Page 124 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

American Deaf Culture 109

The subject of hugs in American Deaf culture deserves more re-
search, and a more enjoyable topic to study would be hard to
find.

Attitude

The sign ATTITUDE carries a specific connotation. It is used most
often to refer to one’s perspective on what the Deaf community
cherishes most: ASL and Deaf people. Someone is said to have a
“GOOD ATTITUDE” if they respect sign language and the people
who use it. Hearing people have a “good attitude” if they support
Deaf people’s decisions regarding their own lives, rather than tak-
ing a pitying or paternalistic stance. Deaf people label other Deaf
people as having a “lousy” attitude if they try to act superior.
As a collectivist culture, Deaf culture places importance on
identifying with the group. Therefore, even college degrees or an
advanced position of employment should not lead one to distance
oneself from other Deaf people. “If a Deaf person were to try to
lord her abilities over other Deaf people, she would be ostracized
immediately” (Rexroat 19-20). “There are a number of ASL signs
referring to presumptuousness, arrogance, bragging, or self-
centeredness, all of which are deemed an immature putting for-
ward of oneself” (Smith 1996, 95).
A particular type of bad attitude is referred to by a sign which
places the sign for “hearing” on the forehead and could be trans-
lated as “thinks/behaves like a hearing person.” It is used to de-
scribe a deaf person who rejects the values of the Deaf commu-
nity and tries to follow the ways of the hearing majority. “Deaf
people who adopt hearing values and look down on other Deaf
people are regarded as traitors” (Lane 1992, 17). Following the
same principle in reverse, one can praise a hearing person’s atti-
tude by describing him or her as “thinks/behaves like a Deaf per-
son.” A person so described would be lauded not only for signing
well but for supporting and contributing to the goals of the Deaf
community, for example, volunteering time for Deaf causes and
attending Deaf events.

05 MINDESS PMKR 109 10/18/04, 12:00 PM