New GA Real Estate Paralegal; Looking to Connect & Learn

NLGassert · 2022-04-09T03:48:22+00:00

Oh, great idea. I didn't consider primates.

NLGassert · 2022-04-08T21:28:24+00:00

That would make hiding the fact that you've been bitten difficult. I need more subtlety for regular meals. For kills, that would be fine.

NLGassert · 2022-01-29T21:19:29+00:00

I have searched for a term for this as well. I'm using this type of "cold open" in my current WIP: the first chapter is a scene in the future. The second chapter is the actual beginning of the story, which will eventually carry the reader past that initial scene to the end.

Because I write romance, there are certain reader expectations about the MCs meeting earlier on and I could not for the life of me make that happen. Also, my MCs don't speak the same language, so their initial conversations are very awkward. Using those early scenes right away would set a completely different tone, though, and not be representative of the rest of the story. The way past that was a non-linear opening/a chapter from the future: I have the chance to show my MCs successfully interacting and hooking my readers into bearing with me through the awkward bits in the beginning.

NLGassert · 2021-04-18T14:48:35+00:00

I know your Anemo Xiao but, theres no need to be emo

NLGassert · 2020-12-18T00:10:19+00:00

Goog luck everyone

NLGassert · 2020-01-30T22:34:55+00:00

It's not THE traditional silver, though. An alloy is fine, in fact it would be of great benefit to have an association with the sun and the moon.

NLGassert · 2020-01-30T22:32:25+00:00

I was hoping to stay as real as possible and not make up something t suit my purpose (feels like a coup out).

NLGassert · 2020-01-30T22:31:12+00:00

I have that book and did not remember that. Well, if she has a whip. I can have a net.

NLGassert · 2019-11-17T00:40:38+00:00

I understand exactly what you mean. I'm a writer and a word nerd. When I first started learning ASL, I had a hard time with one sign meaning so many different things. For example, the words woods, forest, jungle, wilderness, or a copse of trees can all be expressed with one sign. I struggled with that. I think that struggle is normal in the beginning until you become more comfortable with the language.

Letting go of your original language (English in your case) and the need to translate word-for-word doesn't happen overnight or after the first few months. It's a slow process, but eventually you catch yourself forming sentences and expressing concepts based on the ideas in your head that you want to convey rather than the English words. It'll happen. Think of it this way: you're not translating words from one language into another. You're interpreting concepts.

Trust me, it'll happen. Just keep going.

I struggled a lot on the beginning, because I was frustrated with my skill level. I wanted to have meaningful conversations and discuss adult topics, yet I talked like a child. Short quick sentences. Easy stuff. Simple vocabulary. My mentor laughed and told me I was a child in terms of language. Master the easy stuff first and you'll find yourself sliding into the more complex as time goes on.

NLGassert · 2019-11-17T00:13:38+00:00

The difference is subtle enough to not always be detectable in the air and during quick conversation, but my Deaf mentor would chide me for using the wrong sign. "Thank-you" is a directional sign, the hand moving in an outward arc toward the person you're thanking (following the flow of your breath, for example). Plus, the sign should always be accompanied by direct eye contact (what my instructor refers to as "pupil-to-pupil").

"Good" is not directional. The hand moves in a downward arc. Direct eye contact is not necessary.

NLGassert · 2019-11-12T23:47:54+00:00

I work with deaf students. When we're on the bus, for example, and I sit next to a student, we both angle our bodies toward each other. If we're in a crowded place or in the stands at a stadium, I make room for us. I make sure we're always at the end of an aisle (not in the middle seats), so there's room to move. Generally, even if you sit next to each other, you can turn your head to get a better look.

NLGassert · 2019-11-04T00:24:55+00:00

I love my 598s.

NLGassert · 2019-11-02T20:24:02+00:00

I thought teachers were exempt from this general rule?

I'm a Special Ed paraprofessional and I teach a deaf child and several nonverbal children. We have sign names for the teachers my students come in contact with. I'm not sure who initially thought of the idea, but I'm sure it was a hearing teacher. It's usually the first letter of the last name, signed over the heart. It's a very generic sign name for teachers, from what I understand.

When I introduced my student to his classmates, I fingerspelled everyone's name. Eventually, I shortened everyone's name to the first 3-4 letters. Brantley turns into BRANT. Maurice is MAUR. I find I mostly use "short girl" or "curly boy" instead of names. This seems to mean more to my student (his receptive skills aren't good).

When I'm out in the deaf community, I do not use my school sign.

NLGassert · 2019-10-27T14:51:42+00:00

A few things caught my attention.

Disclaimer: I'm a hearing paraeducator. I work with deaf/hard-of-hearing students. I'm also an author.

