From: rggentry@galluj
Subject: Re: Hello to you too, Barry
Organization: Gallaudet University
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 22:13:05 GMT

In article <167C8E3F8.BERGEN@ricevm1.rice.edu>, BERGEN@ricevm1.rice.edu (BARRY BERGEN) writes:
> Hello.  I've just discovered deaf-l.  And just in time, I suppose, since I'm
>  about to move to Washington to begin teaching European history at Gallaudet.
> I have very limited exposure to ASL and Deaf culture, though my training begins
> in June.  I've been perusing messages to see what interests and issues are of
> concern to people here.  I'd be happy to entertain any suggestions about what
> to read to get some good beginning insights into deaf culture.  I followed with
> some interest the criticisms of Harlan Lane's book, which has been recommended
> to me.  And I also would be interested in any videos which are good for
>  learning sign--I'm more concerned about visual receptivity than anything else
> at this point.
> 
> Looking forward to hearing from any friendly folk out there.   Yes, I am
>  hearing, but...I wouldn't be taking the job if I wasn't interested in Deaf
> Culture.
> 
> Barry Bergen


>>Hi, Barry. Welcome aboard. I hope you will enjoy your adventure. Uh, bring
lots of cash...I don't know how expensive Houston is, but this Kansan has never
gotten used to the mightyproudprices they have around here.

I've never visited Houston but I know there is a strong Deaf culture there, and
a large Deaf club. If you can make friends with a Deaf person (we're talking
signers here, so those people who don't sign don't think I'm speaking for them
and take offense), you may or may not be able to go to the club, or perhaps
some social gathering. Time for you is short--only a month and a half--so you
might find it most beneficial to concentrate on making friends or
acquaintances.

I notice I've begun using the "big D" in Deaf. I can't think of any other way
to distinguish between those who sign and want to be considered members of the
culture and those who don't. As you can tell from reading the conference, not
all deaf people use sign language and/or construct an individual identify based
on being deaf or hard of hearing and/or place importance on associating with
other deaf and hard of hearing people. I've never used the "big D" before
because I object to it on editorial grounds (I have a master's in technical and
scientific communication--translation--I'm a technical writer) and because I
was little d for the first 25 years of my life--unknowingly, I never met any
Deaf people before that.

Lane's book, in my opinion, is a good one. He is harsh on Bell, true. An author
with a different perspective on the oral/sign debate and different view,
including a less harsh assessment of Bell, is---dang, Barry, I've forgotten his
name and don't have it around--anyway, the name of the book is "And Never the
Twain Shall Meet". My biggest gripe against Dr. Lane's book is the way he chose
to write it--assuming a persona instead of straight reportage of history. I
feel uncomfortable using it as a reference when I can't feel sure I'm quoting
original source material...understand what I mean?

Greenberg's "In This Sign" is good, but a book (dang, can't remember names
today) called "A Loss for Words" has a different, more positive view of the
deaf parents of the narrator. For an upbeat book about an oralist, see "What's
that Pig Outdoors?" "A Deaf Adult Speaks Out" is also a good one. If you can
find it, "Islay" by Bullard is one of the best satires ever written by a Deaf
person.

>>As for videotapes, try calling Terra C. Berthau at 202-651-5671 (v). She's a
sales rep for Gallaudet Press, which sells various videotapes. They ain't
cheap. Hope you get them shipped in time to do you some good. My two cents
worth, having been exposed to several different sign systems and methods for
teaching ASL, try to find something that is grounded in ASL, not manual
English. NOTE: That's my opinion, formed through experience. Others may differ.
A Steve Ryan of Gallaudet's Department of Lingustics and Interpreting
(username:sryan@galluj, I'm pretty sure) can give you advice about a good
videotape to select.

Gotta go. By the way--can someone teach me how to make a sig. file?

Randy Gentry "Anything that can be done, can be done backwards."
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.deaf-l