SignWriting List Forum| Message 971 | Previous | Next [ Up Thread ] | Message Index |
|
SignWriting List Forum |
|||
|
|
From:
Richar Tennant Date: Tue Feb 2, 1999 1:39 pm Subject: Re: About Sign Dic... | ||||||||||||||||
|
In a message dated 1/31/99 9:53:41 PM Eastern Standard Time, writes: << On Sun, 31 Jan 1999 "Chip" McGruder wrote: > I mention this to you because, after seeing that incredibly >outstanding >effort's screenshot of the SignDic recently posted, I think maybe ordering the >Signs by patterns might be reasonable. > > As a first suggestion, perhaps dividing the Signs into > > 1) Static/Fluid > 2) Either Hand/Left Hand/Right Hand/Both Hands > 3) Other Body Parts > 4) Speed of Sign > 5) I can't think of any others but I'm sure the rest of y'all can. >Sincerely, >William J. "Chip" McGruder ______________________________________________ Thanks Chip, for this great information. By the way, for those who want to study the entire message and missed it, you can always go to the SignWriting List Archive to read previously posted messages: SignWriting List Archives https://www.findmail.com/listsaver/SW-L Anyway, Chip, you have touched upon something that is "right down my alley" so to speak :-) A few days ago I was asked how I invent the SignWriting symbols...and you may remember that I explained that I blur my eyes and write what I see without looking at my hands as a part of the process. We have a very fast and accurate shorthand system, where we write at the speed of movement. Working with visual patterns was a part of how the system was developed. Along that same philosophy...I have been working on our Sign-Symbol-Sequence in the same way. I experiment with different sequences by "blurring my eyes" and "seeing" the signs shift or flow from one category to the next, as I look down the list of signs in the dictionary. This is not based on a knowledge of any one signed language, but is based on visual sequences or patterns that seem to flow naturally, based on how the body is made. We have a real writing system, and when we look up signs by Sign-Symbol-Sequence we are looking at hundreds of signs at a time very quickly, and I am convinced that the only way we will have children around the world looking up and finding signs quickly is to do it by "visual patterns". So I agree this is the final conclusion...but how we get there is the question! Daniela in Brazil, I am sure, will want to tell us how she is planning to categorize the signs. I have told her briefly about our Sign-Symbol-Sequence, but she and I have not had time yet to share our ideas together. So I am looking forward to working with Daniela and perhaps we can experiment a little together. No matter what, I think Sign Dic will be a big step forward for Deaf Education. I will keep your message, Chip. Thanks so much for the excellent input! Valerie ':-) >> Please forgive me if I am displaying my ignorance, but I find it puzzling and a bit amazing to read the volume of suggestions and wealth of discussion on this list concerning a Sign Writing to English dictionary. It seems to me that I have already accomplished such a reference in the ASL Handshape Dictionary recently published by Gallaudet Press, with only slight modification for SW use. This reference orders over 1600 illustrations of signs, in one hand and two hand sections, by handshape, position and movement: giving the associated English glosses with each illustration. If one were to substitute the Sign Writing symbol for each illustration , it would seem to produce the reference under discussion. After all, these are the basic elements of signing no matter what symbols are used to define them. My knowledge of Sign Writing is admittedly skimpy, so I am probably missing something here and I would very much appreciate a clarification of exactly what is the purpose of the proposed reference and why the dictionary described above differs from that which you are seeking to construct. | ||||||||||||||||
|
|