Not very hard

Originally Posted by SB_GB_4ever
I prefer PSE that is what i have learned and am still learning. For hearing people like me ASL is ver easy to sign but very hard to understand. I would go with PSE.

gnulinuxman replies:
Hmmm...I'm a hearing person and don't have that many problems understanding ASL. I would prefer it if people wouldn't generalize like that.

Alldeaf

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For the USA, PSE is like broken BSL which is based in the UK. Its nice to know that a hearing person to understand ASL plus defend this beautiful language!

This quote 'For hearing people like me ASL is very easy to sign but very hard to understand' is not very true, my hearing friends who sign BSL fluently way too better than Deaf broken-BSL users understanding me completely.

My passion

Photography

Painting/illustration

Good quotes!

An educator attended a convention in the mid-west at 1990's. During one of the workshops, a hearing mother said proudly that her oral son aged five had seven words in his vocabulary: "He can pronounce seven words perfectly." Another hearing mother said proudly that her oral son had 15 words in his vocabulary and could pronounce the 15 words fairly well. Several deaf mothers gasped: "Seven words?" "15 words?" The two hearing mothers nodded with the glowing joy. The several deaf mothers then said, "Why? My deaf children have over 500 words in ASL."

Jean Boutcher, 1994




I happen to be postlingually deaf and speak quite well. When I have to, I use my voice in situations like ordering food in a restaurant.

My mother, on the other hand, is prelingually deaf and never has been able to speak despite years of speech therapy as a child. She always signs or writes on paper.

Technically speaking, in terms of ability, I should be considered the least sheltered member of my family because I can use the mode of communication used by hearing people.

However, it doesnt work out that way; what usually happens is that the minute I use my voice, hearing people inadvertantly assume I can hear better than my mother and they begin to talk faster. In no time, Im lost. I have to say "whoa, waitaminute, back up a bit here..." and the hearing person has to repeat the whole thing. And they usually have to repeat often.

My mother, on the other hand, writes down her question on a piece of paper and establishes from the get-go that she's completely deaf. With that understood, the hearing person is usually more accomodating and writes back on the notepad. In no time, my mother has the information she wants, while I'm still going "eh, what did you say?" with my superior (but worthless in this situation) speaking skills.

Mark Deffman, 1995

Most of ASL signs links to English letters

ASL is great but most signs links to English letters. For example, signed 'People' with fingerspelled 'P'

Who created it? hearing?

BSL doesn't have these..

Point to my ear and 'pen and paper'

At any shop, I usually point to my ear (I move my lip - 'DEAF' without a voice) and gestured 'pen paper... pen paper... pen paper...' with my eye raised to control my frustration. These hearing cashiers would drop their cheerful face to puzzled face, thinking they wished I was forced to go to Mary Hare.

I have been treated like a deaf and dumb child, one time at McDonald's, the cashier (he reminded me of my old dinner-ladies at the mainstream school) had a brief chat with 2 other cashiers while he get some food for me, they looked at me and then smiled at me like I was a cute black baby or something.

That cashier gave me food. I knew how much it was because I can see how much on the till front even if it weren't there, I still would know but he pointed at the till cheerfully like a mental patient. He apparently embarrassed me in front of other customers who may not know I am Deaf.. as if they might think I could be anything except Deaf.

I tried to control my frustration and give him the excat amount I paid. He looked at these for 5 seconds... his expression was like a miracle, making it sounds I can be able to count how much and pay - £2.38. Luckily he couldn't see my red face as Im black, I walked off... worse, he was smiling when I turned around. I would like to strangle his neck, he even may be still smiling!

What would happens if I speak flunetly? He might treat me like a hearing man (with a good breath!). Other cashiers and him could hand-shake and congratulate me for breaking my voice not BSL!

It would be much less frustrating and more intergrating for my Deaf grandchildren if BSL to be taught at all UK schools because most hearing expect us Deaf can understand them through speaking 100 PERCENT! I wonder how they feel if I expect them to understand me through flunet BSL. I know some hearing workers can sign basic BSL which I feel less uncomfortable and relaxable.

Not many Deaf people can speak very well, not same level as hearing. More like a working-class child voice or even can't sing! I can't imagine if an oral person try to sing in front of Simon Cowell.. ahem!

