I think in the "mother language". But since deaf people cannot hear, they can't learn how to speak a language. Nevertheless, they must think in some language. Would they think in mother language if they use sign language and read mother language? How would they do that if they've never heard the words they are signing or reading pronounced? Or maybe they just see words in their head, instead of hearing themselves?
2007-12-04 16:45:13 · 3 answers · asked by +-+-+-+-+- 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Maybe they just see words in their head, instead of hearing themselves?
I guess they think in whatever spoken language they've learned.
2007-12-04 19:57:07 · answer #1 · answered by Rain 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your question presupposes that we think in a language, and that we "hear" our thoughts in our mind, which I'm not completely sure is true, at least not all the time. For many deaf people, sign language is their native language. So they will express their thoughts in that language, yes.
Although many deaf people can read English, it's basically a foreign language for them; it's like if a Japanese speaker or French speaker reads English. They might be very proficient but it's not the same as sign language for them. Of course they can learn to recognize the meanings of words without knowing the sounds behind the words, in the same way that little children learn to read "sight" words simply by recognizing the whole word.
I'm not familiar with the term "mother language" and I'd like a clarification on that. Are you using it to mean native language? Or are you referring to a particular language?
2007-12-04 17:10:56 · answer #2 · answered by drshorty 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
my grandfather is both mute and deaf..
we`re from the philippines, but he only understands english..coz he studied in an english "writing" school..but some of his friends from japan who are in the same situation as him does understand japanese and english
2007-12-04 21:56:00 · answer #3 · answered by ihavechopsticksinmyhair 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