Write An Essay On Deaf Culture

Deaf culture is like any bother minority culture with a set of their own beliefs, morals, values, traditions, and other things.Deaf people is part of one of the largest societies, but yet it is fascinating to come across someone who is death because we are used to sound and chaos everywhere.

There are numerous facts concerning the Deaf culture that I am not aware of, and a few of those elements have been made known. One of the new facts that surprised me was that approximately 90 percent of Deaf people are married to other Deaf people. This goes along with them being a tight-knit community. Another interesting piece of information I have learned is that I am to focus on a signer’s face, instead of their hands, while they are signing. Once I began to consider the expressions he or she would be showing while signing, and how one should pay attention while talking to another, it made perfect sense.

While investigating this topic I will be trying to ask at least 30-50 people; Deaf and hearing, about what they think Deaf culture is. I am very curious as to how many understand Deaf culture and how many Deaf people actually know what Deaf culture is. Deaf culture has been suppressed for many years that even the Deaf people might not know what really makes up Deaf culture. I also what to get the Deaf people’s take on what they think are the major issues that are being dealt with today and also how they think ASL has impacted their communities (History). I know that everyone will have a different take on these two questions and it is always interesting to see the different answers. I

In mainstream American society, we tend to approach deafness as a defect. Helen Keller is alleged to have said, "Blindness cuts people off from things; deafness cuts people off from people." (rnib.org) This seems a very accurate description of what Keller's world must have been. We as hearing people tend to pity deaf people, or, if they succeed in the hearing world, admire them for overcoming a severe handicap. We tend to look at signing as an inferior substitute for "real" communication. We assume that all deaf people will try to lip-read and we applaud deaf people who use their voices to show us how far they have come from the grips of their disability. Given this climate, many hearing people are surprised, as I was at

Further your American Sign Language experience in a friendly social surrounding enjoying food court goodies and making new friends.

The main differences besides simply speaking and signing between Deaf and American hearing cultures are that Deaf people have lengthy goodbyes and communicate without

The deaf subculture has always seemed so interesting, American Sign Language (ASL) is so intriguing, a personal friend is deaf and it is amazing, the fact that hearing and speaking could change a person’s culture so drastically. This essay will explain in broad terms what the deaf culture is like and how it is separate

What is culture? Culture reflects the customs of one particular nation or group of people. This term is often used to distinguish one societal group from another due to differences in beliefs, languages, traditions, arts, and behaviors. Throughout the world, there are many different cultures that play a variety of roles in various communities. In the 1980s, many people began to recognize Deaf culture and the unification of the Deaf community. Language plays an essential role in the development and unification of a culture or nation. Through the use of American Sign Language (ASL), a new type of culture emerged that embraced the Deaf community. According to Carol Padden and Tom Humphries, in their novel, Inside Deaf Culture, “We used a definition of culture that focused on beliefs and practices, particularly the central role of sign language in the everyday lives of the community” (Humphries & Padden 1). With that being said, through the use of novels, movies, and deaf events one is able to witness Deaf culture firsthand and recognize similarities and differences present between the hearing and Deaf communities.

The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice, and segregation. According to PBS home video “Through Deaf Eyes,” there are thirty-five million Americans that are hard of hearing (Hott, Garey & et al., 2007) . Out of the thirty-five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are over ninety percent of deaf people who have hearing parents. Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. “Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class.” The

The deaf culture/community stands for shared beliefs, values, and behaviors of deaf or hard of-hearing people who use sign language as a primary means of communication and who are members of local deaf communities. Historically, communities of deaf people have existed in most countries of the world, each with a unique cultural heritage, and often, a distinct sign language.

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 1800's when ASL was first brought about in the United States Being deaf was considered shameful

From antiquity, being deaf was looked upon as an undesirable and a culture which was disconnected with the rest of mainstream society. Often members of the community found themselves ostracized by members of other cultures, who viewed them with suspicion, and were thought to be possessed, or in communion, with undesirable “spirits”, particularly during the advent of the Christianity that was in practice during the Middle Ages. During this period, before the advent of Gutenberg’s metal, movable type printing press, the populace was mostly illiterate and religious texts and spiritual obligations/instructions were verbally transmitted to the people by the literate clerics of the day. Thus, the deaf were believed to have no access to “Fides

It is easy to see why Deaf culture is so critical of those who assimilate with hearing culture because the Deaf have had a history of struggle and discrimination. Hearing culture has been critical of what Deaf people are able to do and have denied their existence. In the past American deaf people have been denied the right to vote, to marry, and to raise children (Halpern). Deaf children often were denied education, grew up illiterate, or grew up with no real language because at one point in time sign language was not allowed (Halpern).

In some western cultures such as America and Australia, not much education is put forward regarding the deaf community and those facing this communication problem. In an annual conference where an individual of the deaf community was asked to discuss her experience as a deaf person living in a hearing community, Heather Artinian described the communication barrier between the two communities (The Heather world: Heather Artinian at TEDxGeorgetown, 2013). Similarly, in sub-Saharan Africa, there is not much emphasis placed on deaf culture and those facing auditory impairment. To date, there is not sub-Saharan African country that has dependable data regarding its deaf population. Today, education for the Deaf in most sub-Saharan African countries is sub-par at best (The Borgen Project, 2013). Education for the Deaf in sub-Saharan Africa is severely deficient, and they are often deprived of the opportunity to successfully live their lives independently to the best of their abilities. These two cultures do not spend a substantial amount of time and give appropriate education on the emphasis of those who are deaf and living among the

The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice, and segregation. According to an online transcript,“Through Deaf Eyes” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007) there are thirty-five million Americans that are hard of hearing. Out of the thirty-five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are ninety percent of deaf people who have hearing parents (Halpern, C., 1996). Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. “Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group,