Imagine if BSL is legalised plus BSL taught at all UK schools long time ago, I wouldn't have to do the point to my ear/pen paper thing again. We would be treated equally.

In South America, I once asked a lovely woman for pen and paper, not because she is Deaf-impaired, not because she is GSL-impaired (Guyanese SL), not because she is ASL-impaired... because she signs in SEE!!! Signed Exact English! Ar-r-r-r-r-r-r-gh! She is hearing herself and Nigerian. Actually I met a person who uses SEE for the first time. I found this very very very uncomfortable because I had to follow her hands and lips at the same time (like I'm Deaf-impaired, look at hands) because I find it almost impossible to understand her if I look at her beautiful face.

She learned that from the BOOK and church in Nigeria. I don't know what situation over there. (One of new VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) volunteers who is Deaf Canadian woman Christine will work with the Deaf-blind community in Nigeria this year. It wil be interesting to know more about her diary!)

She thought it would help Deaf people to literate through SEE. She believed (yep past tense) that sign language affected reading and writing skill. I explained to her a lot. Deaf children would excel in English and sign language by language development at early ages plus teacher had to be able to use both English and sign language. Of course that's bilingual education. I also explained that I born hearing but became Deaf when I was 18 months old with meningitis, my Mum chosen BSL for me as first language at Thorn Park for the Deaf (bilingual edcation) but their education was so poor. I was supposed to learn at same age level which I really didn't. All my hearing teachers weren't like Deaf teacher who knows best. Their teaching should be for babies. So my Mum found out and not happy with my literacy skill, so at 11, I was transfered to the mainstream which wasn't strong enough for me as my English was slowly better since I was 11. Although mines much better since 16. I realised that I should use both BSL and English at same level.

I teached GSL to that woman, it was more relaxable. Better than an awkwardly form -SEE. Plus GSL saved my sore eyes.

At the moment, my English is same level as SSE users meaning my English need a lot of work on because I respect and admire English unlike most SSE users on BSL. May I excel in English one day? Unlikey but I would be happy if mines get better and better.

best breath comment!

Hearing mutes are people

Lejon said...

I love you, Carl! I'm Deaf (yes, with a capital "D"), but I'm not a mute. Because I can speak fluently. (Ironically, I do feel that it's an unfortunate that I can speak.) It IS OK for anyone who can't speak and they call themselves mutes.

Again, I love you man!

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I rarely see a person who speaks fluently admit that he is 'D'eaf! Almost like it was really a CODA!

best breath blog!

'Can you lipread? Yes but'

Kalalau's Korner:
Last Thursday I had an honor to accompany Frank Parker who is the (hard-of-hearing) headmaster of Horizons Academy of Maui to a reception in honor of a new school principal, Ms. LeeAnn DeLima, at Kamehameha School Maui. It was a great Hawai’ian celebration, and numerous influential people came to this ceremony.

While waiting in the line to congratulate Ms. DeLima, we had some small talks with people around us. Right behind us was a lady by the name of Ms. BJ Alexander, who is the CEO of Kamehameha Schools in all Hawai’i. She was very sociable and friendly. Upon discovering that I am Deaf, she quickly asked if I could read lips. I answered yes but explained that it would be a lot of work and that I would miss a lot of it. She would have to speak to me very slowly. I told her I use American Sign Language. She was very impressed and we talked a little bit about teaching the language and culture of the Deaf and Deaf Education in general.

When it was our turn to meet and congratulate Ms. DeLima, I got very excited. Frank Parker introduced me to her, using as much ASL as he could. I could sense how impressed she was because she offered me a kiss. I became flippant.


Comments

Jay Croft said...
When hearing people ask me, "Can you read lips," I often respond, "Not too well. Can you?"

Epeachy News said...
Jay,I like your comment - (can you?)I'll try to remember that when hearing people ask me near in the future.

DeafLinux said...
And in addition, tell them with the "lights on or off?" That will make them think.

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Plus I like his other blog... Philosophy and Deaf children

One of my favourtie quotes..

"I have been fighting against the legacy of empire all my life... Anybody who has thought of giving me this OBE can't have read my work."

