Do deaf people think in words?

Considering they have never heard words, do they have conversations in their head? Would it be in words? 

Hmmmm.

No. I think in vibrations.

Do people think in words before they learn to speak? To read?

Doubtful I think.

What do blind people see? How do their imaginations work?

All the deaf people I know, all 3 of them, lost their hearing as they aged or due to work, so they're not really helpful with the original question. 

THINK in words?  Yes, like anyone else who can read and write.  What's likely NOT the same is having the 'voice in your head' concept, or 'hearing' a word you see written.  I'm only half deaf though, can't answer for someone who never heard language spoken.

I would suggest that peoples interpretation of a thing/idea/whatever is more of a fundamental set of senses than words.

If I say "Don't think about cheeseburgers", your understanding of what I means is probably an image/smell/feel/sound/taste more than the word C-H-E-E-S-E-B-U-R-G-E-R.

Any lacking or muted senses leave the others to have more influence in your understanding of the thing...

Words and Language matter for thought even for hearing people. Here's a Ted to consider:

https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think?language=en

Edit: Just found his after not finding the Ted I was looking for:

"Do deaf people hear an inner voice"

They don't sign in words, so I don't think they think in words. Their communication is much more advanced than ours in most every way I can think of. 

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

aircooled said:

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

I just asked my deaf friend, but he acted like he didn't hear me.

Hungary Bill said:

aircooled said:

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

 

wrong movie, Dave

Both my wife's parents were born deaf. They think in words just like anyone else.  But they done use 

Within the family there's more signing words the actual spelling words. They don't use words like : is the of are as stuff like that