American English Vs. American Sign Language.

English is a funny language:
You can have a safe, and you can be safe, but you must save the safe.
I hear some people get frustrated when people don't ("won't") learn English when they leave their countries and come to America. But I'd like to point out that English is about as hard to learn as a second language asd Chinese is. If you want proof that there are much simpler languages, try ASL (American Sign Language). Children who are taught ASL as they grow up tend to prefer ASL to their spoken language, and with a good teacher, it's not very hard to learn. In college now I'm learning ASL, my grades are fantastic, I'm learning a different culture, and it's even strengthened my grasp of English.

Once on the Internet I heard of someone referring to ASL as a "broken English". Well that's completely untrue.
ASL is a full language all its own, which belongs to a culture all its own, and while we're at it, it's got a poetry all its own. There are ASL poets (Such as the late Clayton Valli ), Deaf doctors, Deaf lawyers, and a number of other things. Being Deaf doesn't hinder intelligence, nor does it prevent them from understanding a person. Some Deaf people read lips (which isn't a good plan if you intend to communicate for long periods, as it is somewhat innacurate), and many have hearing children or relatives who will be more than happy to translate.

Some argue that ASL isn't a full language. This is wrong, but I can see why some would say "But it doesn't have X!". English doesn't have many things, as well. English doesn't have a word for "feeling as though you have done a thing before", which is why we borrow the French 'Dejavu'. English doesn't have a word for "A witty comeback that you think of a little after it's too late", so the French have 'Esprit d’Escalier'. In Arabic there is a word ("Ya'aburnee") that describes the hope that you will die before another person so that you will not have to live without them. As such, ASL has untranslatable things as well, such as "Cow it", meaning either 'something slow', or 'deal with it'. There is "Train go, sorry", meaning 'you missed the boat'. There are signs for 'Feeling passionate', 'feeling deflated', and like English, there's more than one way to say someone has died. There are many similarities to English, and many differences. Some of the things that seem absent are actually just expressed in a different way, possibly through eyebrows or expression. Many of the things, though, are just not needed. When you say "The dog ran", is the 'The' completely necessary? Why not just say "Dog ran"? Especially if you can point in a direction, or signify if it's someone you know. Perhaps you can say 'A strange dog' to clear up the fact that you're not talking about all dogs? There are many things we do in English that don't make sense if you examine them closely (Saving Safes, remember).

ASL is a full language, it's interesting, and it's quite intuitive to learn the basics. If you only want to know 'in case you run into someone', then it's not a bad plan to try and learn, even if you only get the fingerspelling down. Many Deaf people will be nice enough to slow down and repeat themselves multiple times if you need to, but it's better if you learn the language and have some practice. Many things are intuitive. "Door" looks like a door swinging, "Book" looks like a book opening and shutting, it's really not hard to grasp many concepts. Some are harder than others, but with just a bit of time it can be learnt.

I might post more about Deaf culture if anyone's interested. I'm by no means an expert, but in my short time in class, I feel like I've learnt quite a lot about it. I have an amount of respect, and realize that people who are Deaf are perfectly capable of just about everything hearing people are.

Fun fact: The Football huddle comes from Gallaudet University, a school for the Deaf. The players realized that the opposing Deaf team could read their play signs, so they huddled up to avoid letting the other team know what was up. Now it's a staple of modern Football. Chew on that, and let me know if you'd like me to post more about my experiences learning about ASL.

Three poems for you all, and an explanation.

I've been away from my blog for far too long, and now fully intend to stay rooted on it. I also intend to make some other changes (for example, upping the font size and clarity). I'd like to eventually make money on my blog to save up for a big trip to London I have planned for the winter! I'll be going through my school. So keep an eye out for big changes, and please tell your friends to visit my blog! Thankye all for your continued following during my absence.

Leaving 7/29/12


Whiten teeth and cut my hair
Because I'm going over there
buy warm clothes in midst of heat
Learning how to travel neat.

Change my name, a new passport
Learn the game and Rugby's sport.
Just for fun, a new accent
Get ready to be feeling spent.

Learn the slang and history,
I'm on a self-improvement spree!
New make-up and brand-new clothes
But there's a problem here, oh noes!

I've changed so much from here to there
I'm not like myself much anywhere.
To make a good impression soon,
Sadly now it's not a boon.

Save my money, pennies pinched
Saving for it inch-by-inch
I cannot buy those books I want,
For one grand educational jaunt.

Magpie Murders 7/29/12


One for murder
Two for theft
Three for widows quite bereft

Four for poison
Five for knives
Six for someone's missing wives

Seven for luck
Eight for planned
Nine for tears that must be dammed

Ten for Hemlock,
twenty for Dwale
Thirty for bodies grown cold and pale

Forty for Vengeance,
Fifty for cash
Sixty for showmanship, bold and brash.

Seventy for ritual,
eighty an accident
Ninety for a murder not fully meant

A hundred for coincidence,
a thousand for planned,
Ten thousand, and the whole case goes unmanned.

Heraldry for Geeks 7/29/12


First you pick a shield:
Hero of the time,
of the people,
of the war.

Then you pick a colour:
Blue: Truth,
Green: Honesty
Red: Valour.

Then you pick your helm:
Spartan,
Knight,
or hero's mask

Then what is your motto?
I'm afraid I have to ask.

Supporters left and right will guard your heraldry, as such:
Tribbles
dragons,
bats
or horse?
Yes, I would have thought as much.

But what goes on your shield I ask?
Well that one's up to you:
Writing tools
or gadgets,
time or pets
In red or black or blue.

A mantle top and bottom,
in the colours you have shown
You may have noticed now, but your mantle's overblown.

And lo we are not finished, for I suggest:
Want it to look its best?
you pick a crest!

And after that is all performed,
You need mantles top and bottom adorned.

So now you have a perfect crest?
it represents you? Well take a test!
Wait a year, untill things may change.
Go back, and make the crest again.

(Written out of frustration at the fact that there are few intellectually-based heraldic shields out there that I could find, and fewer qualities for those who wish to make a heraldic shield that are called intellectual qualities. Most are based entirely in battle, which isn't very useful in this day and age. I have no idea why some of the lines highlight, though. Afraid I can't fix that.)