Language Attitude and Sign Language Learning

Assignment #1: Discussion #3

Original – Post by Karen Prudhomme: January 26, 2022 at 8:38 PM

            I read the article and KJ’s commentary, which is very interesting about Language Attitude. I will never forget that day I met a Deaf Russian friend. She moved here from Russia. She’s a very sophisticated fashionista. I learned from her. She said USA deaf people don’t know how to spell and grammar. She thinks she is way better spell and her Russian sign language is way better than the USA. SERIOUSLY. I was gulped and told her, NO. You cannot compare from USA and Russia. First of all, she moved to the east and lived here for a few years. I explained to her that we have various language attitudes. They have different sign language in other states. It does not mean for only ONE ASL in over the USA. I explained to her, for example, TRASH as CL:1 on arms, deaf people sign in the west and other TRASH as CL: 5 bent on side forehead deaf people sign in the east. I believe that Language attitudes are the feelings people have about their language or the language of others.

            I watched the video by Renca Dunn. Interestingly, she was frustrated because of how deaf people from big deaf schools look down on any deaf people who don’t go to any deaf school. I am one of them, and I went to mainstream high school. I meet a few friends from California School for Deaf, Riverside, and Gallaudet. They looked down on our school big time because they acted intelligently and were proud of the deaf family. I met them and could not catch them in sign language fast. I was awkward. I don’t hang out with deaf people because I was hanging out with hearing people. That is how I met them and how they are fascinating; I sometimes feel frustrated about how deaf elitism affects the deaf community. I was not great at ASL at that time. The last one I watched, “DEAF U,” is powerful for deaf elitism. How they are doing divide their group for example; one group of geek people, one group of intelligent people, one group of fashionista people, or one group of surf/skateboard people. I feel like I’m one of them in the group in the past. I was popular in the group in high school. I never forget. Does it necessary to have Deaf Elitism effect in Deaf Community? Who will stop Deaf Elitism?? It would continue the loop every day in social media.

Response- Jan 28, 2022 at 7:32PM

Hi Vanessa     

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. You are not alone as there are many other people in a similar situation. For example, some people persist in speaking Spanish to my daughter even after she tells them that she does not understand. When she fails to respond, they yell at her and when she reminds them that she does not understand what they are saying, they tell her that she should learn to speak the language. She is not Mexican and has been frustrated by discrimination. She is trilingual in English, French, and ASL just like you. Shame on the people who pecked on how you speak. That is a language attitude. People need to learn their culture to understand the value of their language.

Response - Jan 28, 2022 at 7:38PM

Hi Stephen

Your personal experience with sign language learning is interesting. You are doing an excellent job adjusting your ASL and I know you will succeed. I never went to Gallaudet University and I cannot imagine what deaf elitism looks like. I can't imagine how Kappa Gamma people spread over social media went badly. It was sad when some individuals discouraged you from going to Colorado School for the Deaf because of your intelligence level. That's wrong. No one should judge you. It was deaf elitism and discrimination. Everyone should get an opportunity to attend a school that meets their needs rather than face the high level of discrimination that you faced.

My Reflection

            My challenge about language attitude is elitism, discrimination, and divide the deaf community today. I remembered when I was a teenager, and I was not really into social media – I don’t see anything problem till today is worse. I noticed everyone slandered and dehumanized in the deaf community when they signed. Everyone keeps telling us, you sign WRONG, or your intelligence is not fit in our group, or you name it. It is hard to stop Deaf Elitism and discrimination because it will keep looping every day and never stop. I think it’s important to teach students how to learn Language Attitude in the classroom and let them understand and give the idea of how the language is valuable. When I will be teaching and emphasizing language to students, a language attitude is essential.