Chapter 21: Will Deaf People Sign With Hearing People They Do Not Know?

The information provided in this chapter seems rather contradictory to information I had been given previously.  I have been told before that Deaf people appreciate it when Hearing people make efforts to use ASL and that they are, for the most part, more than happy to help beginners improve with ASL.  This chapter, however, made it seem like you should only interact with them in certain situations and not take it to heart if they do not want to sign with you...rather conflicting messages.  I can certainly see where it would be interpreted as insulting to be treated as if you cannot do anything on your own.  I suppose it is just a tricky situation.  The only opportunities I have had to interact with Deaf people in public (not at a deaf event) were before I had started taking ASL.  I work as a host at Cracker Barrel and a group of four Deaf people came in once.  When I greeted them they all started signing the same thing, what I now know to be WE DEAF WE.  At the time I did not understand what they were saying.  We just gestured and smiled to communicate and we did just fine without someone interpreting.  The Deaf people I have communicated with since beginning to learn ASL at Deaf Culture Events seemed more than happy to help me increase my vocabulary and communication skills.  I would say it is mostly a matter of context and the personality of the Deaf individual.  

Chapter 20: Should ASL Count as a Foreign Language?

Well I certainly think it should; I'm taking it for my foreign language.  The only argument of the list presented (ASL is not a language; ASL is not foreign; ASL has no culture; ASL has no literature) that I think has any worth is the ASL has no literature argument simply because it is the only argument on that list which is remotely true.  I think the writers' claims that it could eventually develop a written form are a little far-fetched.  If the deaf community deviated from English as their system to communicate through writing and reading, they would completely seal themselves off from communicating with the English-speaking world, and that is a rather lonely idea as there is not exactly a plentiful number of ASL users to communicate with.  There is also the point that it is simply easier to not change things and continue to read and write in English.  I think it is silly to say that it does not count as a foreign language simply because there is no widely-used written form, however.  Not having to include literature in the curriculum gives more time to more thoroughly learn the key interactive communication components to the language.

Chapter 19: The Evolution of Total Communication

Total Communication started out as a compromise by Gallaudet so that children could learn ASL with the option of picking up Oral skills.  The term has been adopted by supporters of the oral method, however, and bent to mean learning the oral method with a little bit of ASL thrown in.  Simultaneous Communication is signing while speaking which typically ends up being very sloppy as far as the sign part goes.  Bilingual-Bicultural is a method where ASL is used to teach English.  Again we have many opinions on the many variations of Sign Language.  It must be a horrible feeling to have to pick a path for your deaf child when you know very little about what would be best for them with so many options and so many different opinions as to what is best.  Perhaps on the primary education level it would be best if there were not so many choices to ensure that all deaf children have a good foundation to build off of with whichever variation and style they choose to use.  Parents of deaf children should be educated on the pros and cons of each approach at the very least.

Chapter 18: The Sign Language Spectrum

I found the idea of Sign Language as a spectrum quite interesting.

"Think of a broad arc.  On the right are the 'pure ASL' users; on the left, the 'pure English' users.  Pidgin Sign English, which borrows features from both ASL and English, would be situated in the middle of the arc, a bit towards the right.  Signed English would be a bit more towards the left.  But both are distinct from ASL."--pg. 123, p. 2

 I would hope that I fall maybe slightly to the left of "pure ASL;" that is what I am aiming for, anyway.  I do not know which of the signs in my vocabulary are derived from Signed English and which are considered pure ASL, so I cannot say which categories of signs I use more, but I do my best to use the ASL syntax.  I am starting to get slightly overwhelmed by the growing number of variations on Sign Language that are being discussed.  I find it amazing that people who use different variations can still communicate with each other.  It's almost like the specific variation you use is part of your style and is flexible to change as opposed to spoken languages where even though accents and dialects may differ, there is not really a spectrum or continuum from one language to another; you have to completely learn a new spoken language from scratch.  I wonder if there is anything more to ASL purists thinking all who sign should use pure ASL other than just superiority, manifest destiny-type attitudes.  I could see in an academic setting being a stickler for ASL, but out in the world that just seems snooty.

Chapter 17: "Pidgin" Sign Language

At first I was annoyed that people have to make things so complicated by not just learning the correct sentence structure of ASL.  A line from the text made me think differently, however:

"Since ASL is an extraordinarily flexible language, ASL users readily understand signers who use Signed English or PSE..."--pg. 121, p. 1

ASL is different from spoken languages in that it is much more flexible, and this code switching is something that should be taken advantage of.  Snootily insisting on only using the correct form of ASL prevents communication that could otherwise be had, and deaf people cannot afford in most cases to be picky about who they can communicate with.  In a mindset of using a language in daily life over in a academic setting, being able to communicate is more important than communicating correctly.  I do find it interesting, however, that some signers are annoyed by the misuse of ILY but not by the--to put it crudely--butchering of their language.  Perhaps they think that people who use PSE are trying harder than those who merely flash ILY.  PSE is a mixture of English word order and ASL word order at least, unlike Manually Coded English.  

