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From:  Stefan Woehrmann
Date:  Mon Jul 3, 2000  2:46 pm
Subject:  Re: standardized spellings


Hi Angus and listmembers


I hope so. But it's not always easy to understand other dialects.
> For example, I have had some difficulty understanding other varieties of
> English, particularly in areas where there is a lot of segregation. I'm
> white, and grew up having contact with the Black English spoken in New
> York City. When I lived in Chicago for a year, I could understand Black
> English speakers there,


but only when they were talking directly to me.

I think that this is a very important point. Same thing happens at our
school !! The students have developed a way of shorthand -signing that I
have a hard time to understand. But talking directly towards me we come
along pretty well.



> When they spoke to each other (which is when they were really speaking
> Chicago Black English) I could only catch a few words. I'm sure that this
> is true for signed languages when the social circumstances are similar.
>


Yes I think so. On the other hand - the more the deaf adults get in contact
with deaf people from all over Germany or evon foreign countreis they seem
to develo special skills to comunicate pretty well although their dialect is
pretty much different. You know this movement in the eyes - indicating that
you are not informed - kind of "pardon ??)" that gives the chance to say it
in other signs again and from now on both informed partners continue with
this new common element in their dialogue.

Stefan ;-)

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