Chapter 2

Chapter 2 For Hearing People Only                                                                                       

Chapter 2 of For Hearing People Only was a rather short chapter, but it was filled with lots of insightful information. For instance I always just assumed that Sign Language was an international language that could be understood by all signers from various parts of the world. After reading chapter two  I felt a little silly for thinking that way, I mean there is not one universal language for all hearing people, so why would Sign Language be any different?

While reading chapter two the Spanish language seemed compariable to Sign Language in the aspect that there are various dialects and accents within the same language. For example a Spanish speaking person from Cuba will not be able to decipher the Spanish spoken by A Latino from Mexico just like American Sign language can not be understood by someone speaking Australian Sign Language. However for Sign Language there is to some extent an "International Sign Language" called Gestuno, it is not widely used except for at national gatherings. One event I could think of where Gestuno could be used would be at the Deaflympics.

One of my favorite quotes in this chapter says: "the impulse to communicate is universal. For deaf people, the impulse to sign is universal." For me this quote hits home even more the idea that deaf people are no different than any one else.