I have never seen or heard Pidgin forms of other languages, but now I am rather curious.  I wonder if using a mixture of Spanish and English counts as a Pidgin form or not; the degrees of Spanish and English in these mixes vary.  They also seem to involve a lot of speaking louder, as if that will help make things more clear.  I wonder if there is a lot of frustration expressed in PSE.

Chapter 16: Learning ASL From Home

The opening letter made me slightly sad.  I don't like thinking about people losing anything they have come to depend on.  I wonder if it would be worse to lose your hearing or to be born deaf; I suppose there is no real way to compare the two.  Even if Theordora Scrivner manages to learn ASL or "Pidgin Sign English" in isolation, what good will it do when it gets to the point where sign is her only means of communication?  Yes she will have the means to communicate, but who with?  If she cannot find a person fluent in ASL to practice with, who will she sign with once she has learned it?  It must be quite challenging for deaf people to find a community with those they can communicate with.  It is probably worth it for Theordora to move to a more urbanized area with more deaf people if she is not overly set in her home.  If she stays where she is, she will probably become very lonely unless she lives with people who will be dedicated to learn ASL alongside her.

I agree with what the authors said about learning from books and illustrations.

"We've watched hearing children and adults teaching themselves signs from illustrations.  They usually get it wrong."--pg. 116, p. 3

I find it very frustrating to attempt to learn signs from pictures.  I am very pro-video.  

Quiz: Chapters 1-15

I got 8/10 questions correct.  5 I just was not sure about (All sign languages have the same basic structure--the subject comes first.  False).  I knew that signed English did not have that structure, but I also do not think signed English is an actual language on its own.  I was not sure if it was a trick question or not as in ASL, time trumps subject/topic.  10 I missed (The "ILY" sign has been in widespread use since World War II.  False).  I believe it has been in widespread use since Carter used it, but I do not know when he was president.  I will try to retain more information for the next quiz.

Chapter 15: More on Fingerspelling and Why Hearing Children Should Learn It

I agree that everyone should learn fingerspelling, though I found some of their examples rather comical.  For example,

(Referring to those within sight but not within sound and the usefulness of fingerspelling) "This, of course, depends on the angle of vision, eyesight, and distance.  If you're both equipped with binoculars, you can read each other's fingerspelling across a considerable distance."--pg. 109, p. 5

I do not know a single person who carries around binoculars with them on a regular basis.  Anyway, I found many of the examples to be quite useful.  Underwater I have not tried but that makes perfect sense.  As for fingerspelling in inappropriate situations, my little brother and I use that all the time.  I learned the manual alphabet when I was 12 and taught it to my brother who was at the time 7.  We fingerspell in Church and at other no-talking semi-fancy events, and our mother has completely given up on trying to get us to stop.  Since I have started taking ASL I, I have gotten a lot better at reading his fingerspelling.  Before now he was always better than me.  I'm not sure if that is because he learned it younger or if it was just a difference in abilities.

I think all children should learn to sign beyond just fingerspelling.  I also think they should start learning right away, not just in preschool-first grade.  Babies can sign-babble earlier than they can speech-babble, so there's the benefit of being able to communicate with your children earlier.  This would also let those who have to sign be less isolated.  Even though ASL is a different language from English, since it uses English writing and reading it seems like the two languages are intertwined enough that it makes sense to know both.

Chapter 14: Fingerspelling

I had not previously thought about doing actual hand and finer exercises to improve fingerspelling; I had previously been under the impression that practice was the only way to get better.  A suggestion not listed in the book for how to improve clarity and speed for finger spelling that I have heard is to finger spell signs you see on a road trip.  The area of fingerspelling that seems like it would be the most difficult to practice would be receptive for me.  Perhaps I shall try googling some samples of fingerspelling to practice reception, but a real partner does seem like it would be best.  I shall dedicate more of my lab time to practicing fingerspelling.  I think my biggest issue with fingerspelling is getting into the mindset of it.  At first I will be very bad at forming the letters I want and might get hung up on one letter I miss during reception and then miss all of the others, too.  If I practice more throughout the day, perhaps this will be reduced.

"Skilled ASL users fingerspell sparingly, but at a characteristically ''lightning' pace."--pg. 107, p. 5

This is what frustrates me the most, I think.  I am always told whether it is from the book or from experienced signers that clarity is more important than speed, yet they sure seem proud of their speed.   It kind of reminds me of typing.  Perhaps I shall try to think of it that way and see if it helps.  Typing quickly is impressive, yet typing at a moderate pace while hitting the correct keys is much more useful than typing quickly and making many mistakes.  Eye contact is something else that brings me to a loss.  How can one concentrate simply through peripheral vision, especially if the person signing is not mouthing the word?  I hope I get better at making eye contact with people who are fingerspelling.

