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OOC: Clarifications and Terminology
Dec. 31st, 2020 07:08 pmAmerican Sign Language:
American Sign Language is a manual language in which information is expressed through movement, location, and expression as opposed to vocalization. It is a natural language, which means it fulfills the necessary linguistic complexity to be seen as a complex and systematic means of communication. As such, it is not "gestural English." It is not an offshoot of any other language, but rather a language entirely of itself. An important consideration, then, is that an individual who learns signs in relation to English words has not learned American Sign Language. To simply assign a pattern of movement to an English word and string said movements together in an English syntax is not an accurate representation of American Sign Language.
For the continued sanity of the muse and his writer, this means that most people Daniel comes into contact with will not be well enough versed in ASL in order to effectively communicate with him. That is more than okay. This writer encourages other individuals to take the opportunity to explore the dynamic this could easily lead to, as opposed to taking the easy way out and giving a muse fluent knowledge of a language he or she probably has no reason to know. Furthermore, claiming to understand ASL simply because of the convenience associated with assigning a muse a skill that the writer doesn't have to be accountable for is a degradation. Less than 1% of the population of the United States uses American Sign Language on a day-to-day basis.
While I understand it is natural human inclination to want to make communication and self-expression as easy as possible, please think about whether or not your muse would have genuine cause to know ASL and be able to carry on complex conversations in the language. Nine-tenths of the time, the answer is no. Don't worry, though! There are plenty of other ways to communicate with a Deaf individual. A lack of understanding for the language should never prevent interaction.
Cochlear implants:
The cochlear implant is a source of deep debate within the Deaf community, and one that I as a writer have no intentions of tackling, except as it relates to my specific muse. A cochlear implant is a surgically-implanted device able to simulate artificial hearing in an individual who is profoundly deaf. It is not a way to cure an individual of his or her deafness. In fact, the cochlear implant works by destroying all residual hearing a person otherwise may have possessed. Without the implant in place, the person is a profoundly deaf individual. The implant is surgically placed underneath the skin behind the ear (one or both), and an external device hooked over the shell of the ear transfers environmental sound to the cochlea through a stimulator. The nerves are stimulated, and the message is sent to the brain for processing.
Implantation is not an effective method for all deaf individuals, and there are many who do not qualify for the surgery. Furthermore, the cochlear implant does not always work as effectively as projected. A person who is implanted may be able to process sound, but that does not mean he or she understands what is being heard. An immense amount of work must be put in to making sense of what sounds are picked up. While the device has come a long way in recent years, it still cannot perfectly simulate natural hearing. There are risks associated with implantation of the device, and the decision to implant should be given strong consideration before any conclusions are made.
"Deaf" versus "deaf":
The term "Deaf" (with a capitalized 'D') relates to the Deaf culture, while "deaf" (with a lowercase 'd') refers to the medical condition of being deaf. It is entirely possible for an individual to be deaf without being Deaf, and many believe the opposite is true as well. A person can be an active participant in Deaf culture without being medically deaf. These terms come with a general understanding, but their meaning cannot be applied universally. For example, the degree of hearing loss is classified according to the frequency of sound. General definitions are as follows:
Normal hearing is between –10 and 15 dB
Slight hearing loss is between 16 and 25 dB
Mild hearing loss is between 26 and 40 dB
Moderate hearing loss is between 41 and 55 dB
Moderately severe hearing loss is between 56 and 70 dB
Severe hearing loss is between 71 and 90 dB
Profound hearing loss is 91 dB and above
Please note these numbers in no way can be correlated with a "percentage" of hearing loss. The idea of a certain percent of hearing loss is, by and large, a fallacy.
Individuals who are Deaf are those who participate in a culture of Deafness. This represents a particular way of perceiving and relating to the world. While Deaf individuals may share many of the same characteristics, beliefs, and experiences, it is important to note that they are still individuals. It sounds silly, but there is no single "Deaf" way of being just as there is no single "Latino" way of being or "queer" way of being.
NOTE: This entry represents a work in progress, and is based upon the understanding of the writer of this muse. It is in no way meant to represent the "ultimate" or "one true" deception of these terms. Rather, it is meant to serve as a guide for those individuals who will come into contact with this muse. If there are any questions or clarifications, please feel free to post a comment. I do not and will never claim to know everything, but I do my best to represent ideas in the most accurate and fair light possible.
