How come Hearing People learn faster with another languages speaking but Sign Languages?

Posted byaslsign 9 Comments on How come Hearing People learn faster with another languages speaking but Sign Languages?

Give me a hint why they can’t learn Sign Language faster enough like they learning Spanish faster than Sign Language and why is that?
TY!

I am Deaf , that why I am asking.
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9 Comments

  1. when we are babies we learn by hearing other talk…we stay words by how we hear them….learning how to sign is diff mechanics like learning to swing a bat or swimming..its more muscle memory then sound recognition

  2. Well, my guess would be that learning other conventional languages is the way they learned their first language; it’s auditory and verbal. Sign language, though, is kinesthetic, which is a whole different way of doing it. The deaf, don’t learn with hearing, but have to do many more things kinesthetically, so it would be easier for them. That’s just my guess. I don’t learn other languages well from hearing them so maybe I’d do well with sign language.

  3. well… i think it depends on the person. cuz i’m learning sign language. for a month and i’m know alot to communicate. and when i was learning portuguese it took me while to learn to communicate. and i speak spanish so portuguese should been easy for me to learn. but i believe it depends on the person.

  4. I completely disagree with your premise. I believe people will learn Sign Language faster than other spoken languages. A language like ASL, may be a different language, but it still incorporates some elements of the language spoken around the community, such as American or Canadian English.

    I’ve taken ASL classes and classes in many different languages and all the students learned faster in ASL than in spoken languages.

  5. I am with the other poster that disagrees, but here is why. It is personal for me.

    It is easier for me to visually mimic someone else, and sign is sight language for me.

    I am TOTALLY in awe for Helen Keller, being blind learning this language. Because I can watch to learn, instead of hear to learn.

    I close my eyes and hear music and learn it,
    I open my eyes and SEE sign language to learn it.

    It’s just in the way you learn certain things best.

  6. Interesting question. I believe the opposite to be truer.

    Sign Language incorporates much of the “body language” that we already express, to a greater or lesser extent, therefore, I think it is much “easier” to express.

    HOWEVER, to sign in the proper order, context, syntax, and rythm requires the study and practice necessary for us to communicate in an understandable fashion.

    Us, the hearing people, are used to the spoken word, whereas the deaf is all visual and completely bodily expressive.

    It also depends on the abilities of the individual, but I can see also why you say this since you are deaf, and I believe you haven’t been exposed to the sounds as us, the hearing, are.

    Sign Language is a beautiful language in any spoken language.

  7. I agree with those that agree and also those that disagree.
    I will say I’ve noticed lots of people *think* its so easy after 1 or 2 classes, or they think they can sign well when in reality its not the case or doesn’t look natural.
    For some it is easy, with lots of practice and learning, time, talking(signing) with Deaf people, being around them, using and listening to ASL then someone should be able to pick it up like any other language.
    The problem is many hearing who learn don’t do those things enough or don’t turn off their voice when signing etc etc.. Getting the grammar syntax etc..like another user commented is what would be the difficult part and making their ASL look smooth and natural.

    I’ve also ntoiced that some people just do not have the dexterity or hand-motor skills for it. Also some may have learning disabilities, or they are not visual people at all.

    In the end I would say it depends on each individual whether they can learn ASL quickly or not.
    For myself, I felt I started to understand and use it quickly, but I had lots of help. I didn’t take a formal class but learned from other fluent signers and most importantly was around Deaf/HOH/DeafBlind people a lot and had ASL DVD’s/videos I could watch a lot, and practice practice practice! I was rather obsessed, I suppose I still am..and that was..almost 5 years ago.
    Time flies when you’re having fun! Hey, I think that helps too, I loved learning and still do. Guess I’m quite visual and tactile, so I think certain people/personalities will learn faster. Someone who is artsy/animated/talkitive might learn quicker than someone less inclined towards the arts or who is more subdued and not very lively..

  8. I am learning sign language because I have a friend that is very dear to me that is deaf and he is teaching me. I think it is a beautiful language to learn. years ago when I lived in new york near a beach I was walking and there was some men and woman that where deaf. they where the sweetest people that you ever wanted to meet. I can not wait to learn more sign language so I will be able to sign to the ones that do not talk. JJJ

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