The University of Pittsburgh offers a wonderfully enriching American Sign Language certificate program taught by Deaf professors. In ASL1615 Deaf Culture, I have learned so many things about the Deaf community I had no idea about.
DISCLAIMER: The authors of this article are hearing. To learn more, please visit a website run by a Deaf organization or talk to a Deaf person. This article was reviewed by Airza Bosley, ASL Instructor.
1. There is no one universal sign language
Contrary to popular belief, American Sign Language is not similar to British Sign Language or Australian Sign Language, despite the common spoken language of English. ASL is actually closest linguistically to French Sign Language, because one of the pioneers of sign in America, Laurent Clerc, was a Frenchman who brought FSL to the States. From there, ASL was developed through cultural contexts and indigenous signs used by Americans.
2. AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IS NOT JUST SIGNED ENGLISH OR PANTOMIMED GESTURES
Sign languages are often highly iconic languages, but this does not mean that they rely on pantomimed gestures. American Sign Language has a large inventory of vocabulary, from iconic signs that resemble the reference to arbitrary signs that do not. American Sign Language has its own unique structures that are different from spoken languages like English. ASL uses word order and word classes that are not found in English, such as classifiers.
3. Deaf Culture has had a profound impact on American Baseball
William “Dummy” Hoy, a center fielder who played for the Cincinnati Reds, set several MLB records and had over a thousand career walks before he retired. He is the most celebrated d/Deaf athlete in history, credited with being the reason for the hand signals umpires use to say “strike,” “ball,” “safe” and “out” so he could understand the call. Sports are a staple in Deaf culture, and deafness can be a wonderful asset for spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination and teamwork.
4. LIPREADING IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO COMMUNICATE
Only 30-40% of English is visible on the lips, making lipreading exceptionally challenging. The best way to speak to a d/Deaf person is to sign. If you don’t know how to sign, writing notes back and forth or using voice-to-text apps are a much better way to go than speaking at them. To be respectful, avoid asking a d/Deaf person whether they can lipread or not, as it puts all of the responsibility of understanding language on the d/Deaf person, rather than it being mutually shared.
5. DEAF PEOPLE CAN DRIVE
Being very visual people, there is no reason why a d/Deaf person wouldn’t be able to pass a driver’s test or drive on a main road. In fact, because of their high visual awareness, d/Deaf people tend to make fewer mistakes on the road and are generally less dangerous drivers.
6. DEAF ARCHITECTURE IS IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNICATING
Architecture plays an important role in creating accessible spaces for the Deaf community. Gallaudet University, the world’s only college for d/Deaf students, recognizes this need for spatial awareness on their campus by using open structures for visibility, seating in conversation circles, and adjusting lights to minimize eye strain. Even hallways are kept wider so signers can keep appropriate distance from others in a signed conversation.
7. SOME DEAF PEOPLE CAN SPEAK
Depending on the individual’s background, education, and lifestyle choices, a d/Deaf person’s vocal cords can work just fine even if they can’t hear themself speak. They may have been raised in speech therapy and can be understood when speaking (remember, 90% of deaf children were born to hearing parents), but they choose not to because sign language is their primary mode of communication. In the Deaf community, the ability to speak or not doesn’t dictate whether they’re “deaf enough.” However, they may be asked for help communicating with hearing people if they have proficient speech.
8. DEAFBLIND INDIVIDUALS HAVE THEIR OWN FORM OF COMMUNICATION, CALLED TACTILE SIGN
Tactile sign relies on touch, rather than visuals. This method of communication is a recent development, using touch between two people in conversation to derive meaning from signs. One individual will place their hands over another person’s hands to feel the shapes of the signs they are making.
9. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL CAUSED LONG-LASTING DAMAGE TO THE DEAF COMMUNITY
Alexander Graham Bell, most famously known as the inventor of the telephone, was also an advocate for oralism, or the system of teaching d/Deaf children to read lips and speak. He believed in assimilating Deaf people into hearing culture by sending them to mainstream schools and eradicating sign language as a standard practice. He dissuaded d/Deaf people from getting married and having children, making him a eugenicist for the Deaf community. Because of these efforts, generations of d/Deaf kids have traumatic experiences growing up in a broken system. Oddly, Bell had a deaf mother and wife.
10. MOST DEAF PEOPLE ARE PROUD OF THEIR DEAFNESS
If you were to ask a handful of disabled people if they would choose to be able-bodied if given the opportunity, you would probably expect a majority to say yes. To live without chronic pain or neurodivergence is largely regarded as a blessing and privilege. d/Deaf people don’t identify themselves as a disability or something that needs to be “cured.” The Deaf community goes beyond the shared inability to hear, but rather includes broad cultural significance, such as innovative art, filmmaking, poetry and enriching human connection. “Deaf Gain” is a concept that highlights the diverse contributions deafness has given to the world, as well as the strengths it brings to an individual. For example, a possible immunity to motion sickness, being able to take a nap on an airplane next to a screaming baby, not to mention the beautiful visual language that (many) hearing people are quite jealous of.