Viewing page 8 of 21

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Transcription: [00:16:56]
{SPEAKER name="Ella Mae Lentz/Shirley Schultz (interpreter)"}
Blind people can hear and can speak. Deaf people cannot hear and may have a difficult time with communication. But they can see, and they can read English. Blind people cannot read sighted English.
[00:17:09]
So you, although people mix them up, they, those two can't even communicate with each other as easily.
[00:17:16]
You have some, Thursday, with deaf people. Some people think that because deaf people can do so much, can drive a car, can perform on stage, can work with machines, can fix cars, and so on, so on, they think, a-ha, that person's not really handicapped, therefore his deafness is really a psychological problem.
[00:17:36]
No, you have to remember that there is truly a hearing loss. There are a few people who are psychologically deaf. Yes, they could hear, but they refuse to hear. But most of us cannot hear.
[00:17:48]
Or we hear some things and can't hear everything. That's something different.
[00:17:56]
Ooh, deaf people have voices. Many, I have a voice, but I choose not to use it because I can't hear and I can't control it. If I spoke, I would kind of make a fool out of myself.
[00:18:09]
Now some choose to use their voice and they feel okay about it. Very few deaf people really, are, really mute, cannot use their voices. Okay?
[00:18:19]
The other side, people think all deaf are expert lip readers, can read across the street and interpret what they're saying over there. No, it's a, it's tough to lip read. There are a few who are very, very skilled, but for most it's difficult because only 30 percent of the English language is visible on the lips.
[00:18:40]
Deaf people have no sense of humor, that statement. Now, I expect you through this festival to see many different stories, jokes, that deaf people have shared with you, and you'll see that obviously that statement is not true.
[00:18:57]
Now, with sign language, the statement that it's universal. Sadly, it's not. It would be nice, but it's not.
[00:19:03]
Sign language in England and in America, although spoken language the same, is, the sign language is different. I cannot understand my English deaf friends. Uh, their signs? I'm out. Just as you could not understand people in China. Same thing.
[00:19:22]

Transcription Notes:
Speaker - Ella Mae Lentz was introduced on Page 4.