Protecting and Interpreting Deaf Culture | Glenna Cooper | TEDxTulsaCC

Summary

The speaker, a Deaf individual, shares their journey growing up in a predominantly hearing world, emphasizing the importance of early access to American Sign Language (ASL) for Deaf children. They describe the challenges of being forced to learn to speak and read lips, and highlight the cultural differences between Deaf and hearing communities. The speaker also reflects on the historical oppression of sign language, the resurgence of ASL, and the importance of Deaf interpreters. They advocate for a world where ASL is fully embraced, fostering unity and inclusion.

Takeaways

• 👂 The speaker is Deaf and explains how their parents discovered this when they were 18 months old.
• 🩺 Doctors advised the speaker's parents not to teach them sign language, believing it would isolate them from the hearing community.
• 🗣️ The speaker learned to read lips and speak to fit into hearing society, but found communication difficult and frustrating.
• 🔤 The speaker emphasizes the importance of Deaf babies having access to a first language, particularly American Sign Language (ASL), for proper language development.
• ✊ The speaker is proud to be Deaf and values ASL, which opened up the world for them and is a vital part of their identity and culture.
• 📚 The history of Deaf education includes the American School for the Deaf and Gallaudet University, which played key roles in providing education for Deaf individuals.
• ⚔️ In 1880, a significant event occurred at the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan, where sign language was banned, leading to the firing of Deaf teachers and a decline in Deaf opportunities.
• 📜 ASL was later proven to be its own language in the 1960s by Dr. William Stokoe, who showed it has its own grammar, syntax, and structure, independent of English.
• 🤝 The speaker discusses the importance of interpreters in bridging the gap between Deaf and hearing communities, with a recent increase in Deaf interpreters.
• 💡 The speaker reflects on a hypothetical world where sign language was never banned, suggesting that Deaf and hearing individuals could have shared one cohesive world without communication barriers.

Q & A

What was the doctor's advice to the speaker's parents regarding sign language, and how did it impact the speaker's early life?

The doctor advised the speaker's parents not to teach her sign language, as it might isolate her from the hearing community. This led the speaker to grow up learning to speak and read lips in order to fit into hearing society, which was very challenging and frustrating for her.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of Deaf babies learning American Sign Language (ASL) early in life?

The speaker stresses that Deaf babies need to learn ASL early because it's a natural, visual language for them. It is critical for their language development and forms the basis for communication. Once they have a strong foundation in ASL, they can later learn to speak and read lips.

How does the speaker describe Deaf culture in contrast to hearing culture?

The speaker describes Deaf culture as being more direct and detail-oriented compared to hearing culture. Deaf people tend to share more information and be very blunt, while hearing people are generally more polite or reserved. For example, Deaf people will openly comment on someone gaining weight, whereas hearing people might avoid such comments.

What is the significance of the five-stage goodbye in Deaf culture?

The five-stage goodbye reflects how much Deaf people value information sharing and community. When Deaf friends gather, their goodbyes are extended, often lasting a long time and moving from the table to the parking lot, continuing to talk. This is part of their cultural emphasis on exchanging detailed information.

What major event in 1880 dramatically changed the Deaf community, according to the speaker?

In 1880, the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan voted to forbid sign language, mandating that Deaf children learn to speak and read lips. This led to a dark era where Deaf teachers were fired, and Deaf students were forced into oralism, drastically reducing their opportunities.

How did Dr. William Stokoe contribute to the recognition of American Sign Language as a legitimate language?

Dr. William Stokoe, an English professor at Gallaudet University, researched and proved that American Sign Language is a fully developed language with its own grammar, syntax, and structure. His work demonstrated that ASL is not just a derivative of English but a distinct language.

What role did Martha's Vineyard play in Deaf history, according to the speaker?

Martha's Vineyard had a high rate of hereditary Deafness, and everyone on the island, both hearing and Deaf, used sign language. This created a cohesive community where Deaf individuals were fully included and experienced no communication barriers.

What was the 'Golden Era' of the Deaf community, and how did it end?

The 'Golden Era' refers to a time when Deaf people had access to education, were successful business owners, and led lives on equal footing with hearing people. This era ended after the 1880 vote in Milan, which led to the suppression of sign language and the rise of oralism, pushing Deaf people out of educational and professional opportunities.

