Report of the Proceedings of the Meeting of the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 edition. Excerpt: ...In illustration of the foregoing remarks, we wish to present somewhat at length, specimens of the peculiar idioms of the deaf and dumb. They will bring out into a strong light, the great difficulty in teaching the deaf and dumb, which is to make them write in an English style, to construct their sentences according to English models. _They will also, we think, make an impression, such as an accumulation of facts alone can make, of the grand obstacle which the deaf mute encounters in his education, viz: the great diversity of forms in which his thoughts may couch themselves, and the uncertainty as to which of them may suit the language of the people among whom he dwells. These illustrative sentences may serve also to convince the visitors of our schools, that they ought to be surprised at the general accuracy with which our pupils use the English tongue, rather than at the occasional errors which mar their style and betray their peculiar infirmity. In order that the reader may see that the peculiarities of the deaf-mute style which strike him as so singular and new, are found in both ancient and modern foreign tongues, a few selections will be given, though imperfectly, in English wordh, the resemblance appearing much stronger in the original, than it is possible to make it in a translation. NEW WORDS. Deaf mutes under instruction acquire ideas faster than words. Hence they are often inclined to coin new words to supply the deficiency. In doing this they often show much ingenuity and remarkable clearness of perception. A few words are here given, some of them in the very sentences which the pupil wrote when introducing them: -As Road-boat for canal-boat. Wall-floor for pavement which is made of stones and laid level like a floor...