SLLING-L Digest - 5 Feb 1999 to 6 Feb 1999

[Richard Arnold]

I would like to make a note regarding this discussion of acronyms for signed
langauges. The use of acronym is a very strong aspect of American culture and
is not as strong in other English speaking cultures (ie Australia, New Zealand
and England). It is true that American Deaf tend to fingerspell a lot. As a
Deaf foreigner living in the US I have trouble when Deaf tend to fingerspell
out a word for which I have a sign for in my native sign language (New Zealand
Sign Language). But that is the way American Sign Language developed.
Fingerspelling in NZSL is mainly used for names of people, and places or any
official names or titles. On rare cases an English word is fingerspelt if
there is no signed equivalent, or is used for clarification or emphasis.

Now, some have talked about how the Native Americans named their languages
when they were asked by the colonials what their language is called. They just
simiply gave their word for 'language" or "speech". In New Zealand the native
people were asked what they called themselves they just said "Maori" which is
their word for "ordinary" and when asked what they called the colonials they
said "Pakeha" which means "stranger/foreigner". The funny thing is the
colonials thought it meant "white man" as so the word "pakeha" even now is
still mistakenly translated as "white person". Incidently, the natives also
refer their language as "Maori" or "Te Reo Maori" that is "The ordinary
language". It is a reflection of their cultural perception of their own
language being "normal" and English being "strange" or "different".

 The Deaf do the same thing when asked about their language they just use
their sign for "Sign" or "Gesture". They don't use the sign for "language".
That was added later when the Deaf community became more linguistically aware
of the fact that sign is a language.  A few years ago there was a attempt
within the New Zealand Deaf Community to come up with a new sign just for
their own language, as distinct from other signed languages. One has been some
what accepted and is included in the New Zealand Sign Language Dictionary. It
is a more styled version of the New Zealand SL for "Sign". The acronym NZSL is
not used much except for N-Z SIGN LANGUAGE or  the new sign is used. In fact
signing N-Z-S-L would be a little cumbersome with a two handed fingerspelling
alphabet.

 The real question is is using an acronymn useful ? is it neccessary? It may
fit American culture but does it fit other cultures (ie the way other cultures
describe and talk about things).

 Well, this line of discussion has been very interesting and perhaps a re-
evaluation of the use of acronyms needs to be considered, perhaps even to the
point of dropping them altogether ?

 Richard Arnold
 former Complilations Editor of the New Zealand Sign Language Dictionary