"It's partly the protest against this government, but to be honest if there wasn't this war happening I still wouldn't accept this OBE from the Queen," the poet said.

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Black poet Benjamin Zephaniah's quote is perfectly an example for against the war. Just remember the British Empire killed countless Africans plus destoryed their values and communities.

You are wayne-r!

I am talking about Wayne Bridge the left-back Chelsea player. He is officially a cheat. He is left-back obviously. Yeah that's Asshley Hole. His wife was once racist calling a toliet attendent who is black (no, not British Empire era) a black bitch, unfortuntely born-bred Bradford singer Kim Walsh's mate.

Anyway Asshley Hole must advise Wayne-r to act wound, shot by a sniper. Why? Wayne-r has been talked to the linesman afterward, then that fool told referee. Send our hold-a-heart player off.

I think young guns should deserve a win because they are not rich bastards like £100,000,000 players. We played much better than those diamond-diggers.

Well done, Theo Walcott for your first goal!

Scotland's newspaper Daily Record and Dumb

Daily Record

SIGNS OF THE TIMES
By Hilary Barclay

IMAGINE if your baby could tell you when they needed their nappy changed, when they were hungry or thirsty, or even if they wanted second helpings.

Well it is now claimed that they can - and from as early as three months old.
A simplified version of the British Sign Language designed for the deaf and dumb is being taught to some hearing infants.

Using sign language to communicate with babies and toddlers has been the subject of 20 years' research in America and is now part of the school curriculum over there.

Now we have our own Scottish "baby whisperer" in the form of Yvonne Mitchell, who is teaching this second language in nurseries and pre-school groups in Glasgow, Paisley and East Kilbride.
The 37-year-old said: "Parents are probably signing to their children already without realising it. For example, when they wave goodbye in an exaggerated fashion and say 'ta-ta'.

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I am sure anti-BSL supporters are secretly sniggering (maybe just nerve thing)... ghosts of pro-Milan 1880 too.

As a British VSO volunteer, I facilitated Deaf awareness across Guyana, South America. Still Scotland who is part of Britain still call us deaf and dumb... Ah, Nationalist issue... obviously!

Should I ask a Deaf Guyanese VSO volunteer to come here for helping Deaf awareness in Britain? UNICEF would agree...

Shame on you, Daily Record and dumb!

"You are like a white man"

Implied racist or prejudicial statements:

There are a number of phrases that when used are insulting. Often the person uttering them
is “unaware of the layers” of attitudes that they reveal. They frequently feign ignorance of the
statements which further compounds the issue. Some examples are:

1) One of my best friends is Black.
2) I don’t see “color”, I just you as a person.
3) You people should...
4) Why are you so upset about...
5) All African Americans have good voices, play basketball well etc.
6) Calling an African American/Black male “boy” or “son”
7) What do Black people think about..
8) Referring to Blacks as “culturally deprived”
9) You are not like most other Blacks, you are different
10) Anyone as a credit to their race
11) You don’t sound/talk/sign Black

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This quote “You are not like most other Blacks, you are different” must be indirect racist. In my view, I am sorry but white people are most racist of all. Imagine hearing teachers and doctors are most audist of all. They don't need to think negative thing about us black. I know alot of white people turn around when it comes to racism issue because when they say something sensitivity they easily can offend any races. Whenever I talk about racism, some friends sometime say forget it and move on. They may afraid that they say something offending me (Im really open-minded, so I don't take 'anything', just depend) But did they learn anything? Nowadays, look at Islamaphobia. I feel so pissed with ignorant because some people said bad things about Muslim, thinking I am involved, no fucking way! I wouldn't be hypocrite because white said same bad thing about black in the past, so why would I support them or kiss their arse?

Funnily I got only one comment on my post - Miserable white woman, that's good because she learned something. Of course Deaf-UK debate on veiled Mulism woman alot but comment on non-white blogger's website? Most of them wouldn't watch racist films which I love, like 'Mississippi Burning' or 'American History X'.

Still, they automatically say "I am not a racist because I have a black friend". Bullshit.

