NZSL week

this week (2-8 may) is new zealand sign language week. here are some things people normally say when they find out that i learn sign language.

1. how do you say _______?
people tend to be pretty curious about signing. maybe because everybody signs to some extent anyway. i think people like to guess what the sign might be for the word in question. it's often pretty intuitive.
2. deaf people look really animated/happy.
aside from signing with hands, facial expressions are used in nzsl to convey meaning. once you understand the meaning, or even that there is a meaning, it doesn't look weird anymore.
3. deaf people make weird noises/talk funny.
yep they can't hear themselves. if you lost your hearing, your ability to articulate our complex and nuanced language would deteriorate rapidly.
4. i saw sign language interpreters on tv after the earthquake, that will be you one day!
i couldn't do the job justice.
5. i once knew such-and-such deaf person, they were weird/unfriendly/unpleasant in such-and-such way.
i don't care.



i made an animated gif of people signing, it was supposed to be all feel-good and stuff, but it's not working so i don't have anything else to contribute just now. other than to say that i'm glad i enrolled in deaf studies.