deafscribbler.blog-alloon.com

Here we go. This is my first post. This is the first time I’ve used WordPress, although I have used LiveJournal as a blog host for several years. Now I’m sharing space on my friend’s blog server, lpoweronl, so thanks to him for that.   

So why am I doing this? Well, I’m working on my Master’s degree in English at the University of Texas. An old writer’s adage is to “write what you know.” I know life as a Deaf person, and I know the Internet has been an incredible accessibility tool for me as a Deaf person. For other Deaf people too as well. The Internet also has changed life for Hearing people as well. Blogging and wikis and other forms of collaborative information presentation have changed the way academics look at the way the English language is being used. Of course, other languages are being used too–not just English. The Internet isn’t limited to North America. People are able to express themselves in their native languages all over the web. And now the World Wide Web has evolved to include other ways of expressing language rather than text lining the monitor.

People are able to create audio podcasts to present their thoughts or even artwork (in terms of music and poetry). And technology and bandwidth improved, leading people to videocasts, small video presentations broadcast on the internet. The limits were stretched further now that news and performances and other material are now posted for all to view on the web.  Let’s not forget language, as I mentioned just a bit ago. 

Now we can express ourselves in our own language, ASL (American Sign Language), BSL (British Sign Language), or FSL (French Sign Language) or any other variety of visual signed languages. Now we can do that.

Now on this blog, I’m looking at how blogs affect the way we use language. By we, I mean Hearing people and Deaf people alike. And how it changes the way Deaf people communicate, express ourselves, of course how it affects Deaf Activism. That’s a very important aspect that blogs are changing–the way people do things.

So that’s what I’m planning to do with this blog, look and see what I find and show it to you all.