What was the result of the Deaf community's struggle to protect sign language in the years following the 1880 Congress?

Following the 1880 Congress, Deaf individuals experienced oppression and discrimination, with many job opportunities disappearing. However, in 1960, Dr. William Stokoe's research helped to revive ASL, bringing the Deaf community back to recognizing and using their own language.

How does the speaker imagine a world where the 1880 vote against sign language never happened?

The speaker imagines a world where hearing and Deaf people could communicate without barriers, much like the integrated community of Martha's Vineyard. If the vote had never happened, sign language might have been universally accepted, and interpreters would not be necessary. Deaf people would have continued to thrive in education and society without the divide.

Outlines

00:00

👶 Discovering Deafness and Overcoming Early Challenges

The speaker shares their experience of being diagnosed as profoundly deaf at 18 months, explaining how their parents struggled with society’s negative views on deafness. Doctors advised against sign language, fearing isolation, and encouraged lip-reading and speech instead. Despite this, the speaker learned to speak and read lips, but communication was still a challenge. The speaker reflects on how important it is for deaf babies to learn American Sign Language (ASL) as a first language, which opens up their world and serves as a foundation for learning speech later in life.

05:00

💬 The Beauty and Culture of the Deaf Community

The speaker expresses their pride in being deaf and explains the value of American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture. Deaf people are not disabled but part of a distinct cultural group with a unique language. The speaker gives humorous examples of how Deaf culture differs from hearing culture, such as being more blunt and detail-oriented in conversations. The importance of information sharing within the Deaf community, especially through lengthy goodbyes, is emphasized, as it fosters close relationships and ensures everyone is well-informed.

10:05

📜 The Historical Struggles and Triumphs of the Deaf Community

The speaker outlines key historical milestones in the Deaf community, including the use of sign language dating back to ancient Greece and the cohesive signing community of Martha’s Vineyard in the 1700s. The establishment of the American School for the Deaf in 1817 and the founding of Gallaudet University in 1864 were significant achievements, leading to a well-educated Deaf population. However, the speaker describes how the 1880 Milan Conference, which banned sign language, led to the firing of Deaf teachers and a dark period of oppression for the Deaf community.

15:05

👩‍🏫 The Fight for the Recognition of American Sign Language

The speaker explains the devastating effects of the 1880 Milan Conference’s ban on sign language and the subsequent decline in job opportunities and education for Deaf people. However, in 1960, Dr. William Stokoe’s research at Gallaudet University proved that ASL is a legitimate language, independent of English. This discovery helped restore ASL’s status and led to the rise of Deaf interpreters, who bring cultural and linguistic authenticity to communication between Deaf and hearing people. The speaker reflects on what could have been if the 1880 ban had never happened, envisioning a world where everyone signs and communicates freely.

Keywords

💡Deafness

Deafness in the video refers to the speaker's experience of being profoundly Deaf, as well as the broader Deaf community. The video highlights how society often views Deafness negatively, but the speaker asserts that being Deaf is not a disability, but rather a different way of experiencing the world. This concept is central to the narrative as the speaker describes the journey of growing up Deaf and embracing Deaf culture.

💡American Sign Language (ASL)

American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language used by the Deaf community. In the video, ASL is described as essential for language development in Deaf children, and it is portrayed as a rich, independent language with its own grammar and syntax. The speaker emphasizes the importance of ASL in giving Deaf individuals full access to communication and its central role in Deaf culture.

💡Deaf Culture

Deaf culture refers to the shared customs, traditions, and values of the Deaf community, particularly those that revolve around the use of sign language. The speaker celebrates Deaf culture, describing it as unique and valuable, much like other cultural groups. This includes practices such as being direct in communication and valuing detailed information sharing. Deaf culture is framed as an integral part of the speaker’s identity and community.

💡Milan Conference (1880)

The Milan Conference of 1880 was a pivotal event in Deaf history, where delegates voted to ban the use of sign language in education, promoting oralism (speech and lip-reading) instead. The speaker describes this as the darkest period in Deaf history, leading to widespread discrimination and the firing of Deaf teachers. This event is critical in understanding the historical oppression faced by the Deaf community and the efforts to restore the prominence of sign language.

