deafaq

[deafaq]

this is a niche one but instead of "they would not fuckin say that" it's "they would not fucking use American sign language".

ASL is not the only sign language. two british characters in your fanfiction would not be using ASL. England in fact has its own kind of sign language, BSL, that forms a sign family with many other sign languages around the world.

ASL isn't even the original member of its sign family, it comes from french sign language. do you know sign languages aren't related to spoken languages? that's an important one! it's not a direct 1:1 with people speaking English around the world. people in other countries don't learn ASL just in case they run into an usamerican or Canadian (who do often use it)

i know the entire world is the USA or whatever and sign languages do sometimes borrow from ASL for signs they don't have, but please be aware that there are other sign languages and families in the world that are not in fact ASL.

#deaf #sign language

[deafaq]

i was wondering if Deaf/HoH people find it annoying when people sign slowly? i know y'all cant speak for all deaf people but in general do you find it annoying? im wondering mostly because i am in an ASL class and other (hearing) students always say i sign way too slowly but my teacher (HoH) says its ok for in class but she never mentions if i should try to sign faster outside of class. hope this made sense haha

Hello,

I don't think there is universal answer to that. I think it depends just *how* slowly we are talking about and what level are you. If you are a beginner, its pretty common. But if you are in advanced classes already, it might be a problem.

Its important not to break the general flow of the sentence. If you are not sure of the correct sign, try finger spelling or describing it. (for example, you forgot sign for apple, you sign "it grows on trees, this shape, etc")

If other students remarked on it, it might be wise to work on this aspect to make sure your speed is up to par for general conversation.

I can't really tell you if all deaf people would find it annoying. Some would, some wouldn't... Most deaf people are general understanding of beginners. But if you are slow signer in general, they will likely remark on it and/or tease you about it.

Mod T

#deaf #sign language

[deafaq]

here's a link! you'll have to make an account in order to pre-order (for free) and access the course. 🤟

[deafaq]

I've always sorta wanted to make a horror movie that uses visual and not auditory cues to build suspense and tension. I feel like you could do a lot with color and lighting (red light when danger is around?) (Idk I'm not a filmmaker). What do you think of this thought? Would you want to see a visual horror movie?

Hello,

honestly, I am not the best person to ask, since I usually avoid horror media. (but i know plenty of deaf people who love it, its not universal lol)

I think it would be tricky to make but interesting project. Too many bright/weird lights can be a negative thing, since it can strain eyes and/or cause seizures.

If you want an example of something I found extremely scary despite playing without sound, it would be game Subnautica. It takes place almost entirely underwater, so sound is muted anyway and you cant use the traditional scary sounds. But there is darkness all around you, huge monsters are emerging from waters, weird structures and lights... yeah, its scary as fuck alright.

Deep silence can be its own kind of horror.

Mod T

#deaf #mod t #horror

[deafaq]

Could you explain a little about the difference between PSE (Pidgin Signed English) and ASL (American Sign Language) or at least point me to a scholarly article on that?

I know SEE (Signed Exact English) is used more in an educational setting to teach English structure and grammar to a young deaf student, but as they get older, it naturally transforms (for lack of a better term on my end) into ASL. I'm just unsure where and how PSE would fit into the Deaf community as a whole.

Thank you.

Hello,

lets get some general linguistic info out there first.

"pidgin" is a linguistic term. Its not its own language, but a means of communication which emerges when two language speakers meet who don't share a common language. The resulting communication usually contains grammar and vocabulary from both languages in a mix of both. Its also simplified. Additionally, its not anyone's first language they learn from their parents.

Pidgin often happened in areas with European traders and/or colonizers and/or slavers. Pidgins can sometimes evolve into "creoles" - meaning they become someone's first language.

So, to PSE, SEE and ASL specifically:

ASL is its own language with grammar and vocabulary, which has no connection to English. It emerged naturally (aka it wasn't created by one guy) and its a native language of USA Deaf community. (and elsewhere)

SEE is a artificial creation. Its mostly ASL vocabulary but with English grammar - with additions for words which do not exist in ASL. Its mostly used in schools.

PSE is combination of both ASL and English. It can emerge in conversation between two people where one person is hearing and other is deaf. Often, the grammar is more "English-y" while signs come from ASL, but the rules are not set in stone like with SEE. Its very individual. The reason for this occurring is usually hearing person with limited knowledge of ASL and deaf person with limited knowledge of English trying to communicate.

