ASL

Today in my American Sign Language class we had a story-telling test. I'm not incredibly confident of my signing abilities, but I understand others fairly well. Because of that, I was very nervous for this test. As I walked into the room, our teacher had a video camera set up to record us. One by one, the students voluntarily came up to the front of the room and signed their funny stories. I wanted to be the last one up - in hopes that everyone else would leave the room before I got up to sign. No such luck. I was 5th to last because there were people even more nervous than I!

As soon as I started signing, I realized my hands don't work when I sign. When I signed "fall" (which is having two fingers falling on your other hand as if they were legs), I used 5 fingers instead of two. I know the person falling did not have 5 limbs. I also kept using man as mom. My hands shook while I finger-spelled. I told the story out of order... ugh... it did not turn out as pretty as I was hoping. However, it was a funny story, and the teacher did laugh. That's a plus. :)

I love sign language. I love Deaf culture. Helen Keller once said something to the effect of: "Blindness separates people from things. Deafness separates people from people." I am so grateful to be learning sign language. I love being able to communicate with these incredible people.

I also love Deaf jokes. Here are a couple I have seen recently that I thought were amusing. Enjoy!

1) There was a logger. He went to cut down a tree. He used his ax a few times, yelled "timber," and the tree fell. Then chopped for a while on a second tree, yelled "timber," and that tree fell as well. He went through the same process with a third tree, but the third tree wouldn't fall over. So he tried a chain saw, and then explosives, finally he called in a "Tree Doctor." The doctor checked out the tree, thought about what to do for a minute then fingerspelled "T-I-M-B-E-R." The third tree finally fell down. The doctor explained to the lumberjack that this particular tree was Deaf.


2) "A huge giant is stalking through a small village of wee people, who are scattering through the streets, trying to escape the ugly creature. The giant notices one particularly beautiful blonde woman scampering down the cobble-stoned street. He stretches out his clumsy arm and sweeps her up, then stares in wonder at the slight, shivering figure in his palm. "You are so beautiful," he exclaims. The young woman looks up in fear. "I would never hurt you, he signs, "I love you! We should get MARRIED." Producing the sign MARRY, he crushes her. The giant then laments, "See, oralism is better."