06/02/08

 Words (Signs) are small
shapes in the gorgeous
chaos of the world;
shapes that bring the
world into focus,
corral ideas,
hone thoughts.
They paint watercolors of perception.

                             Diane Ackerman

A Deaf Adult's Conception of "Signing Exact English"

It is uncommon to see Sign Language bastardized to fit the English language, particularly at Deaf gatherings.  Such an anglicized illegitimacy of sign language is usually seen only at schools as a method to help hearing teachers achieve a modicum of respect from Deaf children.  Ninety out of every hundred Deaf people abandon such signs as soon as they leave school and quickly adopt, if they had not already done so secretly at school, the natural Sign Language of the Deaf, affectionately called Ameslan by the Deaf.  After all...such hearing-invented signs violate all rules of visual intonation.  I could not help but find it difficult to draw close to, to enter into intimacy with, deaf people who persisted in using such a hearing oriented language in preference to a graceful language so ideally suited to the eyes, so beautiful, so perfect!

"There is no evidence that singing inhibits the acquisition of speech.  Indeed the reverse is probably so."

"If the teaching of speech is arduous and occupies dozens of hours taken away from general education?  Might one not end up with a functional illiterate who has, at best, a poor imitation of speech?"

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