Blog Post 1

Writing 150. Wait wait wait HONORS Writing 150 as taken at BYU. They're telling me that part of our grade is doing 5 blog posts on something I'm not too sure about. It says to relate issues and ideas that would lead to greater knowledge from different sources. So today I'm going to relate an experience then connect it to an idea that has been mulling around my mind for a little while. About three or four years ago I met my best friend Alisha Crump. Some people think Alisha is a little strange, and they're probably a little right. The thing they don't know is that Alisha's mom is deaf and so by association she knows sign language and how to communicate by more than just words. At first when I went to her house I was a little take aback at how her mom acted. She didn't even know me and she would hit me, laugh hysterically with me, and even hug me like I was her own child. My first year here at BYU I decided to take an American Sign Language 101 class. Not only do they teach us the language they also teach us the culture. The idea I talked about earlier is that someones language has a direct effect on how people within a society interact. In sign language you leave out "to be" verbs such as are and is. You simply specify who you're talking about and then begin signing about them. This may be one of the causes of the deaf culture being so barrier free. Now that I think of it, another factor could be the very nature of being deaf. In a hearing conversation you can hear tonality and outside stimuli, such as noises from other rooms or areas around you. In a deaf setting you are reliant on the person signing and their facial expression to lead and guide the conversation. As another example of this unmerited intimacy within their community I will offer the following differences. In a hearing conversation it is perfectly alright to excuse yourself and not have to answer to why or where you're going. In a deaf conversation more times than not they will ask you were you are headed.