Types of friendships - Alan O'Connor

Types of friendships - Alan O'Connor

McLaughlin, Michelle

Alan O'Connor

Michelle: (Question cut off- so assume) Can you tell me where you would meet up with Deaf people?

Alan: I would meet up in friend’s houses or the pub there would also be social nights in the Deaf club.

Michelle: Of the various places you mentioned lets take for example the Deaf club would you have prearranged to meet up with friends there (interrupted)

Alan: Yes I would know my friends would be there

Michelle: Or would you ever just walk in to see if they happen to be there?

Alan: Most of the time I would know I was meeting them there but sometimes I would just drop in either or

Michelle: Why that particular venue?

Alan: Because you can be guaranteed there will always be Deaf people there.

Michelle: Do you have any close hearing friends who you communicate with through Sign language?

Alan: My colleagues at work would be my only hearing friends.

Michelle: Really just in work, how would you communicate with them?

Alan: I would lip-read and pick up some more information from their facial expressions. They would also point and use gestures.

Michelle: Do you find your self struggling to communicate with hearing people on a daily basis or do you think it is relatively easy?

Alan: That depends sometimes its easy sometimes not.
Obviously in the beginning it was difficult getting to know new people but you get use to it over time. I would say majority of the time now it is straight forward enough.

Michelle: Would your colleagues be willing to learn Sign language?

Alan: No, No I don’t think so there was never any mention of it anyway.