<html>
<body>
In fact, Scott Liddell (among others) does this precisely in his
pathbreaking book (Liddell, S. 2003. <i>Grammar, gestures, and meaning in
American Sign Language. </i>Cambridge University Press). On
the basis of detailed analysis of ASL, he proposes ways in which our
conceptions of spoken language--and language in general--need to be
revised. He concludes:
<dl>
<dd>"The knowledge that sign languages are real human languages
allows us to take a broader look at the concept 'language'. ... It is
possible, of course, that ASL in particular, and signed languages more
generally, are organized differently than vocally produced languages ...
It is much more likely that spoken and signed languages both make use of
multiple types of semiotic elements in the language signal, but that our
understanding of what constitutes language has been much too narrow"
(p. 362).
</dl>Dan Slobin<br><br>
At 03:08 PM 3/27/2009, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">OK, Susan, if what you said is
true, why don't they compare spoken<br>
languages to sign languages rather than vice versa?<br><br>
2009/3/27 Fischer Susan <susan.fischer@rit.edu>:<br>
> Because they're languages.<br>
> Susan D. Fischer<br>
> Susan.Fischer@rit.edu<br>
> drword563 (Skype)<br>
> drword354 (iChat/AIM)<br>
> +1-714-908-9824 (fax)<br>
> Center for Research on Language<br>
> UCSD<br>
</blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=1>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br>
Dan I. Slobin, Professor of the Graduate School<br>
Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Linguistics<br><br>
Department of Psychology email:
slobin@berkeley.edu<br>
3210 Tolman
#1650
phone (Dept): 1-510-642-5292<br>
University of
California
phone (home): 1-510-848-1769<br>
Berkeley, CA 94720-1650
fax: 1-510-642-5293<br>
USA
<a href="http://ihd.berkeley.edu/Slobin.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://ihd.berkeley.edu/Slobin.htm<br>
</a>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br>
<br>
</font></body>
</html>