January 01, 2012

• "If one is born deaf, what language does one think in?" I find this to be an interesting question. Obviously, that person doesn't think in any language. I think that most of my thinking is probably not done in any language, and that is obviously how deaf people would probably think all the time. But sometimes I definitely do think in a language (English, obviously). I wonder how much that helps me to organize my thoughts and form arguments. Does the inability to use language to construct thoughts limit the intellectual capability of deaf people somehow? I have no answer. I guess I'll have to think about it.
• The deaf think in sign language instead of tonal language, and seem to think on the same side of the brain we hearing people use for language. Playing a musical instrument would give us some of that nonverbal thinking too, except maybe using both sides of the brain. So it is different.
• What if the deaf don't know sign language? Or do all deaf people typically learn it?
• I love that people who create silly things get to put them on the internet. It gives encouragement to people who prolly wouldn't have any otherwise.