Some of my white friends really thought, I learned from the white society academically and professionally. I would be a coconut like Obama then! I learned alot from who? Mum. She is 100% black. My Mum's side is more like middle-class family, many family members graduated with BA/BSc or MA/MSc either in England, Canada, USA and Dominica. Even my grandfather was a defence lawyer, his unemployed clients had to work on his garden for court fee and everything.

In fact, Africans achieve much more than West Indians because they got their own languages, strong values, strong communities etc comparing to West Indians who were unfortunately slaves. I applaud Africans.

Even worse, someone thought I was a bad boy, still she knows me for years! Some white people are not good too. What about Chavs? YOBs? BNP? Combat 18? We have been racially attacked by some WHITE men when I was 12. They smashed Mum's car for being black. It even made me prouder ever because nothing stops me being beautiful black.

White, Asian or other races people should know that black people can be very good, academic and professional.

I am like a black man who has been through experiences which my Deaf and black identity lead me to achieved a lot, not a clean and clever white man.

BNP - Black Nice People!

Just ramblings...

Best man
As a fake macho man myself, I am so excited about my best mate Ovais and Lenka's wedding in July, where? Prague, Czech. Because I know him for about 24 years. He is an elder siblings of his sisters (he wanted wanted wanted a brother, poor him!) I expected him to be first to marry but his sister is married 3 years ago.

I am organising the long stag weekend for him this summer, he protested that he wouldn't drink anymore due to his visiting at drug awareness! Yeah, right...

My friends think my plan for his stag weekend will be legend... at the moment I try to believe them because we have been to many 'great' stagies in the past!


Tri-ingual (BSL, Punjabi, English)
Today, i met a Deaf man who went to my old school Thorn Park for the Deaf, with his 2 sons (aged 9 and 6). He looks so well and muslim himself. We had an interesting chat about his hearing children (all boys), they all can sign well, he said that his first son started to sign when he was 5, second son started at 4, third son at 2! Even he suggested that his 2 years old son signs better than his older brothers, actuallly I communicated with 2 older brothers, their BSL skills look much better than SSE users. Not broken BSL/English, just simply sign BSL smoothly. Imagine their younger brother is better!

You know, their tri-ingual environment (BSL, Punjabi, English) is not easy but they still are good. They are doing very well at school due to their language developement. Wow!


Second position with 6 games to go!
I play 5-a-side football with Bradford Deaf Football Club every friday nights, we are in second position in 3rd division (since 2002) among 7 other Deaf impaired teams. Whoa! Hopefully IF we are resuming on this same position till end of season, we would promote to the 2nd division.

I usually play as a forward (sometime defender depend on our fatigues) I scored 16 goals so far out of 22 games


SSE - 'Creole BSL' ??
My friend and I had a debate about new name - creole BSL. I wonder if SSE should change name to 'creole BSL' because cumbersome SSE is irrespectively blending 2 languages - BSL and English.

You know, the British Empire (Lucy Buchanan's favourite) taught English to inexperienced people in the third countries when the empire dominated the world. In my view, Britain secretly lost Second World War, still talking about beating Germany to avoid thinking about failure of British Empire. We gave reformation to other countries who we dominated.

These people who were forced to learn English to lost their ownership - their own language just because lazy and superior British Empire couldn't be bothered to speak different languages (nowadays, broken BSL for example).

At the moment, there are alots of creole Englishs (of course French and Spanish too) because of lack of proper education and also they speak their own language and English together. They fully accept creole English like Guyanese in South America, still many English experts feel offended and unfair with their language because English is their passion. That's how I feel about broken BSL. Whenever they see 'broken' English, they complain. Many people think that their complaints are right and freedom of speech but not BSL... they don't need to be hypocrities. They simply think BSL user, think troublemaker. Or think Deaf culture, think Deaf activist. Bullshit! There are so many Deaf people who are not activists have a Deaf culture! Imagine white people think black culture, think a drug dealer or AWOL father. They should put 'assumption' on their CV for personal skills. BSL is a language, communcation, visual, own grammar and gesture. NOT just Deaf, hearing too. It doesn't take you to be rocket scienist.