Imagine SEE and ASL on opposite side of one spectrum. PSE is somewhere between them and moving, depending on the situation and the speaker.

While in past, term "Pidgin Signed English" was preferred, now its fallen out of favor with linguists. The preferred term is "contact signing" . Sometimes, "Conceptually Accurate Signed English" (CASE) is also used.

I see PSE/contact signing in "action" often - most commonly with hearing teachers + deaf students or hearing social workers who sign + deaf clients. In casual conversation, correct grammar often isn't the most crucial, transfer of information is. Also, unlike with spoken language, you technically use both languages at the same time. So its often person speaking aloud and using sings with it - the English by itself sounds weird (wrong word order or different terms used) and the signs by themselves wouldn't make sense either, but the combination can be understood.

Hope this helped,

Mod T

#deaf #mod t #asl #pse #see #pidgin

[deafaq]

so I am making a character for my story, and i'm wondering if it's offensive to make him easy to scare because of being deaf?

Hello,

generally, we are not a writing advice blog, please reach out to @cripplecharacters .

I don't find it particulary offensive, i mean... i do get startled easily. But its also very individual, some deaf people are very perceptive and keep their cool in lot of situations.

Also, keep in mind that since we cant hear, we are immune to lot of usual "horror" noises which build atmosphere. I know plenty of horror games don't do anything for me, bcs you are supposed to hear weird clicks and sound of footsteps and screams etc, but i don't - and subtitles don't really translate the atmosphere that well. So in some cases, deaf people get less scared compared to hearing ones.

Mod T

#writing #mod t #deaf

[deafaq]

Hello!

I am a hearing author but my dad is D/deaf and has a cochlear implant, I am currently writing a deaf character and wanted to give them a CI to pay tribute to him because he is what inspired me to write a deaf character in the first place. But after doing some research on how to write the character I learned that CIs are disliked by the Deaf community for a number of reasons. Should I change the characters aid to something else to avoid any faux pas?

Hello,

this is generally not a writing advice blog, I recommend reaching out to @cripplecharacters .

Overall, CIs are controversial in Deaf community. That's not to say you should always avoid writing them, its just that its important to do research and think if its suitable for the character in question.

I know Deaf people who absolutely hate CIs and would never get them and shun people who have them. I know Deaf people who don't want them for themselves, but are okay with others who have them. I know Deaf people who don't want them but made a decision to give them to their Deaf kids. And I know Deaf people who decided to get them in adulthood.

Also, there is a big number of people who got their CI when they were kids (usually bcs their parents were hearing) and lived with them their whole life.

I would say hatred of CIs was more prevalent in the past. Nowadays, most Deaf people I know are ambivalent or positive about them.

The issue really isn't the medical devices themselves, its more the attitude of hearing and medical community surrounding them. Cochlear implants are often seen as magical cure to deafness - which they are not. Another issue is that lot of medical professional and experts discourage usage of sign language for cochlear implant users, which sucks. (And based on linguistic research, its actually wrong - research show that kids being bilingual in spoken and sign language is beneficial for them).

If your dad has a CI and you are basing your character on him, I see no issue in your character having CI. I would say its actually better option in this case. Why not chat with your dad about how he feels about the device and how would he like to see deafness portrayed in writing?

Good luck and sorry for later response,

Mod T

#writing #deaf #cochlear implants #cochlear implant

[deafaq]

I checked our links and it turned out they haven't been updated in a reaaaally long time. Well, this won't do.

They are updated now and all should work and send you to correct sites. Mod page and FAQ also updated.

#mod t

[deafaq]

Hello!

Your blog is very informative and comprehensive, which I am very appreciative of. I’m not sure if you like to give writing advice very much, because it’s very different from advice for the real world, so please feel free to disregard this question. I’m working on a sci-fi piece involving a character who is losing his hearing. I don’t want to portray this in a way that may be offensive or spread incorrect ideas or stereotypes, but I also want the character to have a complex and significant emotional arc involving his hearing loss, his (non-human) culture, and his personal acceptance. Do you have any thought about how an arc like this should be portrayed? Or any advice on portraying hearing loss in general?

Once again, don’t feel obligated to answer! I know it’s an odd question.

Thank you and best wishes!

