<DIV>HI, Val, I have a NEC computer, running Windows 97, with a 500 MB drive. I really need an upgrade to a DELL or better with Windows 2000. I had a major system crash and lost my old computer the day after I had everything saved onto CDs. I lost 5 years worth of old emails, but fortunately still have a lot of work. Somewhere in my move I misplaced the Brazilian work other than what I have sent you, and I'd really like to print it out, and start putting it slowly into SSS in the order I think it.</DIV>
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<DIV>I live in Sterling, VA, which is a suburb (almost an exurb) of Washington DC, where Gallaudet University is. I'd love to be doing something like this for research, and maybe a company near me could consider it as a research project. </DIV>
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<DIV>Charles </DIV>
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<DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Valerie Sutton <sutton@SIGNWRITING.ORG></I></B> wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">SignWriting List<BR>March 31, 2004<BR><BR>Charles - You deserve a better computer. Maybe we can get one donated <BR>to you from your local area. Where do you live, and what kind of a <BR>computer do you have right now...? Give me the exact model name, and <BR>the operating system...Are you running Windows? What version? How much <BR>internal memory do you have? Please answer this to the List, and tell <BR>me what large city you are near? You may be surprised that computers <BR>are available to people, if you energetically pursue a donation from a <BR>computer company that can't sell their old ones...Val ;-)<BR><BR>----------------------<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>On Mar 31, 2004, at 2:59 PM, Charles Butler wrote:<BR><BR>> Valerie, I think the SSS with its spelling conventions will really <BR>> help to get sign writing standardized. It will take a long time and <BR>>
experimentation, but we've done this in 25 years, imagine the next 25.<BR>> <BR>> My manually sorting the Libras dictionary, starting with the hands, as <BR>> slowly as I did it gave me an appreciation for your program. <BR>> <BR>> We're working together, I just wish I had the computer to dedicate to <BR>> this time, and a salary to cover it.<BR>> <BR>> Charles Butler<BR>><BR>><BR>> Valerie Sutton <SUTTON@SIGNWRITING.ORG>wrote:<BR>> SignWriting List<BR>> March 31, 2004<BR>><BR>> Stephen Slevinski wrote:<BR>> > SignWriting is superior to the alphabet for capturing language detail<BR>> > during<BR>> > transcription. If you tell 10 people to sign "I love you", each using<BR>> > a<BR>> > different emotion, and faithfully transcribe what they sign, each<BR>> > SignWriting will be different: the facial expression, the exact hand<BR>> > placement, and other details. If
you capture 10 people saying "I love<BR>> > you",<BR>> > each spelling would be the same, and anything not the same is a<BR>> > spelling<BR>> > error.<BR>><BR>><BR>> Dear SW List, and Stephen -<BR>> Yes. In the spoken language world, the above description is like<BR>> comparing the International Phonetic Alphabet to the standardized<BR>> spellings and standardized alphabet called the Roman Alphabet. It is<BR>> simply the difference between writing every detail and nuance, or<BR>> creating a standardized spelling system.<BR>><BR>> In the SignWriting world, right now, we are working with only a few<BR>> standardized SignSpellings. But our pioneering work in the SignBank<BR>> Editor program is making it possible to standardize SignSpellings now.<BR>> That is why, without my work with SignSpellings, you will not be able<BR>> to place signs in SSS in a dictionary...because to list signs in the<BR>> order of the SSS, you
have to have a SignSpelling to tell you what<BR>> symbol starts the sign, what symbol comes second in the sign, and so<BR>> forth. So sorting and printing dictionaries by SSS has two steps...the<BR>> SignSpellings and then the sequence of those signs in a dictionary.<BR>><BR>> So anyway, I am making those listings of SignSpellings for you, and<BR>> placing them in a big document.<BR>><BR>> The question is....Will spelling standardization destroy the<BR>> flexibility and beauty of writing the nuances of signed languages?<BR>> No...not if we also keep the IMWA...the International MovementWriting<BR>> Alphabet...which is a the flexible SignWriting...so if we have both a<BR>> standard spelling system, plus a flexible system...people can choose<BR>> until this all becomes a part of history that everyone will take for<BR>> granted in a generation or two!<BR>><BR>> Val ;-)</BLOCKQUOTE>