tront said:
This has always bugged me. Do deaf people think in sound?
When you think you hear a little voice in your head. But since they have never heard sound do they hear that little voice?
Or do they see the sign language equivalent of what they are thinking and if they do, why don't they walk into things?
It would really be good if some deaf people could answer this for me.
I'll kindly ignore the walking into things part of the question. However let me say this I am not Deaf but I have spent my entire life within the Deaf community and consider every Deaf person as a brother and sister, as Muteness and speaking in ASL is something I share with the Deaf Community.
That being said,
1 and 2.
The idea of voice and sound is not compelty foreign to some Deaf people, Remember some Deaf people still have some hearing. As well some become Deaf later on in life. However those who are born Deaf see the world differently then you do and sadly it is something you will never get to see in your life.
Take Sign for example, In ASL not only do your words mean something, Your emotions do as well. Imagine this. When you say "Hello" in English you can be as unemotional as you want and still say "Hello" However the emotion in Sign is a key part if you are not using facial or body language with the words it won't make sense. Why in Deaf Theater there is a lot of mocking towards Hearies(That's you the norm's) and how they have little to no emotion in life.
Remember also when you think to yourself it isn't a voice, I have never spoke sense I was 3 and still think to myself in a voice, As it is just thought and doesn't relay on voice or the ability to speak only to think. So yes Deaf people think to themselves about life as well.
I can not comment on sound to much,However when in dreams I see everyone speaking either in Sign or a mixture of Sign and voice. The best way to think of it is,
If you watch a movie and can tell the words just by the movement of lips but not by sound. You'll relate all speech not in sign, As just lips moving with no emotion behind it(signing)
3.Sign is just a extension of who you are a person and your emotions. Why it is considered rude if you meet a Deaf person sign "Hello" and walk away. Normal conversations should last for at least 5 minutes in ASL if not more really. You'll notice this more if you get involved in the culture.
Part of it is just there is so few people who speak ASL in the world or in your area. You become like family so much, It's like seeing your own Mother and just saying,"Hi" and walking away would be rude, It is the same way for Deaf people and people who speak ASL.
edited: For spelling and grammar.
