Jump to content
Linguaholic

What If


Recommended Posts

What if you were chosen and paid to make a trip from point A to point B in a town you've never been to before? Your only advantage is that the signs you make with your hands are relatively inoffensive (except the ones that are intentionally offensive). While you're getting to this town your eyes are blindfolded so you can't use land marks that you saw on the way to figure out in what general area you are. You were brought to town via automobile so you're unable to hear outside of the vehicle.

How would you get from one side of town to the other on foot? What would be your strategy to know where you have to go, apart from asking the person who challenged you, "what is point B called?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

If I knew the sign language of this town then I would use that to communicate with the nearest deaf person I find, if they are blind deaf then they can speak in my hands. I had the privilege of hosting a deaf/blind man from NJ once in our home and it was an amazing experience to watch him access the situation in our apartment. It took him about 30 minutes and he knew the ins and outs. He never needed help with anything after that first 30 minutes. What he did do though was begin with a point like the bathroom. He would return to that point and then go to the kitchen, he would return to the point and then go to the office, the would return to the point and then go to the front door, and so on. Afterwards he then went around the room feeling everything along the way and asked us to please not move any of the furniture. We did this and he never had a problem the entire weekend. I know it would be harder for me than it was for him, but this is what I would do in your scenario. Point B would be called, Nightmare St.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

When you say "the signs you make with your hands" are you referring to sign language or just gestures?  I know that one of the conditions is to be blindfolded.  However, are you allowed to speak?  I would count the seconds it takes to get to the destination.  Also, vehicles tend to cause different sensations depending on how they move.  I feel the movements of the vehicle, count the inclines, declines and turns (right turns feel different than left turns) and try to go from there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, atanas.velikov said:

Now I'm totally confused. How can you aim to get to point B if you don't even know where point B is located at?

That is a good question.  I misread this.  I thought that the trip in the automobile was taking you from point A to point B, and you had to take the trip on your own at some point later on. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha that made me laugh. I'm lost now anyway let alone when doing it. I'm not really sure what you are asking and I've just read it again and asked us to use sign language to get there - how can we when we are blindfolded? Now I'm even more confused than before. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, atanas.velikov said:

Haha that made me laugh. I'm lost now anyway let alone when doing it. I'm not really sure what you are asking and I've just read it again and asked us to use sign language to get there - how can we when we are blindfolded? Now I'm even more confused than before. 

But it just said "gestures".  I don't know if that means sign language or just waving "hi" or giving peace signs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you answered your own question there. Honestly, the scenario you describe is absolutely ridiculous. Being that I can hear, but not see, obviously to find my way around I'll have to use my hearing. On the other hand, that doesn't mean much when I don't even know where I am, and I can't see anything, which means I'll have to talk to people and ask for help. I don't think there's a lot of options left. Wait, here's a creative solution, I'll call a taxi! You didn't see that coming now did you! Easy as pie.

Sorry, but your example is so ridiculous I can't get over it! (In a good, funny way, not an offensive one!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...