forum SignWriting List Forum
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From:  Ronald Zapien
Date:  Wed Sep 23, 1998  12:38 am
Subject:  Re: SignWriting Flashcards


Hi Valerie: I sat down with my precious cards the other day and I figured the
last
card out. I'm not exactly sure how I did it. It was probably high level mental
gymnastics because all of a sudden I realized "ah hah, so that's what that
symbol
is!" I think perhaps I was playing with my hands trying to shape them
appropriately and suddenly I realized what it had to be. It it a pretty
abstract
shape, though. The other funny thing was that I was reading SignWriting like
English and I couldn't figure out why it wasn't matching the text. #smile# So
then I was looking at my materials again and began reading the symbols
vertically
from left to right. They made more sense. Am I correct in understanding that
this
is the correct way to read this material? I've been sharing with my family and
they are actually paying attention. #smile# Take care. I'll probably start my
formal signwriting lessons this week so I will not be asking so many silly
questions. I love the little bitty baby cards too. They are very clear.
Cheryl

Valerie Sutton wrote:

> Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 10:19:38 -0400
> Reply-To: SignWriting List
> From: Ronald Zapien
>
> Valerie, the only part I could not for the life of me figure out using the
> knowledge I already have is the last big card. Everything else is clear and
to
> boot, I was able to explain what the symbols meant to my husband who does not
> know any ASL to speak of--only simple exposure. I've never studied sign
> writing--this is on my Fall agenda--however it's clear to me that if you
> understand the signs prior to coming in contact with SignWriting, you can
> easily pick up SignWriting. Cheryl
> ___________________________
>
> Hi Cheryl -
> Thanks for your feedback! There are two groups of people who can pick up
> SignWriting and read it fairly quickly, with little training.
>
> The first group consists of people who already know ASL or another signed
> language well. They can guess at first, until (despite themselves) they
> learn the symbols in the process.
>
> The second group consists of people who know no signed language, but they
> are skilled in SignWriting. They can read and write any foreign signed
> language, because they know the symbols that record body movement. They can
> produce the signs written on a page, but they do not know what those signs
> mean unless someone who knows the language tells them what they mean.
>
> Now...in regards to the last sign on the last flashcard...I believe you are
> referring to the card that has a picture on one side showing Goldilocks
> running into the sunset..she is running home. The sign on the other side of
> the card is the sign for "run". The symbols are more abstract in that sign,
> so I am not surprised that was hard for you. The teachers participating in
> our SignWriting Literacy Project have already received other books, and
> that sign is explained in the Reading Level One book, so they probably will
> understand it.
>
> The two dots over the finger shows that the finger is bending or closing
> twice. The "plus sign" means "grasp" or "hold" so two of the fingers are
> "grasping each other". Then the two hands move forward together.
>
> I am aware I need to update our web site - I would like to do a lot of
> things - including placing some of these materials on the web.
>
> Thanks once again for your feedback!
>
> Valerie :-)
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
> Visit the SignWritingSite:
> https://www.SignWriting.org
>
> Valerie Sutton at The DAC
> Deaf Action Committee For SignWriting
> Box 517, La Jolla, CA, 92038-0517, USA
> (619)456-0098 voice
> (619)456-0010 tty
> (619)456-0020 fax
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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