Chapter 13: ILY

I found this chapter very amusing.  Everyone is annoyed by ignorance of their culture, and I can defiantly understand why over-use of ILY could greatly annoy some deaf people if they are in a bad mood.  It seems like it would be interpreted as an attempt to bridge a communication gap by open-minded, optimistic deaf people.  I liked the stories in this chapter, especially the one about the little girl who knew the ILY sign from Sesame Street.

"When she saw the couple standing by their car bravely flashing the ILY, she cried, 'Daddy, stop!  Those people are deaf, and they need help!'"--Linda Bove, pg. 102, p. 1

I personally think it's a pretty amazing things that one sign can gain trust and bring such different people together.  I feel bad for those who are bitter for the "cheapening" of the sign.  The English words "I love you" are considered to be overused by some, yet the majority of people still say it without flashing and receiving bitter looks.  The authors seem to understand both sides of the issue.

As for ILY becoming "commercialized" by Carter's use of it and perhaps Sesame Street:  I like to think of it as broadening education or communication, not just a "cheapening" of something sincere.  Perhaps it would be best if some of the ASL culture that goes with the sign also be "commercialized" to calm the sour wrath of deaf people irked by the ignorant masses.

Chapter 12: ASL Resources and Signing Size

I am rather confused by what Tammy Kirk meant by "bigger signs" and why she thinks size of signs impact her ability to help people using ASL, and it seems like the authors are rather confused, as well.  I think their list of resources would be helpful for anyone, though.  I had not previously thought about looking in an average book store but now that I think about it, it would not surprise me at all if there is an ASL for Dummies book or other such helpful resources.  I personally use ASLpro.com for my extra resource along with asking people who know ASL what a certain sign is.  I like these sources because they are easy to access and free.  Even though I find ASL books interesting, I do not think I would personally choose a book as my number-one source as they do not show the signs in action and books tend to be expensive.  I think I use the recommended signing space for the most part.  I"ll pay more attention from now on to make sure I am being accurate and clear.

Chapter 11: Respecting Other Cultures and their Preferred Signs

I can see where alerting people who are not native signers to offensive signs is important.  I know that certain terms in English are offensive because of my interactions with a variety of people using the language; for those who do not communicate in a language on a regular basis (such as ASL-as-a-second-language people), remembering which signs are acceptable and which are not acceptable is confusing.  I do not understand how certain terms come to be interpreted as offensive and others stay acceptable.  I would have thought by now that in the English language, any racial label referring to color would be considered offensive (as they are inaccurate, anyway; I have never met someone who was truly "white" or truly "black") but they are both deemed acceptable for the most part.  Other things in the English language that are considered offensive I do not understand the reasoning for.

"The term 'Oriental,' denoting persons from the Asian-Pacific nations and cultures, has lately come under fire as being patronizing and inaccurate."--pg. 94, p. 5

This I do not understand at all.  I do think it is very important to respect groups of people by avoiding terms they find offensive, though, even if the reasoning behind the offense is a mystery.  Keeping straight which signs are offensive and which signs are acceptable will be challenging for me.  I shall have to put extra effort into this.

Chapters 8, 9, and 10: Round-about Learning, Cross-Culture Variations in Humor, and Visual Accents

While reading chapter eight I could not stop thinking about the roles of hearing parents of deaf children in their children's language acquisition.  Of the options given for how deaf children learn ASL (learn from deaf parents or learn from deaf children when they enter school), no option was given of hearing parents teaching their deaf children ASL.  Surely the majority of hearing parents with deaf children want what is best for their children and would research and discover that ASL is the best option.  This chapter seemed to portray that all hearing people are against the use of ASL and either prefer oral methods (in the case of the teachers) or do not give their children much of a language foundation at all (in the case of the parents).  I cannot accept that this is truly the way things are in the current time, though I have no real-world experience with hearing parents with deaf children under school age to make any sort of connection.  This is an issue I would like to learn more about.

Variations on humor  cross-culturally is something I had not previously thought about though it makes sense.  I find it rather sad that in order to truly appreciate the humor of a language you really need to know it natively.  I am glad they included the letter to the editor by David Anthony with his sarcastic English puns and annoyance at the Deaf being treated like a subclass of human.  Deaf culture and ASL are completely native to him I would assume as he says that both of his parents are "true self born Deaf" which I think gives his perspective both strength and weakness.  He obviously understands the plight of the Deaf, but he has not experienced the plight of Deaf children with hearing parents.  I thought the reply was quite effective and polite.  The description of fake and real ASL humor was interesting, but experiencing it first-hand would help.  I suppose I'll never truly understand it, though, just as David Anthony has much to be desired in the area of English puns. 

I would imagine that accents in a visual language would cause more confusion than accents in a speaking language based on the examples of "birthday," "soon," and "outside" which appeared to be completely different signs more so than a slight difference in shape or motion (numbers 16-19) or some parallel to speaking pronunciation.  At least different accents of ASL are easier to understand that different accents of other visual languages.  I would like to see more examples of ASL accents in conversation form.