use of sign language in Jordan

[Dan Parvaz]

Did I miss something, or is the name of this list still "A list for
LINGUISTS..." ? There should be no surprise when Albert raises a
terminological issue that is grounded in linguistic theory. If Valerie or
Stephen (Hi guys!) are going to assert here that SW is an "alphabet" (albeit
one in which geometric transformations play a unique part) then this is
*precisely* the sort of discussion they should expect. I'm afraid a trip to
a generalist dictionary does nothing to settle the matter.

And the discussion may even be good for SW. So, question: can a featural
writing system somehow be reduced to an alphabet? And another: is an
alphabet with a manageable symbol inventory even possible in a language with
as many degrees of freedom as natural SLs have?

-Dan.

Hoi,
> I always love it when people insist that words have another meaning
> because of it being officially something else. The consequence of giving a
> word a different meaning from what everybody else understands by it means by
> it is that communication breaks down.
>
>
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