💡Oralism

Oralism is the teaching approach that emphasizes speech and lip-reading for Deaf individuals, often to the exclusion of sign language. The speaker discusses how oralism was forced upon the Deaf community after the Milan Conference, resulting in a loss of Deaf teachers and sign language use. Oralism is portrayed as limiting and harmful to the natural language development of Deaf children, contrasting with the speaker's advocacy for ASL.

💡Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is highlighted as an example of an inclusive community where both hearing and Deaf individuals communicated through sign language. In the 1700s, it had a high rate of hereditary Deafness, and sign language was a part of daily life. The speaker uses this historical example to show how communities can be fully inclusive of Deaf people when sign language is embraced.

💡Dr. William Stokoe

Dr. William Stokoe was a linguist who, in 1960, proved that American Sign Language is a fully developed language with its own grammar and structure, separate from English. The speaker credits Stokoe with helping restore the status of ASL, following its decline after the Milan Conference. His research was a turning point in the recognition of ASL and the revitalization of Deaf culture.

💡Interpreters

Interpreters bridge communication between the Deaf and hearing worlds by translating between ASL and spoken language. The speaker discusses the evolution of the interpreting profession, emphasizing the need for culturally competent interpreters and the rise of Deaf interpreters who are native ASL users. Interpreters are seen as essential for communication in legal, medical, and educational settings.

💡Golden Age of the Deaf Community

The 'Golden Age of the Deaf Community' refers to the period before the Milan Conference when Deaf individuals had full access to education in sign language, and Deaf teachers were prevalent. The speaker describes this era as a time of prosperity and equality for the Deaf community, contrasting it with the challenges they faced after oralism was enforced.

💡Oppression and Discrimination

Oppression and discrimination in the context of the video refer to the societal and institutional barriers that Deaf individuals face, particularly in relation to the suppression of sign language. The speaker connects this experience to other cultural groups that have faced discrimination based on language and culture. The history of oralism and the Milan Conference are examples of how the Deaf community has been oppressed.

Highlights

The speaker shares their early discovery of being profoundly Deaf at 18 months old, and how their parents struggled due to societal views on Deafness.

The doctor recommended the speaker avoid learning sign language, fearing it would isolate them from the hearing community, leading to lip-reading and speech focus instead.

At three years old, the speaker spoke their first word, 'boat,' marking a milestone in their journey of navigating communication through speech.

The speaker emphasizes that Deaf babies need early access to American Sign Language (ASL) for natural language development.

ASL opened up the world for the speaker, leading to pride in their Deaf identity and love for Deaf culture, community, and history.

The speaker stresses that Deaf people are not disabled but rather have a different language, showcasing successful Deaf professionals across various fields.

The blunt nature of Deaf culture is highlighted, contrasting it with hearing culture, which tends to be more reserved in social interactions.

The humorous 'five-stage goodbye' in Deaf culture is explained, showing the value of information sharing and community connection.

The speaker shares historical examples of Deaf culture and language, including the cohesive signing community of Martha's Vineyard in the 1700s.

In 1817, the American School for the Deaf was established, starting a golden era of Deaf education and community success in America.

The year 1880 marked a dark period when the Milan Conference banned sign language, leading to job losses for Deaf teachers and a global shift to oralism.

Dr. William Stokoe's research in 1960 confirmed that ASL is a legitimate, independent language, reigniting its use and recognition within the Deaf community.

The importance of Deaf interpreters is emphasized, as they bridge the cultural and linguistic gap more fully between Deaf and hearing individuals.

The speaker reflects on the lasting impact of the 1880 Milan decision, imagining a world without the divide between spoken and signed languages.

The presentation closes with a powerful thought: if sign language had never been suppressed, perhaps hearing and Deaf communities would communicate fluently together without barriers.

Transcripts

Translator: Araminta Dutta Reviewer: Queenie Lee

I'm Deaf.

I'm profoundly Deaf.

My parents didn't know I was Deaf until I was 18 months old.

My parents' world fell apart,

primarily because of the hearing society's view on Deafness as a negative.

My doctor, an ear, nose and throat specialist,

told my parents that I should not learn sign language,

because it would make me isolated from the hearing community.

I had to learn to speak and to read lips to fit in with hearing culture.

So I did.

I grew up learning to speak and read lips, trying to fit in with hearing society,

and man, it was a challenge.

Frustrating.

Communication was not always there with a hundred percent access.

