Page 103 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

88 Reading Between the Signs

After using such cumbersome methods to communicate with
nonsigners, deaf people, not surprisingly, have little tolerance for
ambiguity with each other, hence the value of direct and clear
communication in Deaf culture. In addition, ASL, as a visual lan-
guage which evolved as a natural cultural solution, is perfectly
suited for precision in explicitly describing the appearance of a
person or object, the directions to a location, the relationship of
objects to each other in space, and countless other language acts,
leaving little room for confusion or misunderstanding.
As well as facing daily communication struggles, deaf people
also miss out on the constant barrage of bits of ambient informa-
tion that hearing people take for granted: the radio talk show about
the dangers of lead that we hear while waiting for our car to be
repaired, the overheard conversation on the bus about a recent
movie, the whispered office gossip in the coffee room about a
coworker’s messy divorce. These unintentional avenues of acquir-
ing information supply hearing people with options, warnings,
good ideas, and entertainment. As hearing people, we do not even
notice how much information we pick up without trying until we
have an extended stay in a country where we do not speak the
language.
Information, because of its relative scarcity, is a precious com-
modity in the Deaf community, and its value is demonstrated by
sharing it with others. If one acquires a piece of information, one
feels obligated to pass it on. This applies to practically everything
from the latest news to one’s own and others’ medical conditions
and marital problems; to movie plots, warnings about dangers,
recommendations of restaurants where the waitress signs, names
of Deaf friends where one can stay when out of town, stores with
good bargains, and stories of the ups and downs of the lives of
mutual acquaintances.
Let us now examine five elements of Deaf culture that dem-
onstrate the high value accorded to clear communication and the
preciousness of information: “straight talk,” direct personal com-
ments, keeping others informed, sharing personal information,
and access to communication. Although these features of Deaf
culture are not practiced to the same extent by every member, to
an outsider’s eye they represent a striking departure from main-
stream American culture.

05 MINDESS PMKR 88 10/18/04, 12:00 PM