Written on the grocery store cashier's name tag just under her name is "I am deaf".
So does this mean I should assume she can read lips?
On one hand, it seems reasonable to assume the person behind the cash register is capable of handling the transaction in the usual way. I've been shopping at that store for eight years, every single cashier interaction I've had has been in verbal English assuming I can use verbal English wouldn't be out of line.
On the other hand, it seems really hearing-centric to barge in assuming she can read lips. Lipreading seems like the kind of thing that you'd find out isn't that common IRL and is only a TV plot device.
Fortunately it was a simple transaction (scan, bag, pay, thank you come again) so we didn't really need to communicate. And I don't know if she could read lips, but she could speak. I also found myself exaggerating my facial expressions just a tinch. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad. On one hand, in my aborted attempt to learn ASL, the teacher said that facial expressions were especially important among the Deaf (at least I think that's what she said, she was signing at the time). On the other hand, it seems like of like going to Germany and speaking to the locals in loud slow English.
2 comments:
Many deaf people lip-read. It's not a made-up thing from TV. People use lip-reading to augment other communication (with varying degrees of success, of course).
But a lot depends on the degree of deafness and whether or not they grew up in a hearing or deaf household.
So is it safe to assume...? Hmm. I think it's polite to assume that lip-reading is at least possible. Then enunciate clearly, make sure you're face-to-face, not looking away, not chewing gum, etc.
Your teacher probably did say that, btw. Facial expressions are important in ASL. My ASL teacher/friend used to make fun of me b/c I would sign with this really serious look on my face. I was concentrating! He thought it was very silly.
The thing with facial expressions is I can't do the appropriate facial expressions unless I'm speaking, and the class I took didn't allow speaking. I'm sure I just sat there with a look of idiotic concentration on my face.
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