When I was three years old, I spoke my first word - boat.

My parents were driving, and out the window,

I saw a boat and kept repeating the word.

That's, I guess, why I have a 29-foot cruiser today.

(Laughter)

My parents, upon looking back, realized that the doctors didn't really understand

the critical part of language development for infants.

It's so critical that Deaf babies have a first language,

American Sign Language.

It's a natural, visual language for them to develop as a basis,

and then they can learn to speak and read lips later in life.

That's the most important part for Deaf babies -

to have that critical access, that first language.

Today, I'm 53 years old.

I'm proud to be Deaf.

American Sign Language is something that I greatly value

because it flung the world wide open for me,

even more than I had before.

I love American Sign Language, Deaf culture and Deaf history,

and the Deaf community.

We know we're not disabled.

We just have a different language.

We know who we are.

We can do everything just as you can.

We have successful Deaf attorneys, Deaf doctors, scientists, engineers,

college professors, athletes, actors -

we even have a Deaf receptionist in the White House.

When I talk about culture,

what do I mean by that I love Deaf culture?

We have a culture, just like any other group -

Hispanic, Asian, Black -

they value their language and their own culture

such as we value our own Deaf culture and our own language.

Let me give you some examples of normative Deaf culture.

We can be really blunt.

(Laughter)

I mean, if you come up to someone Deaf,

they'll say, "You've gained weight! Wow, you've gotten fat! What's wrong?"

(Laughter)

Hearing people will not say that.

"Oh, you look good."

If that's a bad haircut, you know, we'll tell you.

"Those clothes aren't right for you."

(Laughter)

Hearing people are so nice, culturally.

(Laughter)

"Oh, you look good," is all they'll say.

It's nice to get that honesty.

We typically are very detail-oriented.

If someone passes away, we'll ask questions.

"What's wrong? What happened? How'd they die?"

and ask for a lot of details.

But in hearing culture, they'll say, "Oh, I'm sorry that they passed."

If a hearing student comes into my classroom,

they'll say, "I'm so sorry I was late," and sit down.

But if a Deaf student comes into my classroom, they'll say,

"Oh, sorry I was late. You've got to know why!

A truck on the highway that was full of egg crates fell over,

and the police and ambulances came in and blocked the road!

I couldn't get through" - and on and on for two or three minutes,

and then they end with, "Sorry I'm late."

(Laughter)

That's part of our culture.

We value that information sharing.

Let me tell about our five-stage goodbye.

If hearing friends come over to my house for a party,

they'll stay about an hour, hour and a half, and they'll leave.

"Bye."

"Oh, okay."

But if my Deaf friends come over, they will stay forever.

(Laughter)

I mean, forever.

Even if I'm urging them to leave!

(Laughter)

If we're in a restaurant together,

we'll be talking,

and the manager will come up to the table and indicate,

"We're closing in about five minutes."

"Okay."

But we don't leave - we still talk for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Then we realize it,

and we step a little further away from the table,

but we're still talking for 10 or 15 more minutes,

sharing information.

Then we're standing by the door in a group, talking,

and the manager's angrily shutting the lights off

and motioning us to leave.

That's the third stage.

Then we're out in the parking lot, and that's our fourth stage of goodbye.

And in our cars, still talking.

We're still catching up.

And finally, we leave.

That's the reason we really depend on each other to share information.

For hearing culture,

you, typically, can hear the radio or talk amongst yourselves

to get news and information

whereas we rely on sign language for our information, between ourselves,

and that's how we communicate.

That's the most important part of our culture.

Talking about sign language, sign language is nothing new.

It's been here for thousands of years.

When we have to fight, almost daily, to protect sign language,

we experience a lot of oppression and discrimination,

just as any other cultural group experiences oppression on their cultures,

discrimination on their languages;

we are the same.

Looking back, historically, in 427 B.C.,

in the essay Cratylus by the Greek philosopher Plato,

the character of Socrates is quoted,

"If we do not have voice or tongue

but we wish to communicate our feelings and thoughts,

what should we do?

Such as those Deaf people,

who use gestures, body language, facial expression and movement

to express their thoughts."

That's the earliest documented use of sign language.

It's been here ever since.

Here in America, in the 1700s,

the island Martha's Vineyard

had the largest rate of generational Deafness.

