If I P A ruled the world...

May 16, 2008 06:54

The International Phonetic Alphabet is a wonderful thing, and like sign language, not nearly widely enough used ( Read more... )

language, blog

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Comments 7

camies May 16 2008, 06:22:36 UTC
I like it. Re: "a great private language for kids, upon which parents couldn't eavesdrop." - when I was at a certain school in Sussex, where talking in the dormitories was forbidden, we learned sign language so we could get round the rule.

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lproven May 18 2008, 11:21:27 UTC
Cunning!

But not terribly effective in the dark, no?

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camies May 18 2008, 12:59:25 UTC
No - this would have been in the afternoon 'rest periods' or some such. I don't clearly remember, it was a while ago.

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wag_9393 May 16 2008, 07:01:54 UTC
promote the inclusion of Deaf people in hearing society
There are a lot of deaf people who don't want to be included, they like the way things are. They would probably think more along the lines that we were trying to be included in deaf society.

There was a case recently of a deaf couple wantting to screen for the gene that had produced their deafness to ensure it was present when they did IVF for their next child.

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lproven May 18 2008, 11:22:28 UTC
That's true, tho' AIUI the "Deaf as Culture not disability" movement is stronger by far in the US than here. However, I am really strongly averse to it. Anyone who *wants* their child to be disabled, for whatever reason, is a bad parent, simple as that.

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camies May 18 2008, 13:03:15 UTC
Around 1990 there was a cartoon (possibly in 'Private Eye') in which a just-met couple in a club are communicating by messages on cards. This gave me an idea - a pocket device which could send and receive (on a screen) written messages. I floated this in the bar at the Lyric Theatre (not the best place to debate scientific advancement, perhaps) and was told 'that would never sell, people are too keen on talking.'
I wonder if that person now uses text messaging?

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lproven May 19 2008, 15:54:15 UTC
:)

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