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As hearing Americans, we tend to be on guard when someone is in what we deem as our “personal space.” Everyone has experienced the uncomfortable feeling in an elevator when too many people pile in and you end up rubbing shoulders. What about at the movie theater when someone takes that seat next to you when there are plenty of open spaces further down the row? My favorite is the person on the airplane who takes control of the arm rest. We like to maintain our own personal “bubble” around us.
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For Deaf culture, the comfortable conversational distance and personal space varies. Signed conversations can take place at much greater distances, through glass doors, under water, etc. Signing when you are too close together is very hard on the eyes.
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Do you remember your mother telling you how rude it is to point at someone? Well here is another example where the cultural differences between the hearing and deaf communities clash. Remembering that ASL is a visual language, it would seem natural – and necessary – to point at someone or something to identify it in conversation. It has taken me quite a few years to feel comfortable pointing to people.
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Deaf people are also more accustomed to touch than their hearing counterparts. If I were to come up behind a hearing person and tap them on the shoulder, most likely they would be startled or look at me un-approvingly. Deafies are used to shoulder taps and touches – which are key to getting their attention.
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