Fw: Nortel Networks commercial

[Don & Theresa G]

Bencie and Richard:

This information is indeed useful.  Being an ASL user, seeing the commercial
in the USA, I assumed the signing would be ASL.  But, from your
descriptions, it does indeed sound as if the girl is signing BSL.  Now that
I think on it, I think she was signing BSL WANT, from your description,
using that B-hand (my ASL brain didn't discriminate between the claw and B
handshapes, since my expectations were for the claw hs).  But, she is
definitely using a bent-V handshape at the throat for VOICE, similar to the
ASL sign...  A lexical borrowing from ASL?  Is that happening in the UK?

--Don Grushkin

----- Original Message -----
From: B.Woll <b.woll at CITY.AC.UK>
To: <SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA>
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 1:59 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Nortel Networks commercial


> In BSL, WANT is indeed a downward movement, one handed with
> B hand in BSL, and DONT-WANT moves upwards with B, then
> supinating. The closed fist can mean MY, although  where
> possession is regarded as inalienable, a flat hand is more usual.
>
> However, VOICE is emphatically not a bent-V. I've only ever seen it
> as a G-hand located at the throat, either tapping the throat, or
> moving in small circles (like SPEAK, but located at the throat)
>
> Hope that's of some help.
>
> Bencie
>
>
> > Yes, Auslan uses the same sign as Richard described for "want".
> > "Dontwant" moves in the opposite direction - up the chest with Bhand.
> > I presume BSL signs are the same or very similar. Bencie?
> >
> > Des
> >
> > Richard Arnold wrote:
> >
> > > Tane is correct in regard to the possessive handshape being an A or
> > > S hand which is usually directional for the person. However it is a
> > > stronger form of the possessive than the flat B hand.
> > >
> > > A/S hand on chest = MINE/MY-OWN;  A/S hands towards the person
> > > talked to = YOURS/YOUR-OWN,  and etc... I think you get the drift...
> > >
> > > As for Don Grushkin' s gloss for DON'T-WANT;   if the girl is indeed
> > > using BSL it maybe an ill-formed WANT sign which is :
> > >
> > > the right Flat B hand brushing down the middle of the chest and
> > > forward in an arc until palm is facing down
> > >
> > >  The movement is close to ASL's DON'T-WANT  which is held further
> > >  out with a
> > > clawed handshape and can be either both hands or one hand.
> > > BSL and NZSL only uses one hand for WANT.
> > >
> > > Thus the gloss could be  ME WANT (my-OWN or MINE) VOICE
> > >
> > > Hope this helps you Don !
> > >
> > > I am sure the Brits would have more to add or correct me if I got
> > > any detail wrong.
> > >
> > > Richard Arnold
> >
> > --
> > Professor Des Power, Director
> > Centre for Deafness Studies and Research, and
> > Language Australia, Centre for Deafness and Communication  Studies
> > Faculty of Education Griffith University, QLD 4111 Australia
> >
> > Tel:  (617) 3875 5654
> > Fax:  (617) 3875 5924
> > URL: http://www.edn.gu.edu.au/general/cdsr/home.htm
> >
>
>
> Bencie Woll
> b.woll at city.ac.uk
> Language and Communication Science
> City University, Northampton Square
> London EC1V 0HB, UK
> Tel: +44 (0)171 477 8354 (voice) +44 (0)171 477 8314 (text)
> Fax: +44 (0)171 477 8577 or 8354