[Becky]

for sign language class we are required to attend a couple Deaf events. The following is the reflection I wrote regarding the most recent event (a Silent Pizza event). What experiances have you had?

Silent Pizza Wednesday 28^th
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The room was crowded and quiet except for the occasional whispers among ASL students. Had the room been a teenage girl slumber party it would not have felt noisier. It is strange to think that a room filled with people not using their voices, can feel as loud as a room of people who are using their voices. Perhaps it stems from a psychological reason. Had the room been filled with people using their voice, I would have felt too intimidated to participate in the conversations that raged around me. In a room where the only form of communication is Sign Language I feel the same sense of intimidation, knowing that my communication methods are not adequate for such an occasion.
While watching the conversations of those around me, I found myself lost among people whose fingers flew with confidence. I realized that these individuals signed like I use a puppet. The strict rules of using a puppet demand opening the puppets mouth with every syllable, and properly bouncing the puppet up and down the stage. As a seasoned puppeteer, I no longer adhere strictly to these rules. The opening and closing of my puppets mouth comes more naturally then by ridged syllables. These people who Sign in this manner may sign an E with their fingers in between an O and a C, making it very confusing to follow. To the trained eye it becomes obvious what the individual is signing, however for a beginner the letter is very confusing. After discussing this very topic with a companion of mine, I watched in shock as she signed her name for someone. Her fingers moved with the same sure footed, loose fitting, and fast pace as those we had just commented about! It is obvious that the better one becomes at signing, the more quick and loose their signing becomes. In order to interpret these loose signs, I believe I will need to spend more time watching signing in natural settings.
I use to believe it was possible to figure out what someone is signing by watching them. While Sign Language does rely heavily on creating pictures, it is NOT self explanatory. For example, if someone showed me the sign for brown, I would never have guessed what they were signing. However, had the signer told me her sign would be a color, and had I known the sign for B, and knowing that most colors begin with the letter of the alphabet beginning their name (B=brown, O=orange etc), I would be able to interpret the sign for brown. The more signs a person knows, the easier it becomes to memorize each sign and interpret new ones. This is because we recall information based on cues, and associations. The more ways we can associate signs with each other, the easier it will be to memorize each other.

[Elizabeth]

That's really good, Becky. I like your description.

I've been to ASL/Deaf bowling, church, sleepovers, mission trips...many events.