use of sign language in Jordan

[Steve Slevinski]

 From a layman to Kathy and Dan,

You can not have alphabet as a specialist term.  It is a layman's term 
when discussing written language.  An alphabet is a ordered list of 
symbols used for writing.  Alphabetical is sorting according to an alphabet.

Dan Parvaz wrote:
> If we want to be sticklers for perception, then we perceive voicing, 
> acoustic "shapes" which at least partially correlate to articulatory 
> positioning, fundamental frequency, turbulence, etc.
>
> Articulatory features or perceptual ones... it doesn't matter. 
> Alphabets don't analyze at that level, and SW does. Not the same.
>
Wow.  I'm not even sure how to answer that.  I consider that a sophist 
answer and move on.


Kathy H. wrote:
> An alphabet denotes consonants and vowels.  An abjad only denotes 
> consonants. 
Your definitions are based on Daniels, Peter T. and William Bright.  
1996.  _The World's Writing Systems_.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.

*alphabet:  *A type of writing system that denotes consonants and vowels


First, this definition ignores order, which is essential to an 
alphabet.  (See "alpha beta" and "ABCs").

Second, this definition is unclear, vague, and biased against deaf.  
Vowels and consonants are not types of symbols, but functions a symbol 
can play.  The letter "Y" and "W" can be either consonants or vowels.  
The definition should talk of symbols and order, not functions and 
inconsistent classifications. 


Third, this definition for alphabet is really an incomplete kid's 
definition for "ABC's".


An abjad is a specialist term.  As in "the Greeks copied an abjad when 
they created their alphabet.  That's fine, but alphabet is not a 
specialist term!  An abjad is still an alphabet and so are the 
SignWriting symbols.


Regards,
-Steve

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