SSE as in Sign Supported English, ignorant hearing people invented this title AND created this cumbersome too. This title seems formal and official, I prefer calling it 'broken BSL/English' (my website address - ssehappens as in shit happens because SSE apparently failed my education my English GCSE result was E. Although I'm still determined to retake GCSE in 2 years time as my second language is changing alot since I was 16, I'm self-taught at the moment).

Imagine if this name creole BSL might be widely accepted as same as other countries accept creole English. Maybe it is not too late because we still have BSL unlike other countries who lost their ownership of language. Lucky we are passion with our language, we still fight for our rights. Shame about people who kissing Milan 1880's arses calling us troublemakers. I know how tribe people feeling...

In fact, hundreds of native languages are lost due to English and other languages who take over the globalisation.

I still prefer calling 'broken BSL/English'

If I was still hearing

I asked my Mum that what she would choose education for me if I was still hearing (I became Deaf at 18 months old). She would choose local private school! I rather would go there than Mary Hare as Deaf pupil!

I don't know if I could be good or bad because I would be hearing black man, depend on varies of black communities. For white's perspective (more like stereotype), I could be drug dealer just because I am hearing black!

I could make fun of sign language on Deaf community or even I could be oral teacher! Arrrgh!

Of course, I am sure my Mum would raise me as same Ashton as I am now. Actually, she was fascinating with BSL before I born. She seen many BSL users (children and adults) at the hospital, even oral and CI. I am very glad that my Mum's decision was right to choose BSL for me AS my first language. I was so lucky!

Thankfully, my Deaf identity fulfil my life and it helps my determination. I do alot of things with my identity, like voluntary work within Deaf community in Guyana, South America. Many Deaf Guyanese's lives are improved by new Deaf clubs, Deaf awareness, GSL classes enhance to building interaction and communication of Deaf community and hearing community better.

I still can't imagine being hearing because my life is still brilliant!

At least a hearing person enjoy Deaf comedy!

I found this link through Bionic Ear Blog, apparently it was really nice to know a hearing person's day was brightened up by John Smith's standing-up comedy style on See Hear!

Of course there are alot of hearing people understand and laugh with Deaf comedy but a hearing person said something on her own blog from watching 2D (with sound), it is nice!

Being Deaf man myself, I think John's style is way too far better than Peter Kay's, in my eye and out of my other eye.

I easily bursted into massive laugh with Deaf comedy much much more than hearing. My bog and tears were nearly run out!

I learned that I don't have to be Deaf impaired person to laugh WITH hearing jokes! I feel related with John's experience...

Other links - Woman Used Sign Language on Deaf to Scam Millions It was about a woman took about £10 millions by using 'sign language' (could be Japanese Sign Language). It showed that hearing people can be rich by the existence of Deaf people... even sign language which so many hearing people don't consider it as a real language. How ironic..

Photo manipulation

I created something on an original picture last night, with Photoshop on my Mac. I could be like this photo when someone cut up my hands!

Legal protection for and promotion of sign languages

Malcolm Bruce

Welsh and Gaelic receive more funds to protect themselves than BSL and Irish SL... those sign languages need to be seriously protected fairly.

Of course I support BSL to be taught at all UK schools. I believe that quoted ' call for the parents of deaf children to be given free tuition in sign language and information and choice over the role sign language can play in their child's development' would be fair and broadness. Many parents of Deaf children haven't received information over sign language in case BSL can affect speech and written English according to doctors... is that evidence?

Most of my hearing friends believe that BSL should be taught at all UK schools as same as Mandarin and Arabics unhypocritically.

I am sure many hearing pupils would enjoy those sign languages, for example, on Deaf Awareness Week (12-18 June 2006) Deaf Guyanese and I facilitated the Deaf Awareness workshop at hearing school in Guyana, South America.

We taught them finger-spell in ASL, basic ASL and role-playing (how to communicate with a Deaf person - mainly gesture and write down). They enjoyed it very much! They wanted to learn more GSL! However, all of hearing pupils asked if there are any GSL classes (after school) even there wasn't classes for children! Amazing! Although Deaf Guyaneses themselves are planning to set up classes soon!

