Picking up from Thecla's comment in the previous blog "I understand now why some deaf people feel so isolated and excluded from mainstream human interaction"...
A few years ago, I was in a strange hotel and blundered into the wrong room. It was clearly a terrific party. A hundred or so people animatedly waving and gesticulating at each other, having a great time.
And yet in a surreal twist, the whole room was totally silent.
After several moments of profound disorientation, I got it. Everyone in the room was using sign language. It turned out the party was a bash held by the local Deaf Club. The guests were kind enough to take pity on me and explain all. But as the non-signer, I was the one who felt isolated and excluded. Very salutary.
As I discovered, Deaf Culture in the UK is a thriving community with a strong shared identity. It is said that British Sign Language should just be recognised like any other minority language in the UK - like Welsh or Gaelic. I don't really know about that. But I do know who holds the best parties....
05 February 2010
The wrong room
Picking up from Thecla's comment in the previous blog "I understand now why some deaf people feel so isolated and excluded from mainstream human interaction"...
A few years ago, I was in a strange hotel and blundered into the wrong room. It was clearly a terrific party. A hundred or so people animatedly waving and gesticulating at each other, having a great time.
And yet in a surreal twist, the whole room was totally silent.
After several moments of profound disorientation, I got it. Everyone in the room was using sign language. It turned out the party was a bash held by the local Deaf Club. The guests were kind enough to take pity on me and explain all. But as the non-signer, I was the one who felt isolated and excluded. Very salutary.
As I discovered, Deaf Culture in the UK is a thriving community with a strong shared identity. It is said that British Sign Language should just be recognised like any other minority language in the UK - like Welsh or Gaelic. I don't really know about that. But I do know who holds the best parties....
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