USA SW Symposium in DC

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
June 7, 2006

Hi Charles - Thanks for this message ;-)

Charles Butler wrote:


> Okay, part of my logic is this.
>
> When Deaf Way II was here, the only people even spending any time  
> on non-USA signed languages to any extent were the SW people.  I  
> made my presentation speaking from both ASL and Libras, when every  
> other presentation on Signed Languages spoke almost exclusively  
> from an ASL point of view.  Only SW treats all signed languages  
> equally.  I had representatives coming to me from Panama, Colombia,  
> Peru, and Brazil as I was the only one who even acted as if they  
> were alive.
>

Wow. That is interesting. I am happy you responded to them...and  
SignWriting certainly is international!




>
> The several lectures on "sign language literature" were using  
> "literature" to include "corpuses of discussion" which is not the  
> normal English way of using the word as  "hard paper actual  
> physical written language".
>

Sure



>
> Sign language as literature, to me, gives SW a strong point that  
> other discussions have not had, a true written literature for sign  
> language, and that's why I want to see a symposium on SW in the  
> States, to show the US, and particularly Gallaudet, that it is NOT  
> the only sign language in the world, that users of sign language in  
> many other countries are miles and miles and books and books ahead  
> of the United States in this area.
>

I think we are doing that, by just existing and working and producing  
more literature around the world...we don't have to impress anyone at  
Gallaudet, except to be interested in their work, and to provide them  
with a tool when they want it...

What I want to do is to setup something smaller...like SignWriting  
Workshops in different states around the United States...we used to  
call it a Symposium...but that is a big job......are you up to  
working part time for a year with 6 other people setting up a  
Symposium for no pay while you are doing it? I cannot take on too  
much myself...but SignWriting Workshops around the country...that is  
possible...and we could hold one at Gallaudet University...

I am trying to raise money right now for software development and  
educating people through courses and workshops...and for creating  
literature...we all have our projects!

In Europe, it took 6 months with 6 organizing committee members to  
put on the first SW Symposium in Brussels --- thank you to the team!  
-- but this year it sounds like they are considering a workshop  
instead of a Symposium because the cost of international interpreters  
is too much money...imagine the cost of international interpreters  
for the US Symposium, if you want it to be international...it is very  
expensive and you will need to write a grant for it is my guess..



>
> Yes, it would be lovely to have a symposium just for US users of  
> SW, but right now, the showpiece of our developments is the fact  
> that it is a universal writing system.
>

They can find that on the web anytime...we are making great strides...


>
> Having the symposium, if possible, held on the Gallaudet campus (if  
> you can use your connections to spearhead that) would be great.  I  
> don't know if it could be held during the school year, but it would  
> certainly be good if it could because that way we'd truly have  
> representation.
>

I am booked for the next couple of years now, because of so many  
things...I am not up to putting on a big event right now at  
Gallaudet..many smaller ones are better for me...but if you want to  
do it, Charles...I can help from the sidelines...


>
> Such a symposium will not be cheap to put on, and will require very  
> careful planning, and I cannot do it alone.  Anyone who wishes to  
> help me needs to write me as soon as possible so we can brainstorm  
> on exactly what will be included, what kind of budget we should  
> propose to have, and then what kind of sponsors we are going to  
> likely need to pull this off.
>

OK. I hope someone does it!

and thank you, Charles, for your interest and good ideas!! I  
appreciate it...Have you been to Gallaudet lately? There are some  
SignWriting users on campus...

Val ;-)