Look! Sign language impaired can sign! part one

Victoria Beckham signs 'Sh*t' in BSL

An England fan signs 'heard' in BSL

Chad Faust (CSI) signs 'support' in ASL

Missing deaf Guyanese reunites with NY family

Last year, I think I have seen Damon Mootoo's face before but not met him. I saw him using GSL with his hearing friends or brothers when I was on a bus stopping shortly in New Amsterdam, Guyana, South America (an hour drive away from the captial city Georgetown). I am so glad he is alive.



Guyana's newspaper Stabroek News

The deaf Guyanese man who disappeared in Queens, New York less than 12 hours after his arrival has been found.

According to the New York Daily News new immigrant Damon Mootoo, 32, spent five cold days wandering around Jamaica after he got lost during a walk in the maze of streets in Queens.

Mootoo was rescued on Sunday after Michael Bharath, on his way home from church, saw Mootoo near his 142nd Place house on Rockaway Boulevard. "He looked in desperation," Bharath said. Mootoo's relieved brother Mark Miller said, "When we saw him, he was just crying. He said, 'I'm glad to see you.'" Mootoo said he was too intimidated to ask strangers for assistance and, after his ordeal the relieved man said, "I want to go home. I'm thinking about going back to Guyana."

Mootoo lost his way on Wednesday after he left his brother's Lot 152nd Street, south, Jamaica house to stretch his legs. The man left without wearing gloves or carrying any form of identification. "He said he was trying to find his way back," Miller said. "He said he was just walking all over. He was scared. He [had] heard all the stories about New York."

According to the Daily News Mootoo, who is hard of hearing, told relatives he didn't want to approach the police because he feared that he'd be deported. The man said he survived by begging several homeowners for water, but said he was too ashamed and shy to ask for food or directions back to his brother's residence. Mootoo said at nights, when the temperatures plunged into the low 20s, he slept in an abandoned car or sought shelter under a piece of wood in a yard.

Meanwhile, his panicked relatives had posted flyers with his picture across south Jamaica and had formed search parties. "We were thinking the worst after so many days," Miller said.

But just when hope was fading, Bharath spotted him. Cynthia, Bharath's wife made Mootoo a sandwich and, feeling secure, he told them his story, the newspaper said.

Bharath asked the man if he had anything with his relatives' address written on it and sure enough Mootoo dug into his pockets and found a piece of paper with his stepmother's Foch Boulevard address. Bharath drove Mootoo to the location and reunited him with his anxious family.

Of the experience, Bharath said, "When I see people in need, I try to help them. He was in need, I'm pretty sure that within a couple more hours he would have been a dead man."

Mootoo was treated at the Jamaica hospital for dehydration and frostbite.

Misrable white woman...

I copied and pasted this quote (24th Oct 2006) from my old website..

Today, I saw a misrable white woman did give a dirty look at Bradford Interchange... no, not direct at me, not other black, not a Chinese, not a punk, not a chav, not an Indian, not a blind, not a CP, not a drunk, not a tramp, not even a womaniser..

..that was an innocent Pakistiani veiled Muslim woman.


Could be some reasons.. that white woman with no sense of dress may be jealous of a veil, she may knows her somewhere, she may feels scared or she may be simply typical racist..

I don't feel threatened or disgusted toward any Muslim women who wear a veil the way Islamphobics/racists feel because I understand their belief.. I am aware that there are many women who are forced to wear it by their families but we can't help eh.

I don't believe that whole of ethnic minorities in the UK should be like British people generally. What is modern British culture? Drinking(?) Brawling(?) Arrogance(?) Chavism(?) Full English breakfast(?) Only one language, English(?)

We simply can be united with respect and empathy.

Better eh

I bought something essentials at Superdrugs today. Also I met a hearing girl who can sign again, she works there. Actually I quite like her! Every time I see her, I approach her to say hello and have a brief talk although she is really lovely and sweet. It was very nice and clear conversation as it was way too better than our first meeting awkwardly.

I remember I first met her at the till, she didn't know I am a Deaf BSL user. She asked something that I can't lipread well, I gestured "I am Deaf". She signed "I can sign a bit and do you want a plastic bag?". Sweet eh?

Furthermore, I taught some hearing people at Starbucks, Halifax, WHS generally, we had a good laugh in some BSL and gestures.