can’t wait to find out more about it so I can communicate better with the deaf.
Comments