Hello,

I am not best at writing questions, I am afraid. Its not really an odd question, its actually the most common question I get here. 😅 (well, not the specifics, but people asking about how to write deaf or hoh char)

I recommend checking out our comprehensive guide.

If your character will be major feature of the story and you plan to publish it (as in, its not a fanfic just for fun), you should also get a sensitivity reader to check your work.

And there is a specific tumblr blog for writing questions!

They answer general stuff and stuff about deafness as well.

Good luck writing!

Mod T

#deaf #writing #hard of hearing

[deafaq]

Hello!

Losing one's hearing can be difficult, I wish you best of luck in your journey.

Questions:

Yes, hard of hearing is general term for anyone with hearing loss. If your hearing loss affects your life, then you can use the label. (unless you don't want to, of course)

Don't use term "hearing impaired", that one is generally considered no-no. Though some people do use it for their own identity, its not common and most deaf people hate the term. Deaf and dumb is also out. Term "deaf" is more of an umbrella term, "Deaf" (with capital D) refers to culturally Deaf people, aka those who use sign language as their main language and are proud of their Deaf identity.

Where are you from? Sign languages aren't universal and they also have dialects. British Sign language and American Sign language is completely different, for example. If you are from USA, there are also dialects and variations. For dictionary, i recommend https://www.spreadthesign.com. https://www.lifeprint.com/index.htm is pretty good site to learn from. I have no idea about apps, they might not be reliable. Also beware of baby signs, those are very different from real ASL.

There used to be pretty strong community here on tumblr, sadly not so anymore... Still, if you have any questions, you can ask our blog - answering questions about deafness is what we are here for. :)

Generally, the best way to learn any sign language is in person with Deaf teacher. However, online classes are also an option. We shared online courses for free recently - here is a link :

Need advice/resources from the Hard of Hearing/Deaf community

About me:

I was recently diagnosed with moderate hearing loss in one ear from a benign brain tumor and started using an Oticon (receiver in the ear) hearing aid.

When I was fitted for my hearing aid, not much info was given to me about how to manage my hearing loss. I was told to read lips more and rely on my eyes rather than ears but that's about it.

My hearing loss happened suddenly and although I knew some info about HoH from being active in the disability community, I regrettably didn't educate myself more and find myself still ignorant about hearing loss. It shouldn't have taken me to lose some hearing to learn more about the HoH/Deaf community and for that, I'm sorry.

For anyone who is willing to provide some resources, I'd really appreciate it. I've been quite symptomatic from my tumor so if I'm not well enough to thank each person, a big thank you in advance to all who took the time to help. It means a lot to me!

Questions:

1. Am I considered "hard of hearing" because I still have one functional ear and only moderate hearing loss in one ear? Am I able to use that label to describe myself?

2. Are there certain terms that should be avoided when talking about HoH or when referring to the HoH and/or Deaf community? I'm disabled and consider myself part of the disabled community but unfortunately I don't know a lot about the HoH/Deaf community. Any info/education is helpful!

3. I tried learning basic ASL through some apps but when I observe a real ASL conversation, the signs seem different from what I learned and I find myself completely lost. What are some reliable sources to learn ASL (I'm mostly housebound and have a brain injury also so I'm limited to learning at my own pace).

4. Are there any helpful resources that I can be directed to or blogs here that are good sources of info for living with hearing loss? I know the online disabled community has been super helpful in offering info and coping mechanisms so I'm hoping to find something similar here specifically for HoH.

Thank you!!

#deaf #hearing loss #hard of hearing

[deafaq]

Do SL speakers use fingerspelled name/name sign to directly address someone, or is it only used to refer to someone in third person?

Hello,

not really. You use pointing and/or eye contact when addressing someone ("you"). The names are usually only used when introducing yourself or introducing someone into conversation.

You don't say "Hey, Amanda!" you say "Hey you! (pointing)" . Its not rude in SL. You also don't say "Hi, Mark!" etc, just "Hi" + look in the eyes of the person. Finger spelling whole name would be unwieldy in conversation.

Sign languages use names less in general, I would say. When you are talking in third person about Amanda, you will identify her in the first sentence, then assign her a "place" in the space in front of you. From then on, you point to that place when talking about her, you don't repeat her name. If a different person is added to the story, different space is added.

