New Handshapes to Be Added to SymbolBank....

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
February 14, 2003

Hector Devia wrote:
 >Some times y don't find a handshape that I need to write a certain 
sign. Is this the way to write "New Handshapes"? If there are others 
handshapes that someone need to write several signs, is there a way to 
add into the "SignWriting Alphabet"? Thank you. Hector Devia Colombia.

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Hello Hector, and Everyone!
Thank you for your excellent diagram, Hector. I am really impressed ;-)

The only thing is the square...the square is a base that shows that at 
least one finger is down touching the palm of the hand (or almost 
touching) ....But when fingers are straight forward, in the angle 
handshape, then the base of the hand becomes skinnier, like a 
rectangle, like other angle handshapes. I will explain better in a new 
diagram next message...That way you can learn the rules for 
constructing new handshapes...

Mark Penner, in Japan, and his SignWriting users, have just sent me 
similar requests for new handshapes to be added to SymbolBank. And of 
course I will happy to add them. I hope to continually add to 
SymbolBank. That way we will build a very complete database, although I 
am sure it will take years. There is no way I could know all the 
handshapes used in every sign language around the world, so this is a 
natural process.

You asked if you can add the handshapes yourself? - not in the actual 
software...It has to do with computer programming...for example, 
SignWriter 4.4 does not have any more memory left, to add any new 
symbols at all, so if we wanted to add to SignWriter 4.4, I would have 
to go into the internal workings of the program and delete another 
symbol and replace it with your new symbol - So we cannot add it to 
SignWriter 4.4...

And in SymbolBank, if we don't add the symbols in a certain way, the 
entire SignBank program will not be able to function...so I have to do 
the additions myself in SymbolBank...

I think the best thing to do is to send me the new handshapes exactly 
as you have done through the SignWriting List for now, and then I can 
add them to SymbolBank on a regular basis - I told Mark in Japan it 
would take me several weeks to do that...but I will add yours too, 
Hector...Thank you for informing us!

In the next message, I will post how to construct new handshapes -

Thanks for your great message -

Val ;-)