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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/18/13 11:31 AM, Valerie Sutton
wrote:<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
type="cite">SignWriting List
<div>September 18, 2013</div>
<div><br>
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<div>Dear SignWriting List Members:</div>
<div>I have been asked to answer these 10 questions. <br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>Many thanks for your input! Val ;-)</div>
<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>1. Some people say "why do they not use English".. How
different is a sign language from a spoken language?<br>
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<br>
The fundamental similarity between a spoken language and a sign
language is seen in the brain. Both types of language activate the
same language centers of the brain. Wernicke's area for language
comprehension and Broca's area for language production.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.livescience.com/10628-brain-spots-handle-sign-language-speaking.html">http://www.livescience.com/10628-brain-spots-handle-sign-language-speaking.html</a><br>
<br>
Learning a sign language from birth is natural. The visual cortex
is built and connected for language. If spoken language is not
used, the auditory cortex will not develop for language processing.<br>
<br>
Learning a spoken language from birth is natural. The auditory
cortex is built and connected for language. If only spoken language
is used, then the visual cortex will not develop for language
processing. Later in life, trying to learn a sign language with an
underdeveloped visual cortex is very difficult. Instead of directly
processing language, the information enters the eye, passes to the
brain, then the ear, and back to the brain. The early stages of
learning a sign language results in a unique type of brain fatigue.
It takes time and effort to developing the processing power of the
visual cortex and the associated connections with the language
centers of the brain.<br>
<br>
<br>
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<div>2. How do you explain what it means when a language
cannot be written<br>
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Writing a language helps standardize and spread that language. It
slows the rate of change and deepens the conversations possible
between people and generations.<br>
<br>
A language that cannot be written may have unique benefits, but the
benefits of reading and writing are many and valuable.<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>3. SignWriting is a script. How many languages are
written in SignWriting?<br>
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At least 2 dozen sign languages has serious writing efforts with
SignWriting. There are over 70 recognized sign languages. Each can
be written with SignWriting. <br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>4. Can you recognise what sign language it is from a
written text?<br>
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A human reader could read and recognize any sign language that they
know. If the target language isn't know, they would not be able to
read for comprehension, but they might be able to read the movements
just as a reader an unknown spoken language could sound out a word
but might not be able to figure out its meaning or proper
pronunciation.<br>
<br>
A computer that was processing written sign language would not be
able to determine the target language without comparison to a
language aware database for similar signs. The best way to identify
language content is with a language code attached to a text segment.<br>
<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>6. The use of SignWriting is growing rapidly. How do
you know about how it develops?<br>
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The standardization efforts of the ISWA 2010 symbol set and the
Formal SignWriting character encoding have been very profitable.<br>
<br>
The information is out there and available. People are taking it
and running with it. There are no gatekeepers. <br>
<br>
The SignWriting List is a great place to discuss SignWriting.
Interesting things are happening on Wikimedia's Incubator. Many
projects and developments happen offline so some information is not
available. New research and ideas are popping up all the time, just
keep checking the internet search engines.<br>
<br>
For example, a paper recently appeared online. "
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May the Force be with you: Force-Aligned SignWriting for Automatic
Subunit Annotation of Corpora"<br>
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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www-i6.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/publications/download/852/FKoller-FG-2013.pdf">http://www-i6.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/publications/download/852/FKoller-FG-2013.pdf</a><br>
<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>7. Can SignWriting be used on mobile phones or is there
an app for that?<br>
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Mobile phone usage is a target to be ready for the symposium.
Reading is possible. Writing is not available yet. The apps are in
development.<br>
<br>
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<div>9. How hard would it be to have the pupils at these
schools write two articles a month ... How many Wikipedias
could be started that way?<br>
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This would be difficult with the current technology. The technology
will either be ready for the symposium in 2014, or this will be the
main issues for the hackathon portion of the Symposium.<br>
<br>
Once this last hurdle is crossed, we can start Wikipedias for any of
the 70+ sign languages of the world.<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:A11FEBE1-5CF5-4AFF-AB1F-8FE6A58B34BB@mac.com"
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<div>10. Why is Wikipedia strategically important for
getting more people to know about SignWriting?</div>
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Wikipedia is a known brand dedicated to encouraging the growth,
development and distribution of free, educational content. The
wiki-based project is provided to the public free of charge. This
culture is important for SignWriting's future.<br>
<br>
<br>
-Steve<br>
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