----- Original Message -----
From: Angus B. Grieve-Smith
To:
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 11:14 PM
Subject: Re: standardized spellings
(...)
> I'm all for ASL dictionaries, as long as people don't point to a
> dictionary and tell a native signer that their sign is "wrong."
> Dictionaries can be a tremendous help to learners, but when they start
> being arbiters of language that's where I get off.
Yesss I agree. Great idea. And it is the same with the grammar and structure
of SL . When I started to look very carefully at deaf signers - I mean -
when I started to transcribe what deaf people signed - I realized for the
first time that there are differences between what standardized signing asks
for and what deaf signers
perform. As long as they experience a fruitfull, relaxed , precise enough
communication it is a kind of discrimination to tell them " you are doing
wrong ". I guess that we will need much more time and studies in order to
get to the point to be able to define the standards and rules of German Sign
Language (DGS) . Itīs not the variety of special signs in the north or the
south . As a teacher of deaf pupils Iīm so disturbed by the idea that no one
of our students is able to understand the broadcasted television - series
for the deaf and hh. I can translate the content - as kind of relais -
interpreter. Now they understand. On the other hand - my pupils comunicate
at school using SignLanguage. In case I videotape their comunication I can
write it down in SW. SW gives us the possibility to look very carefully at
every little movement - sequence. Now I can ask for violations of the rules
of the Sign - Language. But what is Irina (all deaf family background)
doing if she doesnīt follow the rules ??? May be little deaf kids develop
their own patterns ?? May be that deaf teens donīt care about grammar and
simply sign just as they feel ? Perhaps there are many influences in a
special situation that have to be taken into account. In case Irina
(competent signer) is in contact with Danny (they are very familiar with
each other; they live together ) she signs in a very quick and "small" way.
But if she tries to inform another classmate (poor level in DGS) she use
large movements, another sequence another amount of input, more mixture of
exact signed German and DGS . ... Violotion of standardized DGS - but
nevertheless competent signer - is that possible ? I think - yes it is - as
long as the two signers agree on a specific set - "register" to inform each
other about their ideas ??
Thank you Angus for this issue.
As a hearing SL- learner it is so difficult to ask a native signer for his
support - if there is something like "right" and "wrong" instead of -
itīs possible this way .. or that way ...
Nevertheless it would be a tremendous help if linguists would offer a
special set of systematic patterns - the learner could find his way to this
new language much better instead of doing this analysis all on his own.
Stefan ;-)
>
> --
> -Angus B. Grieve-Smith
> Linguistics Department
> University of New Mexico
>
>
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