Res: [SLLING-L] use of sign language in Jordan

[Kathy H.]

Well, this list is keeping me busy today!  
 
Mariângela, 
 
Thank you for sharing with us.  I wish you success in your work.
 
I wonder if you (or anyone else) could clarify some things.  
 
You wrote:  "The symbols represent "phonemes", or "cheremes", or "visemas" (allusion to 'visual')."
 
I would like to know how you are defining "phoneme" (or the other terms).  
How do you know that a particular element is a phoneme?
What is the role of contrast in your use of the term "phoneme"?
What is the difference between a "phoneme" and a "distinctive feature"?
 
I am not asking these questions out of ignorance.  (I'm a PhD sign language phonologist.)  I'm asking them because I do not think they are well defined either within sign language linguistics or within phonology in general.
 
What are the phonemes of any particular sign language?  
If someone provides me with a list, then my next question will be to ask for evidence that the items are indeed phonemic.
 
If the various forms (of the various languages) of SW are based on phonemes, then someone ought to be able to provide a list of the phonemes of the language that they work with.  
 
While these questions were addressed to Mariângela, they are general questions to everyone on the list.   
 
Thank you,
Kathy
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