How do people born completely deaf learn to read written languages?

Question

I'm not deaf (and dont know anyone who was born deaf) and when I read a book I hear the words in my head as I read them. I presume that I have learnt to associate the written word with the sounds I make as I speak them and I use this association to read the passages to myself.
If I had been born deaf and therefore unable to hear the sounds associated with words, would I know what to make them sound like?

I've seen signed TV programmes but the person signing the dialogue appears to finish very early on compared to the characters in the programme which leads me to assume that the signed information is a stripped back form of the spoken communication.

Does anyone know of any (born) deaf authors?

Ta

Answer 1

Written English is not your native language, spoken English is, so when you read, you are associating the word on the page with the word you hear. Deaf people (for the most part) have sign language as their native language, so when they read, they associate the word on the page with the sign for that word. Obviously written and spoken English is related, so written English is easier for us to read and write. Sign language is not a simplified version of English, it is its own language.

Think about if you were reading a foreign language. You may still "sound-out" the word, but in order to make sense of it, you have to connect it to an English word. For example, Latin is no longer spoken. Obviously it can be spoken, but when you learn it, you don't need to know how to pronounce it to translate it.

The reason that you see the signing finish before the dialogue is because ASL does not follow English. For example, if the line is "I was driving down the road and then the cop pulled me over", in ASL you would use the handshape for representing cars, extend your arm in front of you, then sign "COP" and then you would add another car handshape and demonstrate both cars going to the side...while this took a while to explain, it takes no time at all to sign. But as you can see, it is very difficult to explain this in writing, which is why Deaf people tend to have difficulty with English.

There is another version of signing called SEE (signed exact English) which is just as the name implies...you sign every word in English word order. SEE is not favored by the Deaf community and takes a long time to sign.

According to Gallaudet University data, the median literacy level of Deaf students STILL IN SCHOOL is a fourth grade level. I have a Deaf friend who graduated high school last year, and just in the year I've known him, his English has improved drastically (though still not good). I also have another Deaf friend who is an English major, and he helps me when writing papers. If you want examples of hearing people who can't read or write, just take a look at Yahoo Answers.

The point to this very long answer is that you don't need to know how a word sounds to understand its meaning. Actually it is grammar and word order that are more important to understand. There are many Deaf people with excellent English skills. I know of people who write books on deafness, but if you are looking for a fictional story author, check out the second link below.

Sorry this was so long

Answer 2

They see the words and then they put the words to actions or ideas. Although speaking may be a problem to the deaf, reading is no problem (if they are mentally capable of doing so).

Actually, contrary to what most people believe, sometimes deaf people have trouble writing. American Sign Language has a different sentence structure than that of spoken English; some words are cut out because sign langauge is conceptual, so nothing has to be ver batem.

All in all, deaf people lead different lives than the hearing, but they are not at all less capable.

Answer 3

Deafness is no barrier to reading or writing.
There are some languages that have not been spoken for thousands of years. These can still be understood because the written form has no basis in sound. The spoken form also has no basis in the written words (unless its written in a recognisable phonetic form, eg eggsarmpull).
As for signed programmes, the signers finish early because 'signing' is a visual language and can carry more detail than the written form.
It may be easier to think of each form (spoken, written, signed) as completely distinct and separate languages.

Answer 4

Deaf people can read. It's easier to read deaf than to read blind. Deaf people are way more capable to function than blind people. Most places world-wide will allow a person to drive a vehicle deaf. No one can drive blind. The 2 can't even be compared. If a blind person & a deaf person are together, the deaf person w/ out a doubt will take care of the blind person.

You can read deaf, watch tv/movies deaf, play video games deaf, drive deaf, do normal things deaf (for the most part). This **** can't be done if you're blind.

Pretty much a deaf person can lead just about a normal life.

Answer 5

Not every one hears the words in their head as they read - in fact I have heard that this makes reading slower. I certainly don't and only know one person who does (two now, including you!)

Words don't have to be heard as they are a concept. I am sure that deaf people manage just fine.

Answer 6

The most important aspect is the parents. They have to start early, never delay. Early intervention helps a lot. Expose the child with picture dictionary and teach him/her sign as well as speech but do not push him/her. Let him/her enjoys the books with the parents commitment. Love him/her just like others and through love, God will help us. Deaf are not dumb. They are just like other kids.

Answer 7

It's harder for them to read written languages but they can do it. Even though they maybe deaf some deaf people can still talk.

Answer 8

If you determined in finding out to communicate Chinese then you should now that the best selection is a Program for Mandarin.

Answer 9

hummm
i havent met anyone whos deaf and i think that its almost impossible for someone to learn speakin without hearing it first but there ARE exceptions
i believe some people do that

Answer 10

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