Deaf Experience

Aa’Vonna Smalls

ASL1150

Deaf Experience

The service began and the musicians of the church prepared to play. The church goers lined the pews as the pastor stood prey. People bowed their heads and listened to the pastor except for a few people who sat next to my sister; they focused their attention on the interpreter who stood in front of them. The motions of the interpreter were quick and brief. Sitting in the pew focused on the scene, I was fascinated. There were interpreting that was for the service and another for the sermon.

 During the worship the interpreter signed word for word along with the songs and demonstrated the music interludes. If there was something they didn’t understand, the interpreter explained or revised. Because the songs were displayed on a projector, the  Deaf people spent a portion of their time reading as well as watching the signs. When the sermon began, the interpreter switched modes. The modes switched from signing word to word to interpreting in ASL. She would listen to a phrase and convert it into sign for the people to understand. If there was a word the interpreter did not know, it was finger spelled. In some cases, the group would show the interpreter a sign and it would be learned. At times, no sign existed. If anyone had a question or a comment on what she signed, he asked and she explained. In a way they helped each other learn.         They (the group of deaf people) watched both the expressions and lips of the pastor and the interpreter signing. As I sat, watched and listened, I tried to understand some of the phrases and learn some new words. It could be seen how despite the lack of hearing, the man did not miss out on the experience of church.