major bookstore chain--uggh!

[Karlin, Ben]

I suspect that the practice comes from the history of "Sign Language
Dictionaries" being a principal source of sign instruction. (Isn't a "Sign
Dictionary" an oxymoron?  Think about it.)

A related question that comes to mind, haven't most of these books actually
been glossaries or lexicons?  Is my understanding of these terms wrong?

Ben Karlin, St Louis MO
 ----------
> From: Petra Eccarius
> To: SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA
> Subject: Re: major bookstore chain--uggh!
> Date: Tuesday, 15 February, 2000 10:28AM
>
> The Barnes and Noble in Lafayette, Indiana (the closest
> for Purdue University students) also puts their Sign
> Language dictionaries, etc. in the reference section.
> It struck me as odd as I know I _have_ seen them in the
> foreign language section of other stores...
>
> ....petra
>  --
> Petra Eccarius
> Graduate Student in Linguistics
> Purdue University-West Laffayette
> eccarius at purdue.edu
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, 11 Feb 2000, Linda Lee Lonning wrote:
>
> > Hello everyone--
> >
> > An aside on how we see signed languages treated in
> terms of their
> > recognition in their placement in libraries and even
> in bookstores.  (I
> > read the ISO one initial email realllly quickly so
> excuse me if I'm not
> > capturing the essence of what ISO is exactly used
> for.)
> >
> > It has always rubbed me the wrong way as I peruse my
> area bookstores here
> > in Milwaukee (I'm talking specifically about our
> Barnes and Noble chain
> > here) to see ASL  **NOT** in the section for foreign
> languages (in the
> > case of ASL, and many other languages being present,
> please excuse the
> > reference to "foreign" in this case...but you see my
> point)...but they
> > place them in the *reference section (with the
> dictionaries, after all,
> > you can "learn" sign language by just memorizing a
> bunch of pictures,
> > right??  Uhhh!  ...OR I also see sign language books
> placed by the
> > enlarged-print books!  (After all, that's what sign
> language is, right?
> > An auxillary "device" or mechanism for communication,
> right??
> > Double-uhhh!!)
> >
> > I've asked personel at each book store what their
> rationale is for the
> > placement of sign language books where they are and
> explained that it
> > would more fairly placed at least with the "foreign"
> languages.  I've
> > submitted a feedback card to their regional or
> corporate office (where
> > ever that one was supposed to go)...NO response at
> all.  I was told I
> > should write something like their regional
> headquarters, etc.  Wow.  How
> > customer-friendly (?!)  BUT I'm told, the placement
> of media for Barnes
> > and Noble is decided higher up.
> >
> > I encourage folks to stop in their local
> bookstores/chains and check-out
> > where sign language/Deaf culture books are placed as
> well.  Let me know
> > what you find-- ;) .
> >
> > Linda L. Lonning, BS, CI & CT
> > University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Part-time Staff
> Interpreter
> > Community-based Interpreter with 3 Area Agencies
>