I don't know how many of you have ever met a deaf person. But if you have, all the better.
These past 6 months I have been enrolled in American Sign Language classes. Which meant not only have I worked hard at learning this amazing language, but I've had the oppritunity to meet deaf people. They are a small minority and many are underestimated. Still many more hearing people assume that they cannot function in society since they cannot hear, this is bogus.
You would be amazed at the amount of functionality one has by relying on sight and touch to communicate. You can communicate almost anything through American Sign Lanugage which is this minority's language in America. Did you know each country as their own Sign langauge with their own grammer, syntax, slang etc? Did you know that American Sign Language has it's own grammer, syntax, culture, slang etc? Is it's own langauge with it's own native users.
I had the chance to recently enteract with a couple and at times I felt like I was the one couldn't understand and express myself, since I am only in my second year (quarter) of ASL. As some people know, their has been a deaf women has won an Oscar. I don't know how many of you saw the commercial before the superbowl, but it was all in ASl and quite funny. Just the fact that a commerical was aired where there was English subtitles as shown how far this country has gone in honoring the minorty.
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A few more pieces of advice. Don't post a lot in a row or in close proximity (time-wise). It often turns people off and, with the scholarship in full swing, if you post two blogs close to each other they could both get knocked off the recent blog list around the same time so less people will see your stuff.
Also, double space after paragraphs are good. Shoula mentioned that before...
"What a man does for pay is of little significance. What he is, as a sensitive instrument responsive to the world's beauty, is everything!"
H. P. Lovecraft
My partner recently graduated from an ASL interpreting program, and I remember when she was just a class or two in. Your post reminds me of how excited she was to learn all of that stuff.
You are in a good position to advocate for the Deaf community. So many people think of them as disabled, but THEY don't. Have you learned much about the history of ASL and Deaf people in the US? It's a pretty gruesome story. They are yet another minority that has been horribly abused up until recent history. Few hearing people realize that. As you continue learning the language, keep learning about Deaf culture and keep their history and experience in mind so you can always work for their best interest.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Yup, so far I've had to read two books about the deaf culture and history. It's pretty interesting! I agree. It would be worthless to learn a langauge and not know anything about the people who use it. It's just so thrilling to learn to communicate in ASL.
I have thought about the Interpreting program but haven't made up my mind yet!
It's good money, stable work, but it is TOUGH! You have a responsibility to be GOOD. So only do it if you love it.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I have also learned a bit of ASL, and it amazes me how much easier it is to learn than a foreign language. It's a very logical "language."
I don't know how many of you have ever met a deaf person. But if you have, all the better.
These past 6 months I have been enrolled in American Sign Language classes.
I've never met a deaf person but ASL classes would seem interesting.It would be a good skill to have.
+mspin
It totally is a good skill to have. Not only does it allow you to communicate with the deaf people, but it allows you to be more expressive and open with your ideas and thoughts! Definatley something you ought to do!
Sadly, I've never met a deaf (or Deaf) person in my life.
Well I didn't say you had to. I just was asking if you had. Maybe one day you will!