1.Deaf culture has often been described as being more blunt, frank and direct than hearing culture.
Deaf
people seem to be promoting this type of openness with each other and the world at large. Why do you
think Deaf people are more likely to ‘tell it as it is’? Explore different reasons and support your opinions
with logical arguments or facts, making sure to also try to think from the perspective of a Deaf person.
Deaf culture focuses on the visual modality, which is not sensitive to auditory noise.
2. From what you have learned so far, what are some of the major similarities and differences between
ASL and your native language? Establish at least five points or criteria to compare and contrast ASL and
your language.
ASL has its own unique set of grammatical rules, which differ from those of English. For
example, ASL does not use articles such as “a,” “an”and the use of pronouns can vary
depending on the context of the conversation.
3. You have come far in your ASL learning journey, and along the way, you have learned not only the basic
elements to help you conduct a conversation in ASL but also the rich history and culture behind the Deaf
community. How close (or different!) is the American Deaf culture to your culture? If you have had the
chance to be in contact with the Deaf community, feel free to use some anecdotes to help illustrate your
points about the similarity or difference of the two cultures.
Learning sign language provides an avenue for individuals to immerse themselves in
Deaf culture. This immersion allows them to experience the unique and diverse world of
the Deaf community, with its distinctive struggles, strengths and individuals who may
otherwise remain unknown.
4. ASL is not a universal sign language, however, for those Deaf people involved in international business,
government affairs, and other types of organizations, there is a mode of manual communication called
“Gestuno” that is only known by those who need to use it. It is not a formal language, but is a way to cross
the barriers of international signed languages. Do you think that a universal manual language would be a
good idea? Why or why not? What about a universal spoken and written language? Why or why not?
There is no universal language for the deaf – all over the world, different sign languages
have developed that vary from one another.
5. Have you noticed any changes, however small, in your speaking pattern or body language since you
started learning ASL? Do you now listen or observe people engaged in conversations in a different way?
Discuss any changes you’ve noticed, or if you haven’t noticed any change and don’t expect to see
changes, and give your opinion on why that might be and whether it might be related to the frequency with
which you use ASL or the level of your involvement in the Deaf community.
I’ve been understanding and learning more about ASL. If you say one thing, but your
body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you're being
dishonest.
