Wednesday, August 20, 2008
When did deaf history really start?
I was wondering when was deafness was first document in history? When did our deaf world real begin? I would like to start collect all information on that and put them all together and keep add update with it.. same with all deaf film or home film that is made by deaf person or people. Keep them all together for future. We can pass those values of deafness to our future. Our deaf world is not like few hundred years ago. Where all deaf people are shamed to speak in public or stuck to stay hide and build up a private club. Anyway back to my question.."When did deaf history really start?" Before Clerc and Thomas Gallaudet? America deaf history probably start with those 2 men. But When did they really start document about deaf for first time in history in whole world? In bible? When Jesus Christ healed deaf man?...I am open to a discussion
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11 comments:
Maybe this book:
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/excerpts/TDE.html
Why not start your research and write a book! I want books BY DEAFIES! Not by hearies! I'm tired of seeing books by hearies. You see, an encyclopedia by a hearie, Holocaust by hearies, deaf history Clerc, etc by a hearie. They make lots of money because deafies are suckers, helping hearies. Now it's deafies' turn to write.
Deafness started as old as civilization/mankind-the earliest known documentation so far is of aristole/plato's writings. We know that they witnessed the use of manualism by deaf people. If that is the case, then there had to be at least two deaf people living during that era in that specific population. This is because it obviously takes two people to engage in manualism as a form of communication.
D
Anonymous,
Look at that link again in the first comment (above). It talks about the book written by Pierre Desloges, which is probably the first book in the history of the world written by a Deaf person.
It's a very important book.
There are two journal entries written by Deaf people in the past:
Barnard, F. (1835, 2000). Existing state of the art of instruction of the deaf and dumb. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 5(2), 200-216.
Fischer, R. (2002). The study of natural sign language in eighteenth-century France. Sign Language Studies, 2(4), 391-406. (Pierre Desloges, a Deaf Frenchman, examines signs used by the French Deaf community in Paris in 1779 and further studies De l'Epee's methodical sign system used in the late 18th century France)
These studies might help you start off your deaf history studies.
Many years ago, I always thought that the Deaf history began with Laurent Clerc and Thomas Gallaudet that founded the Deaf school in 1817
Later I learned about Martha Vineyard island town where the Deaf and hearing settlers lived in the bilingual community during 1660's.
The Deaf community in Paris was great during 1750's before Abbe De Epee founded the first Deaf school in the world.
The Deaf community in Kent county not far from London were very active during 1620's. Moreover, Sir George Downing, who donated his house to the monarchy government and currently used as the British Prime Minister's residence, grew up in the early 1600s Kent county where he was fluent in Old Kent Signer (now extinct)
During the early 1500's, Leonardo da Vinci. who painted Mona Lisa, lived in Florence. I believe that there was a Deaf community in Florence because Leonardo da Vinci strongly encouraged many Art students to meet some Deaf people for learning how to paint Deaf's facial expressions correctly.
I believe that Jesus, native signer, respected some Deaf people who did not want to be cured.
Even the great Greek philosophers already knew some Deaf Athenians in their lifetimes before Jesus was born.
I have noticed the ancient Deaf people tended to create their own community that often happened in the city or town, not farming. I believe the main reason is that most Deaf grew up in the farming and later decided to look for another Deaf. They often met each other in the marketplace that located in the center of that city or township.
I always believe that the Deaf history repeats itself. I began to realize that the repeating Deaf history CAN POSSIBLY BE REVERSED TO THE PAST TIMES. Therefore, the past times and future times of Deaf communities are no different to me.
Someday the ancient Deaf community will be discovered in the Sumerian Age (about 3,500 B.C.). Who know?
If you want to go further back, check this out:
http://carl-schroeder.blogspot.com/2007/02/plato-book-cratylus-and-aristotle.html
http://infomotions.com/alex2/authors/plato/plato-cratylus-686/ (if you use Firefox, use Edit --> Find, and type in "deaf", then you will find their discussion about Deaf people)
Long before Plato was born, Jewish people did not allow deaf people to own a property in Israel.
David Ennis made all the senses what he espoused about the Deaf History.
Please do not forget the origin of manual communication back to the prehistoric people (cave people) before they developed their ability to speak orally!
Let's do the "Deaf Time Machine" to scan and find out about our deaf history over centuries! Who wanna be idiotic "Ted and Alex" for being in the time machine?
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
I too thought Rev Gallaudet and Clerc started history....to my surprise...there are more. Ever since ASL was recognized language, Deaf people can now do more historial researchs for their doctorate degrees. Gallaudet Press held Deaf HIstory Conference not long ago invited all Deaf researchers...Check Gallaudet University Press website.
Kathy Weldon
I too thought Rev Gallaudet and Clerc started history....to my surprise...there are more. Ever since ASL was recognized language, Deaf people can now do more historial researchs for their doctorate degrees. Gallaudet Press held Deaf HIstory Conference not long ago invited all Deaf researchers...Check Gallaudet University Press website.
Kathy Weldon
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