I'm totally ignorant. I mean, I know they CAN, but HOW does someone who was born deaf vocalize syllables internally, when they've never heard them pronounced? For that matter, how does one think without having an internal, audible conversation with oneself? To me, it seems like describing color to a blind person. Thanks for your insight!
2006-12-05 09:43:11 · 10 answers · asked by sabrenaut 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I don't want to be misunderstood -- I don't mean to imply deaf people CAN'T think -- it's just, given the way I'M used to thinking, I couldn't figure out the method someone who is deaf would use to think. Thanks for some great answers! :)
2006-12-05 09:51:50 · update #1
There still seems to be some confusion as to the point of my question. Let me clarify: I don't believe being deaf has any effect on one's mental capacity. I'm only wondering HOW they think -- not how well. There are already some enlightening answers here. Thanks to everyone! (JewishGirl: That is particularly interesting!)
2006-12-05 15:43:13 · update #2
When a child "sounds words out" it is because he is associating the word on the page to a word he has heard. He says, "Ceh, Ah, Tuh...CAT!" because he knows the word and now he knows the symbols that represent the sounds come together to form that word. With a deaf child, they are associating the word on a page to a word they've SEEN signed, so they don't need to sound it out. Obviously they don't sound it out, they just have to memorize that "C-A-T means 'the sign for cat'" (but they wouldn't even think 'the sign for cat' because the sign is the word for them...I hope that makes sense)
As far as thinking, I asked a teacher I had (who was Deaf) how she thought and she said she thought in a combination of written words and sign.
Hope this helps
2006-12-06 01:37:52 · answer #1 · answered by seasonsoflove 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have two nieces who are deaf and while I can't tell you the medical facts, I can try and relate what I've learned from them. They think just as you would--being deaf is like having your own language. When they see a dog, they may not think 'oh there's dog' but in there mind in their own language they can relate what it is. As my nieces are growing (they are 5 and 3) they are learning sign language and they relate what they see to the actions they make with their hands.
They are learning to verbalize by being taught correct mouth positions for certain sounds. If you've heard a completely deaf person speak, then you know that they make the sounds but not always the proper tone etc. They are learning by positive reinforcement when they verbalize things correctly.
Aside from that I can tell you they are active, pretty, funny little girls and aside from being deaf are perfectly normal kids!!
EDIT:
Sabrenaut--I thought your question was posed quite respectfully from someone who was just wondering. I must admit that I wondered the same things when we found out my first niece was deaf when she was less than a month old. It's been quite a learning and growing experience for our whole family.
2006-12-05 09:50:08 · answer #2 · answered by Tracy S 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They are deaf......not blind. Why couldnt they read? or think?Since the moment that they know how to read, it means they know the words. so they can think the same way as you do.
Even.......i am not deaf, but never have had an AUDIBLE conversation with myself. I know if someone hears me having an audible conversation with myself, the next step is sending me to a mental hospital.
The deaf pple has different capacities than us, but these doesnt mean that they cant be as you or me.
2006-12-05 10:56:33 · answer #3 · answered by حلاَمبرا hallambra 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The words aren't simply sounds. They stand for concepts. The word "chair" can still symbolize the object even if you never hear it vocalized. The collection of letters can be seen, as can an actual chair (or even a picture of one). The association is learned without sound.
2006-12-05 09:47:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Good question- they should do some scientific studies w a PET scan to see what parts of the brain are activated- that would be interesting- you should get points for your question- excellant!!
2006-12-05 09:47:28 · answer #5 · answered by Debby B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They read Braille, a sensory alphabet of raised bumps on paper.
We rarely think in precise, complete sentences. We think in terms of realizations, sensations and other revelations that don't need to be "heard" internally to be sensed.
If you were about to run into a wall, you wouldn't necessarily think "Oh, there's a wall, and I'm about to hit it!" It would strike you (no pun intended) as an immediate rush of realization without internal verbalization.
2006-12-05 09:45:57 · answer #6 · answered by Lanani 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
my brother has a disability where he can hear words perfectly but can't understand a singler word of any language and can't speak either. he taught himself to read. i have no idea how.
2006-12-05 11:00:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
people who can not hear are very intellegent people. that fact that they can not hear:
they can read lips
they have there own language --sign language
they also can get tv with the words displayed on the bottom of the tv, so they read faster than most people.
2006-12-05 09:47:21 · answer #8 · answered by Wicked 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Just like everyone else
2006-12-05 09:56:49 · answer #9 · answered by Urbanchik901 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
how did you think before you learned your mother tongue proficiently? do thoughts have to have a language?
2006-12-05 09:45:30 · answer #10 · answered by shelbimostheduck 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