LL-L: "Sign language" LOWLANDS-L, 26.JAN.2000 (09) [E]

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From: Roger P. G. Thijs [roger.thijs at village.uunet.be]
Subject: Sign language

Several newspapers today announce the release of a video "Grammaticale
Aspecten van de Vlaams-Belgische Gebarentaal", BF 1500 + handling, tel/fax
+32-9-228.59.79 and cultuur.voor.doven at online.be

It was also commented on the radio this morning, some curious elements from
the VRT radio comment:

- untill recently there was a common Belgian sign language for the deaf
(independent of the romance or germanic territorial background of people).
Since this country is in a process of regionalization, associations have
been splitted up, and two regional sign dialects started to emerge.
- there is hardly a connection to the spoken Dutch (/Flemish, /Brabantish,
/Limburgish) language. Sign speakers of Belgian-Flemish sign language have
great difficulties in handling Dutch as a written language.

I'm wondering if sign language is a "real" equivalent to spoken language.
This just after reading "Once we were not alone" in Scientific American of
January 2000:

Why did the Homo sapiens win over his collegue H. nearderthalensis:
.. quote:
the best current bet is that it was the invention of language
... endquote.

Could that include sign language or whould that just only refer to spoken
language:
... quote:
For language is not simply the medium by which we express our ideas and
experiences to each other. Rather it is fundamental to the thought process
itself. It involves categorizing and naming objects and sensations....it is,
in effect, impossible for us to conceive of thought (as we are familiar with
it) in the absence of language, and it is the ability to form mental symbols
that is the fount of our creativity ...
... endquote.

Regards,

Roger

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