ISWA Thumb Standardization?

Mon Nov 19 19:49:57 UTC 2007

SignWriting List
November 19, 2007

Thank you, Kelly Jo, Charles, Adam, Stuart and Stefan for your input!

Seeing the thumbs as a "writing style difference" that can be read by  
others, and can be included in different font designs, just as  
English has different font styles, such as Helvetica, Geneva and  
Arial, gives everyone what they want...

The ISWA 2008 font will set the standard, and then other font  
designers might create one with the thumbs at a tiny bit of a  
different angle and if it is readable, then that is all it is...a  
different style of writing...a different font...but not a new symbol...

That is really a good plan because it gives us both standardization  
and freedom at the same time...;-)

Val ;-)

--------------

On Nov 19, 2007, at 11:41 AM, K.J. Boal wrote:

> It doesn't matter to me . . . I like standardization, but I've  
> never had a problem with the thumb angle either way.
> KJ
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: signwriting at mac.com
> > Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 14:02:30 -0800
> > To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
> > CC: barbara.pennacchi at istc.cnr.it
> > Subject: [sw-l] ISWA Thumb Standardization?
> >
> > SignWriting List
> > November 17, 2007
> >
> > Dear SW List members -
> >
> > This coming week is a holiday week here in the US...we celebrate
> > Thanksgiving Day, on November 22nd. It is a big feast where we all
> > eat way too much....but say "thank you" for all our blessings...
> >
> > And truly, I feel blessed to have so many friends to work with, on
> > the SignWriting List...so a big THANK YOU to all of you ;-)
> >
> > So I am going to take the next week to try to finish the handshapes
> > in the ISWA...but I have one question for you...
> >
> > When fingers or thumbs are at an angle, they are written with a
> > diagonal line that matches the way it looks in real life... (see
> > attached)
> >
> > And if the thumb is stretched very hard to the side, it is  
> oftentimes
> > written with a straight line to the side...
> >
> > People vary with their styles of signing, and also some hands cannot
> > stretch their thumbs completely side anyway...
> >
> > Over the years, the symbols that have a thumb to the side have been
> > inconsistent..sometimes the line is at an angle showing a more
> > relaxed thumb to the side, and other times we write it straight  
> side,
> > like in the L hand...this never bothered me personally. But it has
> > bothered some other people and they have told me...
> >
> > When the thumb is touching another finger, it has to be at an angle
> > to reach that other finger, but when the thumb is totally by itself
> > to the side, it could be either straight or at an angle and it will
> > be read ok...
> >
> > So my question is...do you want me to make all the thumbs to the  
> side
> > like the L Handshape? That would mean that the 3 Handshape would  
> have
> > a straight line to the side rather than the relaxed angle it has
> > right now...
> >
> > I don't care myself, and if we leave it as it is, it is correct and
> > readable I feel...
> >
> > On the other hand, it can't hurt to have them consistent with the L
> > handshape...
> >
> > If we decide to make this change to be consistent, it may take me
> > some time to go in and change all the handshapes with the relaxed
> > thumbs, but at least if you can tell me your opinions now, I will
> > know what kind of work is before me ;-)
> >
> > Look at this chart...what is your opinion? Should the 3 Hand have a
> > thumb line like the L hand?
> >
> > Val ;-)
> >
> >
>
>
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>
>
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Valerie Sutton
dac at signwriting.org

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