环球英语 — 653：Deaf Culture
Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for Spotlight! I'm Nick Page.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
"What is it like to be deaf?
People have asked me.
Deaf? Oh, hmm. How do I explain that?
Simple: I cannot hear.
No, wait. It is much more than that.
It is similar to a goldfish in a glass bowl,
Always observing things going on.
People talking at all times.
It is like a man on his own island
Among foreigners.
I feel more at home with Deaf people
Of different colour, religion, short or tall
Than I do with my own hearing family.
And you wonder why?
Our language is common.
We understand each other.
Deaf people are still human beings,
With dreams, desires and needs
To belong, just like everyone else."
["Being Deaf," Dianne Kinnee]
Voice 1
This is part of a poem called "Being Deaf." Dianne Kinnee wrote this poem from her own experiences being deaf. She tries to express the emotions that deaf people may feel.
Voice 2
The World Federation for the Deaf says that there are 70 million deaf people around the world. Sadly, most of these people do not have the resources they need. They do not feel like they are fully part of a community. But other deaf people have formed close groups. They even say they have a culture. On today's Spotlight we will tell about Deaf Culture.
Voice 1
For a long time, people have looked at deaf people as unusual. They believe that deaf people have something wrong with them - a disability. In the past, some people have even believed that deaf people were not as intelligent as "normal" people. They believed deaf people learned slowly, or that they could not even learn. Sadly, some people in the past and even today, considered deaf people to be worth less than other people because they could not hear. So, deaf people were oppressed. But experts now see deaf people in a new way.
Voice 2
Carol Padden is a professor at a university in California in the United States. She teaches students about communication. She is also deaf. Padden's parents were deaf too. So, at home she learned Sign Language. Sign Language is a way of communicating. A person using Sign Language moves her hands in a particular way. Each movement has a special meaning. As a young child Padden went to a special school. This school was especially for deaf children. But, when she was about eight years old, Carol began to attend a public school. The other students in her class were hearing children. That is, they were not deaf. They did not communicate using Sign Language. Instead, they talked to each other. Padden writes about her experiences:
Voice 4
"My interest in language is strongly rooted in the experience of moving between different worlds and languages. While at school, I was often the only deaf child among hearing classmates. But at the end of the day, I returned home and used Sign Language with my parents and brother."
Voice 2
Carol Padden's experiences as a child increased her interest in communication. Today she is an expert in communication and Deaf Culture. So what is Deaf Culture? Like other experts, Padden defines general culture as a "set of learned behaviours." That is, people who are similar learn similar ways to behave and communicate. They have a common language, set of values, rules, and traditions. Cultures form because the people are similar. Padden says that some deaf people form this sort of cultural group.
Voice 1
Deaf people created Deaf Culture through their shared experiences. Not all deaf people are part of Deaf Culture. It is more than just the physical issue of not hearing. It is about belonging to a group of people who are similar. People in Deaf Culture have developed new ways to see themselves. They are not disabled. Instead, they are full, able people who belong to this particular group or culture. Many experts agree that Deaf Culture is an example of a minority culture. Members of a minority culture may feel even more strongly that their culture is important.
Voice 2
Carol says that the deaf community has a common way of behaving and communicating. Many deaf people have lived through similar experiences. Many communicate using some form of Sign Language. Many have similar values. They have a common identity. They believe this common identity is important. Hearing people may think of being deaf as a disability. But many in the Deaf Culture do not think of being deaf as a disability or problem. Carol says that nine out of every ten members of Deaf Culture marry another deaf person. They may even HOPE for a deaf child. They want to share their culture with their children!
Voice 1
Kate Nelson is from Australia. When Kate was born she could hear some sounds. But she could not hear enough to understand voices speaking. She learned to read lips. That is, she could understand a person who was speaking by looking at how the person's mouth and lips moved. She used powerful hearing aid machines. And she learned how to form words with her mouth so she could speak clearly. She looked like she was similar to everyone else. But she did not feel like she belonged. Finally, when she was 21 years old she learned Sign Language.
Voice 2
Kate talked to journalist Carina Dennis about why she liked Sign Language so much. This way of communicating uses more than just hand movements. It also uses facial expressions and a person's whole body. Learning this way of communicating felt good to Kate. She says:
Voice 5
"When I learned Sign Language, suddenly the whole Deaf world opened up. It was amazing. It was like I was coming home. I am proud of my deafness. I do not see myself as having a disability."
Voice 1
Kate is an actor. She writes and performs in plays. And she writes from her own experiences. She uses theatre to link the Deaf world and the hearing world. She also works to show hearing people how deaf people connect with each other. She wants to show the world the beauty of Deaf Culture.
Voice 2
As Kate grows older, she is losing more and more of her ability to hear. Sign Language is becoming more important to her. And the Deaf community feels more and more like where she belongs. This is a common feeling for many deaf people in Deaf Culture. Kate says:
Voice 5
"The Deaf world is a place where I can relax. I can just be me."
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