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Writing Deaf Characters | Speech is Speech

Before I get going, I’m 75% deaf, as some of you know, semi-reliant on hearing aids and lip reading. My first languages were Makaton sign and then BSL. I now use spoken English.

There are a lot of issues I find with how deaf people are represented in books, when represented at all. I would love to see more deaf and hard of hearing characters in the books I read- without having to read books specifically about deaf/HoH people- but when I find them, they’re grossly undercharacterized or stereotyped. Authors write them in a way that sets signing language characters apart from speaking characters as if they are inferior, and this makes my blood boil.

Some technicalties

I’ll keep this brief.

You may have heard that “deaf” is a slur and you should use “hearing impaired”. Don’t. I’ve never met a deaf or hard of hearing person who believed that. Use deaf for people who are deaf, and Hard of Hearing (HoH) for people who lack hearing. These can be interchangeable depending on the person. This is why sensitivity readers are a useful part of the beta process.

Sign language is incredibly varied. It developes in the same way as spoken language. Fun fact: in BSL there are at least half a dozen ways to say bullshit, my favourite of which is laying your arms across one another with one hand making a bull’s head sign and the other hand going flat, like a cowpat. It’s beautifully crude, and the face makes the exclamation mark. Wonderful.

There are different sign languages. Knowing more than one would make a character multi or bi-lingual, even if they are non-speaking.

Makaton is basic sign language used by children, and it mirrors the very simple language used by toddlers.

Yes, we swear and talk shit about people around us in sign language sometimes, and no, it isn’t disrespectful to have signing characters do this. Just remember that we also say nice things, and random things, and talk about fandoms and TV shows and what we’re having for dinner, too.

Each signed language is different from another. ASL and BSL? Nothing alike. Just google the two different signs for horse.

Remember that sign language is a language, equal to the spoken word

Therefore, treat it as such. Use quotation speech marks and dialogue tags. You only need to explicitly state that this character uses signed language once, and then let your modifiers and description do the rest.  It isn’t a form of “sub-speech" or “making hand actions”- sign language is a language all on its own: it has its own grammar rules, syntactical structures, punctuation, patterns, idioms and colloquialisms. For example, “what is your name?” becomes “Your name what?” with the facial expression forming punctuation in the same way that spoken English uses alterations of prosodic tone (inflections). There is even pidgin sign; a language phenomenon usually associated with spoken language.

In the same way that you would describe a spoken-English character’s tone of voice, you would describe a signed-English speaker’s facial expressions and the way that they sign- keeping in mind that these things are our language’s equivalent of verbal inflection.

So please, none of that use of “special speech marks” or italicised speech for sign. If your viewpoint character doesn’t understand signed speech, then you take the same approach that would be used for any other language they don’t understand, like French or Thai. E.g “He said something in rapid sign language, face wrinkling in obvious disgust.” is a good way of conveying this. The proof that you’ve done this well is in whether or not you can switch “sign language” for French or something else, and it would read the same.

Don’t be afraid to describe how things are said, either. Sign language is such a beautiful and expressive way of talking, and to see a writer do it justice would be truly fabulous. Putting this into practise:

“Oh, I love maths!” She said, fingers sharp and wide with sarcasm. She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m sorry.” He replied and made his face small, but could not keep the grin forming. She was starting to laugh, too.

This is part one of two, for the sake of readability and keeping the information simple as I can. Part two- writing the deaf characters themselves- is coming up over the weekend. See you then and best luck with your writing until that point :D

This is part of my weekly advice theme. Each week I look at what you’ve asked me to help with, and write a post or series of posts for it. Next week: settings and character development (including heroes, anti-heroes, villains, and every other kind of character).

In the club

Said it a year ago and I’ll say it again.

Pirate all your favorite shows, movies and games while you still have the chance.

Oh, and never stop supporting physical media.

all of these celebrities are going to fucking hell btw

They deceived us when they told us that there is an International Court of Justice, and they deceived us when they said that they are human beings or that they know humanity, and they deceived us when they said we are with you and will not leave you. They are developing and developing and developing everything in life in order to try to reduce the death rate and preserve the lives and safety of people, but all of this is a lie. Where is all of this in what is happening in Gaza? Why does the International Court of Justice not stop the war in Gaza? Why do they not stop Israel from committing massacres? Why do they let us die? Why do they let us starve? Why do they let us be besieged? Why do they let us leave our homeland by force? Why does this indicate? Where is their humanity? Where is the International Court of Justice that they boast about? Where is all of this about the thousands of children who were killed? Where is this about the thousands of children who were wounded? Where is this about the thousands of children who lost their families, fathers and mothers? Where are you regarding what is happening to us? Hundreds of innocent citizens die daily, hundreds are injured, and dozens of homes are destroyed. Why is all of this happening to us? Aren’t we human beings like you? Don’t we deserve to live like you? We want this? We want a normal life like everyone else. We don’t want to starve, we don’t want to be displaced, we don’t want to be besieged, and we don’t want to be killed. Show some of the humanity that you claim to have. Help us, please, help us. We don’t know how long we will live, so stand by us so that we can get out of here safely.

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can't get over how much jacob sounds like pilot louis in this scene. louder, more expressive, more movement, more humor. he has a light-hearted dinner table of family members to joke around with again, a lover he doesn't have to walk around on eggshells with, a daughter who's never been happier and it's like he finally feels like himself. "will he get out the door with that BIIIIIIIIG head?"

~ MORE THAN FRIENDS ~ FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS PROMPTS

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secret eye contact when others are around

having a long history of being best friends

having certain things that trigger the romantic side of their relationship

being 'just' friendly most of the time until it culminates into a steamy romance session every so often

*heavily breathing* "But we're just friends, right?"

not telling their other friends because they don't want destroy the harmony of their friend group

staying behind purposefully to have one-on-one time with the other

"Do you think they can tell?" "No. Why would they? We're being totally normal." (bonus: they're not being normal at all)

making promises about their friendship but not about their romance

"Of course, I'll be there for you forever!" "As a friend?" "Yes, as a friend."

struggling to explain their relationship to others

"No! We're NOT dating!"

feeling like only the other understands every aspect of them

avoiding to think about the future

valuing their friendship too high to risk it for a serious relationship

"Do you ever wish for something else?" "No, it's perfect."

never having been on a date together but knowing each other inside out

"I love you. As a friend!"

^^ in response: *mockingly* "Yeah. Or are you falling for me?"

being scared to make the next move because everything is fine the way it is