The Straight Dope 12/26/2003

The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 12/26/2003

Dear Cecil:

In what language do deaf people think? I think in English,
because that's what I speak. But since deaf people cannot
hear, they can't learn how to speak a language.
Nevertheless, they must think in some language. Would they
think in English if they use sign language and read
English? How would they do that if they've never heard the
words they are signing or reading pronounced? Or maybe
they just see words in their head, instead of hearing
themselves? --Cathy, Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Cecil replies:

You're on the right track, kid. But first a little detour.
Your speculations raise a larger question: Can you think
without language? Answer: Nope, at least not at the level
humans are accustomed to. That's why deafness can have
far more serious consequences than blindness,
developmentally speaking. The blind suffer many hardships,
not the least of which is the inability to read in the
usual manner. But even those sightless from birth acquire
language by ear without difficulty in infancy, and having
done so lead relatively ordinary lives. A congenitally
deaf child isn't so lucky: unless someone realizes very
early that he's not talking because he can't hear, his
grasp of communication may never progress beyond the
rudiments.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031226.html

STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #1 - 07/03/1981

Dear Cecil:

What is the reason for the pitcher's mound in baseball?
Are there any regulations regarding the dirt heap in
question? --R.H., Los Angeles  

Dear R.:  

The best way to understand the purpose of the mound is
to imagine the situation greatly exaggerated: picture
yourself trying to hit a fastball thrown at you from
ten feet in the air. The angle of the ball's path (and,
I suppose, the force of gravity, to some imperceptible
extent) would make the task more difficult than it
would be if the pitcher were standing level with you.
In short, the height gives the pitcher an advantage. 

Over the years, baseball men have tinkered with this
and other variables in order to fine tune the delicate
balance between pitching and batting.

For more, see: 
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_302a.html

STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #2 - 10/14/1977

Dear Cecil: 

My baseball cards from several seasons in the 50s refer
to the baseball team from Cincinnati as the "Redlegs."
I seem to remember at one point this was because of the
connotations of "Reds." What exactly is the story?
--Bruce M., Chicago

Dear Bruce:  

When the team was first formed in 1890, it was known as
the Red Stockings--quite a mouthful for tight-lipped
midwesterners, who soon shortened it to Redlegs, and
then to Reds. The official name of the company that
owns the team now is "Cincinnati Reds, Inc."--although
no one in the organization is exactly sure when the
change in names took place, thanks to the rather casual
record-keeping that prevailed in the early days of
baseball. But Reds they were through the 40s, until . . .

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_302b.html
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