American Sign Language Essay - 1675 Words

American Sign Language In learning about the deaf culture I have taken on a new understanding about the people it includes. Through readings and the lessons, I have learned that being deaf has both its hardships and its blessings. The beauty of the language alone makes one want to learn all that he or she can about it. In this paper I will discuss the beauty of the language and the misconceptions the hearing world has about deafness. The deaf culture has often been labeled as the deaf- and- dumb culture. This is not only an insulting term it is also very inaccurate. Deaf people are just as intelligent as hearing people. In the early 1800s when ASL was first brought about in the United States Being deaf was considered shameful†¦show more content†¦An adult that goes deaf feels they can lose alot; friends, a job, a marriage. I have watched three movies about the deaf culture, each has helped me to understand the Deaf World a little better. The first movie I watched was Mr. Hollands Opus, which was about a musician whose son was born deaf. This was very upsetting to the musician because his son would never be able to hear the music that was so important to him. As a result father and son drifted and never really had the connection that a father and son should have until the father realized that his son wasnt so different after all. I could relate to this movie because the one thing I think deaf people are missing out on is the beauty of music. Music is such an important part of my life that I would dread to have a life without it. The movie Love is Never Silent consisted of a hearing child left alone with deaf parents when her younger hearing brother dies. This movie shows how she was her parents sole link to the hearing world. It also showed how her parents were looked at by the hearing world and how they looked at the hearing world. They had a certain distrust for the hearing. The daughter was ashamed to have deaf parents and to sign in front of hearing people because she didnt want to be different. HerShow MoreRelatedSummary : American Sign Language 957 Words   |  4 PagesHarmony Kelly Mrs. Barbara Carr American Sign Language 1 20 October 2015 Alice Cogswell What would you do if you were Deaf and living in America during the early 1800’s and before? Think of how hard it would be to learn when the teachers in the classroom would talk out loud and you couldn’t hear what they were saying. It was very difficult for Deaf students who lived before the 1800’s to get any education. Rich people would send their children across the ocean to Europe where they could attendRead MoreLanguage And The American Sign Language953 Words   |  4 Pages A few of the important factors that I thought were important in this unit were the American Sign Language itself, the rules of social interaction in the Deaf culture, and Deaf literature. American Sign Language is well described in the book, â€Å"Introduction to American Deaf Culture† by Thomas K. Holcomb. Holcomb explains how American Sign Language is often confused with â€Å"English on the hands.† However, Holcomb cites, â€Å"Research has clearly determined that ASL has an independent grammar that happensRead MoreAmerican Sign Language And Deafness Essay1438 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Sign Language and Deafness in American Culture Deafness has been an obstacle thousands of people have had to overcome since the dawn of time. Even in the not so distant past, the future was typically very bleak for individuals who were born or became deaf. However, the future of an individual who is Deaf has become much brighter due to the development of American Sign Language. 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Deaf people use American Sign Language to communicate with their friends, family or their loved one who is deaf. Now parents are teaching their babies to learn ASL. The American Sign Language gives children, their confidence, and self-esteem in their lives. Deaf Community vs. HardRead MoreNotes On American Sign Language1464 Words   |  6 Pages American Sign Language Overview American Sign Language is language that is predominantly spoken and used by all ages who may be deaf or communicating with someone who is deaf. It has lingua franca language, and many use it as a second language. We use a variation of sign language each day, for example our body language or hand gestures. When we are trying to explain something or imply how we feel we move and have expressions. Sign Language uses those emphasis of gestures to imply importance, emotionRead MoreAmerican Sign Language Is Not A Universal Language1287 Words   |  6 Pagespeople who lack these kinds of ability, unfortunately. Unlike us, this group of people use sign language to communicate with others. For everyday life, deaf people use sign language to communicate with one another. It is a complete language that involves hand movement added with facial expression and body movements. According to National Associates of the Deaf (NAD), â€Å"American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language. Through sign ing, the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes. The shapeRead MoreThe American Sign Language Community Essay1221 Words   |  5 Pagesthe criteria Swales states is necessary to be a discourse community, I did an in depth research on the American Sign Language community. Through my study, I was able to meet all six characteristics. Literature Review According to Swales, there are two types of communities: speech and discourse. Swales defines a speech community as a group that shares similar linguistic goals, similar language, or both as â€Å"a community sharing knowledge of the rules for the conduct and interpretation of speech† (SwalesRead MoreThe Development of American Sign Language Essay2934 Words   |  12 Pagesdevelopment of American Sign Language in the United States dates back to as early as the 1600s. On Martha’s Vineyard there was a relatively large Deaf population due to genetics and heredity. This was thought to trace back to the first people of the land, who traveled from Massachusetts and carried this genetic deafness with them. Because there were so many people that were deaf living there, it was extremely common for all people, deaf and hearing, to learn their own version of sign language. This earlyRead MoreHistory And Perceptions Of American Sign Language Essay2063 Words   |  9 PagesHistory and Perceptions of American Sign Language Sign language is one most common ways for deaf individuals to communicate without using of their voices. Different cultures and languages will typically have their own version of sign language so signs are not always universal, just like gestures are not universal. Signs are culturally bound in communication just like verbal languages and gestures are culturally bound. I will examine the history of American Sign Language, as well as how it has been