Sign Language in Spain; Using ASL but Spanish Words-My Experience

1 year ago
37

I met a deaf couple at the Gym a few days ago, here in La Linea, Spain. I know a little ASL, and I'm not that good, and I'm sure some of the things I'm signing (in this video as well) might be incorrect. However, when I met this couple and asked them "Are you deaf?" And they saw me sign it to them, they were obviously very happy that a stranger at the gym had taken an interest in communicating with them.
However, the intersting thing, although I know there are many signs that overlap is communicating with them in Spanish and Spanish Sign Language. Although, there are probably more similarities than I can know or imagine, this couple thinks, reads, and is in a community and culture in Spain.

Therefore when I sign with them, I am signing and thinking in English, while they are simultaneously in Spanish. I'm not that good at sign language, but I'm fluent in Spanish. I can tell they read lips for Spanish words as well, and they mouth words in Spanish like "hasta luego." So when I am signing and speaking to them, I have to make sure to use Spanish words, that way they can read my lips, especially since my ASL is not very good.

But, I will say, that it is an amazing and fun cultural and language experience. It is communicating in four different languages, and my brain has to switch between them rapidly. And like I said, I could tell how happy they were when I went up to them and signed "are you deaf?" I could tell they were so pleased that someone was signing. I'm very happy with the experience. And when we talked today they both told me "poco a poco" which means little by little since I told them that I didn't know that many words in sign language.

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