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

[Sonja Erlenkamp]

@ what is literacy?
Not an easy question to answer. There are different parameters usually connotated with written versus spoken language (amongst many others did Wallace Chafe work on these issues in the 70/80ies). 
These parameters are for example formalness, preparedness and completness of utterances. Nevertheless is there no clear cut distinction between the registers of written- spoken/signed utterances.
You can have very formal speeches in a specific - almost writtenlike - style and you can have very unformal e-mails and internet chats (for example). Terms like "language of distance/closeness" (well, this is actually my ad hoc translation of the German terms for this, probably not the correct english ones, sorry for that) have been used more recently by scientists to mark this difference. 
Register-differences like the above mentioned can also be find in languages with pure oral traditions. To learn all these registers usually happens through the process of learning how to write, nevertheless can you learn them in others ways too.
That leaves me with the question what the actual contribution of the "act of writing" gives to the improvement of the brain's activity to use language. Is there any research done on this? Without any doubt is the ability of writing beneficial, but I doubt that the brain becomes much better in language skills as such. 
 
All the best
 
Sonja Erlenkamp

________________________________

Fra: slling-l-bounces at majordomo.valenciacc.edu på vegne av Steve Slevinski
Sendt: to 27.09.2007 19:04
Til: A list for linguists interested in signed languages
Emne: Re: [SLLING-L] use of sign language in Jordan





Barbara O'Dea wrote:
> And how about the English-speaking person with severe dyslexia who
> cannot read or write English but creates a poem or a novel for someone
> else to read and write? hmmmmm, is that person "literate"???

That person is illiterate.  You are talking about oral tradition. 
Illiterate is not a judgment, it is a state of being.  There are many
programs for adults who admit they are illiterate.  When an adult is
illiterate and wants to change he learns to read.  He does not try and
change the real meaning of literacy.

I will not change my definitions because of pity for another person. 
Dyslexia is emotional but off topic. Besides, Deaf are not disabled. 
Their brains work fine.  Their brain's language center is wired to the
eye.  Deaf can and should be held to the same language and literacy
standards as hearing.

ASL Literacy in college is a joke.  It's not about literacy, it's about
knowledge, history, manual tradition, and presentation.

Sign language is important because it is language!  Literacy is
important because is improves the brains ability to use language.  Just
because you change the definition of literacy doesn't mean you'll get
the benefits of literacy.

You can not make literacy with a video camera.  That's a performance. 
Writing is more than pressing a button on a video camera.  It is near
impossible to edit a video to replace a single sign.  Wikipedia has
mostly rejected the idea of a video encyclopedia for ASL for this reason.

Regards,
-Steve

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