(this applies for casual conversation. News on TV will use names more often, especially if there are many people involved)

Mod T

#sign language #deaf

[deafaq]

My friend has two deaf aunts, and his wife was trying to learn sign language from them and they were thinking about making a name sign for him, but when she suggested a sign the aunts were horrified because she had accidentally suggested one that was already a word and it was a very bad word (a racial slur)... his wife was so embarrassed because she had no idea! That's one reason why you have to be fluent in sign language before creating a name sign 😆

Hey,

thanks for this ask! I think it perfectly illustrates why name signs can be tricky.

#sign language #name signs #sign names

[deafaq]

As inspired by my cane post/anon

Y'all. Genuinely from the bottom of my heart. You do not need permission from A Real Disabled in order to get a disability aid. If you think you would benefit from the use of such a thing, then get one.

If you're really afraid of "taking resources" from "someone who needs it more" then get two and donate the second one to a charity specifically for whatever disability you think you're stealing from.

Truly. If more people used aids they thought would help them, more aids would be mass-produced and available on the market, and it would be more normalized to see people using things to help them to do stuff. We evolved to be tool users to make things easier on ourselves. So use the tools that are available if you think your life would be made easier with its use.

[deafaq]

I'm not sure whether it's okay to call myself HOH? I generally only have trouble in large crowds, noisy environment, or diciphering bad sound quality. Sure, even people with normal hearing mishear things too but it's noticeable that I mishear a lot more than others. I've been tested and I'm all normal on all tests with only the very slightest hearing loss with 1 mark on my audiogram at 22db . Most people think I'm just lazy or inattentive so I don't know.

Hello,

hearing loss isn't the only cause of problems with hearing. Its the most common, certainly, but if doctors didn't find much, its possible you have something else. Auditory processing disorder, for example, is fairly common these days - it means your ears work well but you your brain has trouble processing/understanding the sounds. Its often connected to neurodivergency.

Moreover, even if you have slight hearing loss - this type of hearing loss often manifests in problems with understanding in loud enviroment. So you can have "small" hearing loss and have trouble such as this.

Generally, I use term "hard of hearing" for people whose hearing loss makes their life more difficult. If you feel like you struggle with ordinary tasks due to lack of hearing, it fits the definition.

Mod T

#hard of hearing #hearing loss

[deafaq]

hello there! I really want to start learning sign language, but I don’t know where to start! Any suggestions?

Hello,

it depends on where you live. Each country has their own sign language.

Generally, the best option is live lessons with a deaf teacher. These lessons are often offered by local schools and such. Some sign languages also have online lessons and resources.

If you are from USA, we recently shared free lessons for ASL

https://deafaq.tumblr.com/post/727695062879862784

Mod T

#sign language

[deafaq]

Hello! Thank you so much for your work and this amazing blog.

I have a question: are there any visual indicators to a person being deaf/Deaf/HoH beside hearing aids and/or using a sign language? Mostly asking for the visual storytelling purposes - I wonder if there are any ways to visually hint at a character status as a deaf/Deaf/HoH person. Maybe some popular home assistive devices, or common little quirks/habits in regards of how a person carries themselves? I'm wondering if there are any telltale signs that hearing people often miss but that are obvious to other deaf/Deaf/HoH people. Something that makes you go like "oh, I do this thing too all the time!" when you see it.

Hello,

visual? Hm... Well, deaf people tend to turn their heads more, since they need to check their surroundings with eyes. They tend to place more importance of eye contact and see lack of eye contact as end of conversation. Instead of calling for someone, deaf people pat on the shoulder or wave to get attention.

Devices - vibrating watches, light based alarm clocks and doorbells.

People born deaf often have so called "deaf accent".

Lot of Deaf people make loud noises while signing, they really aren't silent at all.

Hope this helped,

Mod T

#deaf #writing #thanks for additions #i am not that great with writing questions

[deafaq]

hello! i'm hearing and considering writing a deaf character, however, they take place in a fictional world where there is no defined sign language. is it okay for my character to invent their own signs for fictional terms already defined in the world or is that considered insensitive? if it helps, the character is an animal, and so their signing capabilities wouldn't be the same as a human character.

Hello,

i mean, sure, go ahead? The character must communicate somehow and signing is a form of communication...

Though if you wanna delve deeper than surface on this, I recommend doing some reading on sign language linguistics and how it all works.

Mod T

#writing #mod t