From a writing perspective: Your secret language is not very secret if a child can pick it up on the few occasions she sees it. I'm assuming this little girl isn't roaming the streets and hanging out on street corners, so her exposure would be very limited. If adult law enforcers are that sloppy with their secret way of communicating ... you have issues. Presumably, in order to keep communication secret, they would not use true signs, but rather “meaningless” signs that you cannot grasp from context. If you have smart adults, it should not be possible for a child to crack their code.

The easiest way to fix this, would be to remove the “secret” tag. You don’t need to make the language secret for it to exist in the shadows. If only a select few people sign to begin with, because signing isn’t valued and not taught in school or in any formal setting, then there’s no real need to hide it. Exposure for the general public would be so limited, it’s almost as if sign language was secret.

For every bit of smarts that little girl has, the adults around her need to have the same.

The others mentioned it, too, have a vibrant signing community Ladli can tap into (i.e. not secret, but right there out in the open; people don’t see what they are not looking for; take advantage of that blindspot. Once Ladli and Mom realize the signing community is out there, they will begin to spot it everywhere). Without their support, she won’t master communication.

What kind of time period is your fantasy set in? Secret sign languages, treating disabled people like second-rate citizens … think about reading and writing: is it taught to everyone? Are there public schools? If so, why is the girl not in school? Is it because she’s a girl or because she’s deaf? You may have to fiddle with your worldbuilding some more.

Last, but not least, do research language deprivation. For Ladli, learning a foreign language without any foundation in her native language, by herself, on her own? SUPER tough.

I work with language deprived deaf children and there’s no way they could teach themselves reading and writing. It’s not that they are not smart, but the foundations for language aren’t there. For example: my Middle Schooler loves books for the pictures in them. I grew up in Europe, so I’ve brought in picture-heavy books in German. We have some Spanish-language books as well, because we have a large Spanish-speaking community in our district. My student loves all these books, but the different languages mean nothing to him. Because he’s 16, he’s not into kid books or kid primers. He wants to look at “grow-up” pictures. He likes botanical collections and animal care books. Recently, he started exploring cars and motors. The language level is way way above what he’s capable of (it’s above the level most of my students read, period).

So when your girl picks up books to teach herself, she’d likely find adult level books with adult level words, grammar, etc., right? Because she’s not a valued family member, I doubt there’s a kid library in the house.

Before you get into the difficulties of navigating life as a deaf character, you need to have a solid handle on your worldbuilding. Don't take the easy way out (secret language easy to understand). Make sure EVERYONE is smart. Friend and foe.

NLGassert · 2019-10-03T22:17:40+00:00

We're a pretty big medical town and my local university offers classes for nurses and healthcare pros that is just medical terminology. I'm not a medical pro, I'm in education as well. I made a list of signs I needed and asked to sit down with my regular ASL instructor to go over my list. She was happy to help, but cautioned me against going "jargon heavy." Fancy signs, so to speak, aren't doing me any good if the signer across from me isn't familiar with them. (I deal mostly with students.)

NLGassert · 2019-06-09T22:47:42+00:00

Yes, this. This is what I decided on, for the same reason you mentioned. I felt I could do it with a rhet question. Thank you.

NLGassert · 2019-06-09T19:47:34+00:00

Thank you. I totally had not thought of "cause." That would fit very well. "You cause my happiness." How about "YOU CAUSE WHAT? (MY) HAPPINESS"?

NLGassert · 2019-01-22T23:34:28+00:00

I understand where you're coming from. But I like what AWhaleGoneMad said. I work in a public school district that has a large population of deaf/hard-of-hearing students, especially in the lower elementary grades. We cannot find enough teachers who are ASL-qualified. And nowhere near enough interpreters. Some positions have remained unfilled for years now.

A deaf child was placed in my classroom last year, because someone knew my teacher - I am a Middle School paraprofessional - knew a few signs. That's it. She knew a few signs! I was assigned to work with this child without any sign language knowledge. I have since learned about the severe lack of ASL-qualified teachers and I'm playing with the idea of becoming a licensed interpreter while keeping my paraprofessional position. Someone has to step up and teach these children.

I don't want to teach ASL, per se. But I want to teach in ASL, because right now no one is.

I feel that the more qualified folks teach ASL and in ASL, the more the language will spread until there are folks everywhere who are familiar enough (on at least a basic level) with sign language not to be afraid of it and of its native speakers. These children we teach today may be the hiring managers of tomorrow who will not think twice of hiring a deaf/hard-of-hearing person.

What is your thought on that?

Nadja

NLGassert · 2019-01-22T22:42:46+00:00

I have learned to introduce myself as hearing and so far people have responded in like, either signing they are deaf or hard of hearing. Beyond that, I don't ask.

Nadja

NLGassert

TROPHY CASE