Is everyone staring at me? Are they trying to dissect me? I know I am different, but should I embrace my differences or try to assimilate? Will I offend people with my outspokenness? Wait a tick, what do I care? I am who I am whether you accept me or not. I speak my mind, I listen to reason, but I always revert to MY conclusions.
Having two deaf cousins I have been pretty much exposed to the deaf culture all my life, more so than ever after I moved to the US at the age of 12. Mature and poised, I thought I would break new ground in my family by being the first HEARING-ASL proficient individual. Don’t scoff, it’s true! Boy was I wrong. I was given a shot of reality and realized it takes patience and discipline to learn ASL, which is a language just like any other out there. This coupled with the fact that I kept signing “SORRY” for “PLEASE” and vice versa had me thinking twice.
This is when I came up with a language of my own, SSL or “Swetha Sign Language.” It’s a unique blend of signs, lip reading, infused with Indian words and most importantly the INDIAN HEAD NOD (this is when you roll your head and leave people wondering whether you are saying yes or no). Learning this language is very simple. It definitely falls in the Learn-As-You-Go category. Make up your own signs but make sure you accompany it with lip reading. You have to be directly in front of the people you are speaking to so they can see your lips clearly. If you follow these steps, communication won’t be a problem at all.
Don’t believe me? Catch me practicing SSL with my cousins and friends the next time I attend DPHH!
Ciao Ciao.
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SSL, hilarious!
SSL: Indian words, sign, and lipreading? Gosh. I’m probably going to need two and a half interpreters to talk with you! :)
Where’s the Babelfish, now that you need one?!? :) I will look forward to your continued participation at DeafDC.
Ok. I think everyone’s waiting to hear what your take is on a certain situation.
I agree that you need to develop your own style. Everyone signs differently…only very few people sign ASL ‘perfectly’.
Wonderful to see you on board. Welcome! I don’t want to offend anyone. This is purely out of curiosity. Even though you’re now more in tune with deaf-related events and happenings, do you aspire to become “SSL no more, ASL now yes?” As in becoming more fluent over time? Or is SSL your way of saying, “This is what I’m comfortable being at.” I know many hearies have established a comfortable level of communicating that is adequate enough to be understood on a conversational level. But they won’t necessarily be shoo-ins to be interpreters or be able to follow conversations in a group full of fluent ASL users. Your thoughts on that? And thanks, DeafDC.com for diversifying the bloggers!
I was wondering if she was going to have any receptive ASL skills. And just when did it become OK to “make up” or invent signs for concepts that already exist. Isn’t this what we used to call “homemade signs”… I don’t have a good feeling about this one. Just because I’m deaf doesn’t give me the right to sign “die, died, or death it” for a diet soda. Sure it was cute but, who wants to drink a soda that died. Is it ruined? What happened to make it die? I don’t think I would want to drink anything that was alive and now dead… that sounds like a glass of milk. oh my, let’s just not go there!
LOL! I have never heard of signing “death soda” for diet soda. That is TOO funny. Thanks!
Nancye is right on target though. Diet Soda usually has some form of synthetic sugar and we know a lot of rats were sacrificed, against their will, to make that sugar ‘acceptable’ for human consumption.
Remember Saccharide from the ’80s?
Nancye: I used to better at my signs when I lived in the area and had more interaction with deaf individuals. I am not saying that everyone should go out and INVENT their own signs but try to find a medium of communication. Not all hearing persons are exposed to the deaf culture 24/7 and vice versa. There has to be a neutral ground for both to meet in order to better communicate. I am sure the deaf culture is not too comfortable with “Oral Deafies” as the hearing culture would be with them. It’s all a concept of give and take. If hearing people want to assimilate they should try to learn ASL but they may never be 100% proficient at it and that should be understood.
I am the first person you would see trying to practice my ASL when I am around my friends that use them, which is not as often as I would like.
You will do fine! I just had to comment (I’m so darn blunt and straight-forward) and I know all about the oral deafie thang… I have a cochlear implant as of March ‘05 and you know what? It DOES work! And… I’m going for the second one. BUT… I’m still deaf. I’ll aways be deaf. It’s such a blessing to HEAR! Thank God for technology! Having said that, I’m sure I just got nationally excluded from the Deaf Community but, we are all in the same boat no matter what label we wind up with on… “Are you deaf or hearing?” Does it matter? I don’t think so! We are the world, we are the people… as the song goes… “some of us need to get with the program!”
Amen!
Many blessings and nice meeting you online. :)
Haha, it made me smile when you mentioned the confusing indian head nod. I have alot of workers at my company from India. I would see them rolling their heads and wondering if it meant yes or no. Sometimes if I asked a coworker a question, and she or he rolled her/his head. I had to double check with that person if it was a yes or no. Alot of cultural diversity at my work - russians, irish, chinese/malaysians, etc - which are all part of the challenge of working with others and preventing misunderstanding.
I am a code poet in a major bank and definitely can relate to the Indian nod. Thank god for confirmations via email otherwise, a lot of time would be spent on wondering if they said yes or no.
I always take every chance to avoid lip reading because misunderstandings are abound. “What kind is it?”, I would be asked, and I would say, “Its 11:30″.
A friend of mine was attracted to this beautiful lady who was hearing, and she asked him, “Do you read lips?”. He replied, “No, but I feel them”. She got upset and left. I was pretty sure there was some kind of misunderstanding there for I couldn’t think his line would upset someone. I could be wrong.
I always feel that language is something that you should always be a student of. Being in pursuit of learning and improving your language skills is what keeps it interesting and fun.
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