Thursday, May 1, 2008

Does Hearing People Introduce Themselves That Way?

In response to Joey Baer's vlog posting - "First Name JOEY Last Name BAER".

I often got real annoyed with anyone deaf and hearing signers everywhere by signing "My first name JOHN OR JANE (pause) Last name SMITH" I simply lost having a conversational interests with that deaf or hearing person. I was supposed to remind anyone deaf or hearing that wouldn't be necessary to sign and fingerspell "first name, (pause) last name, but someone would have such difficulty of understanding me what I was trying to say.

I will say "TIME OUT" whether anyone deaf or hearing sign "first name, then last name". That will bring every deaf and hearing individuals to more logical and approriate way of introducing hirself without taxing our own precious time/social time.

Does the hearing people in general, introduce themselves that way? Nope! That is very PATRONIZING way to introduce hirself by "first name and fingerspell hir own first name, then last name and fingerspell. Most people usually introduce themselves by their first name unless someone request what is hir last name.

I am really glad that someone like Joey Baer bring up this delicate issue facing our deaf community. I never have a chance of viewing Joey Baer's vlog posting due to technical difficulties. Most important of all is using common sense for social and formal introduction!

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)

4 comments:

  1. my first name is anony last name is mous ahhh never mind, ive lost your attention ;)

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  2. You sure can type well!

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  3. ugh! stop whining

    Class of 89

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  4. I am so glad you guys think this is weird too! Ha, I always thought it was a Deaf thing. I learned it in ASL class. Maybe it is a way for students to recognize the pause in fingerspelling? I don't know, but now with your permission I am never doing it again!

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