American Sign Language is a manual language in which information is expressed through movement, location, and expression as opposed to vocalization. It is a natural language, which means it fulfills the necessary linguistic complexity to be seen as a complex and systematic means of communication. As such, it is not "gestural English." It is not an offshoot of any other language, but rather a language entirely of itself. An important consideration, then, is that an individual who learns signs in relation to English words has not learned American Sign Language. To simply assign a pattern of movement to an English word and string said movements together in an English syntax is not an accurate representation of American Sign Language.
For the continued sanity of the muse and his writer, this means that most people Daniel comes into contact with will not be well enough versed in ASL in order to effectively communicate with him. That is more than okay. This writer encourages other individuals to take the opportunity to explore the dynamic this could easily lead to, as opposed to taking the easy way out and giving a muse fluent knowledge of a language he or she probably has no reason to know. Furthermore, claiming to understand ASL simply because of the convenience associated with assigning a muse a skill that the writer doesn't have to be accountable for is a degradation. Less than 1% of the population of the United States uses American Sign Language on a day-to-day basis.
While I understand it is natural human inclination to want to make communication and self-expression as easy as possible, please think about whether or not your muse would have genuine cause to know ASL and be able to carry on complex conversations in the language. Nine-tenths of the time, the answer is no. Don't worry, though! There are plenty of other ways to communicate with a Deaf individual. A lack of understanding for the language should never prevent interaction.
Cochlear implants:
The cochlear implant is a source of deep debate within the Deaf community, and one that I as a writer have no intentions of tackling, except as it relates to my specific muse. A cochlear implant is a surgically-implanted device able to simulate artificial hearing in an individual who is profoundly deaf. It is not a way to cure an individual of his or her deafness. In fact, the cochlear implant works by destroying all residual hearing a person otherwise may have possessed. Without the implant in place, the person is a profoundly deaf individual. The implant is surgically placed underneath the skin behind the ear (one or both), and an external device hooked over the shell of the ear transfers environmental sound to the cochlea through a stimulator. The nerves are stimulated, and the message is sent to the brain for processing.
Implantation is not an effective method for all deaf individuals, and there are many who do not qualify for the surgery. Furthermore, the cochlear implant does not always work as effectively as projected. A person who is implanted may be able to process sound, but that does not mean he or she understands what is being heard. An immense amount of work must be put in to making sense of what sounds are picked up. While the device has come a long way in recent years, it still cannot perfectly simulate natural hearing. There are risks associated with implantation of the device, and the decision to implant should be given strong consideration before any conclusions are made.
"Deaf" versus "deaf":
The term "Deaf" (with a capitalized 'D') relates to the Deaf culture, while "deaf" (with a lowercase 'd') refers to the medical condition of being deaf. It is entirely possible for an individual to be deaf without being Deaf, and many believe the opposite is true as well. A person can be an active participant in Deaf culture without being medically deaf. These terms come with a general understanding, but their meaning cannot be applied universally. For example, the degree of hearing loss is classified according to the frequency of sound. General definitions are as follows:
Normal hearing is between –10 and 15 dB
Slight hearing loss is between 16 and 25 dB
Mild hearing loss is between 26 and 40 dB
Moderate hearing loss is between 41 and 55 dB
Moderately severe hearing loss is between 56 and 70 dB
Severe hearing loss is between 71 and 90 dB
Profound hearing loss is 91 dB and above
Please note these numbers in no way can be correlated with a "percentage" of hearing loss. The idea of a certain percent of hearing loss is, by and large, a fallacy.
Individuals who are Deaf are those who participate in a culture of Deafness. This represents a particular way of perceiving and relating to the world. While Deaf individuals may share many of the same characteristics, beliefs, and experiences, it is important to note that they are still individuals. It sounds silly, but there is no single "Deaf" way of being just as there is no single "Latino" way of being or "queer" way of being.
NOTE: This entry represents a work in progress, and is based upon the understanding of the writer of this muse. It is in no way meant to represent the "ultimate" or "one true" deception of these terms. Rather, it is meant to serve as a guide for those individuals who will come into contact with this muse. If there are any questions or clarifications, please feel free to post a comment. I do not and will never claim to know everything, but I do my best to represent ideas in the most accurate and fair light possible.
