[Ansteorra] ASL at Court

[Liz Wilson]

I am sorry to say that I don't know much ASL but I think I should learn it. 
My husband and I are starting to notice that we
have some hearing loss (maybe too much loud music or perhaps it
was the shrieking infant twins a few years ago!) We don't have hearing
aids yet, and I understand that sometimes they just amplify all the
sounds and don't help that much,so I am trying to avoid it since I'm
not yet 50.

If it would be permitted,
I really like the idea of using ASL at Court because
as we all know, it is sometimes very difficult to hear what is going
on, especially when the Crown is being addressed and the speaker
has his or her back to the audience.  I know that the SCA
sometimes frowns on the use of amplification devices, plus many times they are
costly and just not available for use during Court.  Even though I don't
really know ASL except for a few gestures, I have found that it helps me figure out
what is going on or at least get a sense of things, particularly in song lyrics, 
when it is used at church. I didn't  really realize at first how useful it would be,
 even though we don't have a lot of obviously hearing impaired people at church.  
But as we age, there are more all the time, and that is true with the SCA as well. 
Plus, obviously there are young people who are hearing impaired too, in both populations.

It is also especially difficult to hear during Court if  there is a lot of noise or commotion 
in the back of the room (such as at Warlord or other large events), and if
you didn't get a seat in the first five rows. So I would like to remind everyone
that if for some reason you are not listening to or participating in Court (although I
know everyone is really listening, of course :)),  then perhaps you should consider taking
your conversation elsewhere for the benefit of those of us partially deaf
folks in the back of the room. Just my two cents.

By the way, Alexandra NottClaire, if your eldest son (who is probably a little old for MOC) would like
to be a helper at Warlord in MOC we would love to have him, even for an hour or two.  We usually
try to get some of the teens involved and it's a lot of fun for the younger kids, who look up
to them.  We always enjoy having your younger boys there too, who are beautifully behaved.

Christianna inghean Fearghus