names of signed languages

[Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta]

Sorry, for barging in like this, but I can't but comment on a couple of
issues now. Have been following (partially) this very interesting
discussion for quite a while and hope to return on this issue with queries
from the Swedish context.

Right, regarding India there isn't *one* SL but many. *Officially* the
country has 16 languages and that includes Hindi and English (SL is not is
not one of these). (I love rupee notes since most of these languages are
printed in their different orthographies!). Since this status is a
socio-political issue it is worthwhile mentioning that it is *officially*
estimated that 1632 dialects (in what ever way that gets counted) exist in
the same sub-continent. By the way Danish, Norwegian and Swedish wouldn't
even count as dialects in the Indian context.

Norwegian SL (NSL?), Danish SL (DSL?) and SSL are regarded by many as three
different SL's. I speak SSL and understand a bit of the Mumbaia (ex-Bombay)
(dialect?) of SL in Western India. However, I do not understand *at all*
the SL used in Northern India (Delhi, UP). Can add that I speak två oral
languages of Northern India.

So one of the things that I'm getting at is that maybe it is too
reductionist a view to speak in terms of an *Indo-Pak SL*, let alone a
*unified Indian SL*. I also remember seeing two monographs published (as an
American edition) at Gallaudet (in 1987?) one with the title "AN
INTRODUCTION TO THE CALCUTTA VARIETY OF INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE" and the other
"AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOMBAY VARIETY OF INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE". These
works were preceeded by a dictionary published in 1978 or 79 which was
titled "AN INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE - FOCUS ON DELHI" (sic).

Ulrike, I have no idea as to how these works have progressed, but I hope
you see my point.

In addition Angus B. Grieve-Smit wrote:

>But if the sign used for
>"India" consists of a thumb marking a caste symbol on the forehead, then I
>doubt many Pakistanis would go along with it.

The thumb marking on the forehead is actually the 'sign' for *bindi* (=
beauty mark) or the different coloured beauty marks that many women in many
different states in India dorn. In a couple of states *married* women wear
a red coloured bindi symbolizing their married status. The sandalwood or
kum-kum *tikka* that is used on the forhead in many religious and social
ceremonies by all hindus too does not have any caste connotation. As far as
I know the bindi got 'translated' into a caste symbol by the
(mis)interpretations of an European anthopologist in the 60's.

Sangeeta



______________________________________________________
Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta                   *Please note new e-mail add*
                 Ph.D, M.Sc, M.Ed

Deaf Studies
Department of Education, PI, Orebro University
701 82 Orebro, SWEDEN
Phone:  +46-(0)19 - 303589
Fax:    +46-(0)19 - 303259
e-mail: Sangeeta.bagga-gupta at pi.oru.se