Every one out of twenty-five individuals was hereditarily Deaf,

and everyone on that island both signed and spoke.

Everyone, hearing and Deaf, knew sign language.

It was one cohesive community that understood each other.

The community's events, meetings - everything was conducted in sign language.

No barriers - Deaf people were fully included and successful.

Now, later on, in 1817,

the American School for the Deaf, America's first Deaf education,

was established in Hartford, Connecticut.

That's when many of Martha's Vineyard residents moved to that school,

and graduates from the American School

went on to other states to found Deaf schools all over the US.

That was the most glorious moment -

a well-educated Deaf community - college educated,

the establishment of Gallaudet University,

the world's only liberal arts university for the Deaf,

founded in 1864,

which provided a college degree for Deaf individuals.

Many Deaf graduates from the American School for the Deaf

went to Gallaudet University.

It was the best time for us.

We had access to education; we were successful business owners;

we conducted business and our lives on equal footing.

66 years later,

in 1880 -

that was the year we will never forget.

It's indelibly etched on our minds within the Deaf community.

The world delegates convened in Milan, Italy,

for the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf.

There, the delegates voted to forbid sign language,

and mandated that Deaf children learn to speak and read lips,

just as hearing society does,

and that's what vastly changed the Deaf world.

The result of the impact on America was that they fired all Deaf teachers,

most of whom couldn't speak,

and replaced all of them with hearing teachers

who taught Deaf children how to read lips and speak.

The impact was felt worldwide,

and that was the darkest, most oppressive era of the Deaf world.

Job opportunities vastly declined.

The world's hearing and Deaf were rent apart -

our world using sign language, hearing world using spoken English -

and it was the darkest time we've ever been through.

Finally, in 1960, at Gallaudet University,

an English professor, Dr. William Stokoe,

recognized that Deaf students on campus were signing very fluently and similarly,

and recruited two Deaf researchers to work with him.

They researched American Sign Language and finally proved definitively

that American Sign Language is its own language -

its own grammar, syntax, morphology, mouth movements,

hand shape, locations, and the Five Parameters of Sign,

spatial movement, facial expression

and that it was not a form of English, after all.

It was a completely different and separate language with its own rules.

People would assume that sign language was based on English, but it was not.

That, finally, brought our Deaf community back to where it should've been all along.

The use of ASL flourished.

At that time, many children who had Deaf parents,

that had been born into that Deaf world,

had American Sign Language as their first language,

and they had grown up in the Deaf community.

Those individuals took on the responsibility

as our first interpreters because of our worlds being so separate,

and communicated between both the hearing and Deaf worlds.

But we didn't have enough, we needed more interpreters.

There was a baby boom and we needed more interpreters,

so finally, in the 1970s,

college programs were established nationwide, all over the US,

to train interpreters,

and many students who are hearing, with no prior knowledge of sign language,

entered those interpreter training programs

but realized that you can't learn the cultural nuances of the language

in two or four years,

because of the deep roots of our language and the cultural implications.

The interpreters, themselves, experienced challenges

learning to interpret between Deaf and hearing cultures.

Over the years,

as the interpreting field has grown,

you'll be seeing a new movement -

Deaf individuals taking on the responsibility to be interpreters.

American Sign Language is their first language.

A full understanding of language and culture, intrinsically.

They take signed language and interpret it to a hearing interpreter,

who will then translate it to spoken English, and back and forth;

a team of interpreters, Deaf and hearing.

If you look back to the year 1880

and to now,

we're seeing more Deaf interpreters.

We'll see them interpreting in legal settings,

in medical and hospital settings,

working for a more complete interpretation between our two separate worlds,

interpreting back and forth.

But in that year of 1880,

if those delegates had never voted to forbid sign language,

remember the Golden Era of the Deaf community -

the Deaf teachers, the children with full access to language,

with everyone on one level playing field -

if 1880 had never happened and rent our worlds apart,

suppose that had never occurred, that that vote had never happened,

would that mean that you would be signing today along with us?

Signing fluidly, we would be one world.

We wouldn't need interpreters.

We could go back to those days of Martha's Vineyard,

and have that experience from then until now.

It's a nice idea that we would be one world with no barriers,

back to our Golden Age

of successful, well-educated Deaf individuals -

it's something to think about.

Thank you.

(Applause)