Question for people born deaf or deaf from infancy, (and for those who study language, hearing, and the mind?

Question

Question for deaf people:
Since people born deaf can't think in the words of a spoken language or in a voice, than is your "mental voice" more akin to a rhythm, an impulse or pulse?

I guess the question fascinates me because, well everything fascinates me in this world. :) When I think, I think in my voice. When I think of others talking- what they might say or what they have said- I think it in their voice. Even just keyboarding I think each letter in a vague and undefined voice in my head as I hit each key.

But I understand that deaf people think in abstract. Could that be defined as a vague voice, perhaps- like an impulse in the mind that has the vague "tap" of a rhythm when music is playing? I understand that deaf people can "hear" a rhythm by feeling it. Is that slight "tap" similar to your abstract tone or language? (This is how I "hear" my own pulse in my body. I am unusually aware of my own pulse.)

I do have times when my mental voice is kind of abstract, not defined, while typing. But if I try to think without words while pondering stuff I get nowhere. My thoughts don't progress.

I guess the minds of deaf people are specially developed to handle abstract, non-language thought. People have a left brain and a right brain, and they say that the right brain processes language, music, and other creative stuff. But that the left brain handles logic and abstract thought. But I'm guessing that if the brain isn't using the language function then that specific function might lie dormant- or the wild and wonderful human brain might "convert" that part of itself to be used for some other function. Do you think there are things that deaf people are especially adept to? They say that the blind often possess a greater sense of smell, and some even say they can be psychic.
All I know is that If I don't think in words and voices, or even read out loud to myself sometimes, I find it very hard to grasp ideas. I'm guessing that your "mental voice" might be more like a rhythm? As such, this would be more like a mathematical language than a spoken language, right?

Anyone who works with the deaf, or studies the mind or semantics/language is also welcome to answer. Thanks.

Answer 1

I am deaf, but do not sign. I, like most people who are deaf still have some hearing. It is more-over not being able to make sense of what you hear than not being able to actually hear. So I can still hear in my head the way I hear sound or remember sound as my deafness is late onset. When I speak to someone in Spanish, I think in Spanish. (And since my Spanish is poor, what I think in my head is that same poor quality Spanish.) And when I sign what limited sign I do sign, I think visually in sign.



My son who is also unable to make sense of what he hears well, speaks the way he hears things. So I would imagine he can only think the way he hears.



A person who has never heard sound (and these people are actually quite rare) I conjecture would think in sign language.

Answer 2

I'm not Deaf but have been around Deaf/HOH/DeafBlind people a lot and I have been learning ASL for almost 7 years now and am actively involved in the Deaf community and an interpreter. I can tell you that for those people who do not use their voices and have not heard much, I believe they think in Sign Language and pictures.

Many Deaf people do have a language, whether they prefer to speak and lip read or if they can hear some with hearing aids or a Cochlear Implant or ASL or any other sign language around the world, there are hundreds.

Did you know Sign Languages are real languages?!? Why would you refer to non-language thought? Did you mean non-verbal I assume?



There are people who have NO language, but that is more rare, even then, they make up a 'language', not a real one, but if Deaf they make up gestures to symbolize thoughts. I would imagine those thoughts would be pictorial in nature based off of sight and senses etc... I'm not sure about the 'pulse/rhythm' thing, but I am thinking it's not quite like that.



When I'm signing, I'm thinking in sign and pictures and I try not to think in words while signing. However as I'm typing this and when I'm reading I do hear a voice in my head, sounding out everything. I don't have to, but typically I do.



Sorry couldn't be more help, I'm sure there is research out there some place online you could search for.



smile

Answer 3

I am deaf and I use sign language. ESL (English Sign language ) was the first language I learned when I was 2 or 3. Later on I was so comfortable with my signing only around people who can sign. My parents wanted me to start using my voice so most people can understand me not my signs. I started taking speech in 2nd grade thru high school. My speech therapist thinks I don't need it as much I should so I dropped speech out of my IEP in 9th grade. I been using my voice around other hearing people and they never knew I am deaf. So I started making new friends and alot. And I wanted to say Im so blessed that I have a device (cochlear implant) to help me to hear better. I played sports too (Track) but Im not the only deaf person at my school to play sports too. Deaf people can do anything EXCEPT to hear. I don't know most deaf people like music or not but I like music I listen to it every single day. Its kinda hard to understand the words but I can read lips. All I have to say is we are all different. Deaf people lives in both worldss.

Answer 4

I am not deaf, I have normal hearing. However, I sometimes work through things in an "analog" manner, for example things having to do with physics.



If I am standing on ice and push against a wall I am going to slide backward. I do not apply any words to this.



Music is another example. I don't read music but I can whistle what I hear quite accurately.



I can throw a ball in a ballistic trajectory so that it arrives close enough for the catcher to nab it.

Answer 5

most people arnt born COMPLETELY deaf, just like 90%. they can still hear and everything, its just harder to hear. i would assume that they are absolutely no different than you or me. as for those who ARE completely deaf, i would assume they more or less think as either noise vibrations that they can feel, or by images instead of noise.