Sorting by SW Location Symbols

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
October 24, 2002

Dear SW List Members -
"Location" is built automatically into SignWriting. Generally we do not need special symbols for location, because SignWriting is based on a visual stick figure, which shows where the hand is located, or where the contact occurs....and even in the current writing that eliminates the stick figure....the visual nature of the writing system carries location with it....plus we also have different viewpoints...which clarify location in space etc...

But when sorting dictionaries, there are times when we need "markers" for location...not for the reader, who will never see or need such symbols...but for the stupid computer program that has to do the sorting! Without location markers, SignBank cannot sort dictionaries properly.

Sooo...I had to develop special symbols specifying "location" for SignBank. For the past two days, I have been designing and entering over 100 new "location markers". Please see the attached diagram. Those little men are marking contact on the upper body in different locations. Notice how I chose one for my spelling of "monkey", which scratches "on the side of the body"...This was easily seen in the "real" writing of the sign, but for the computer sorting, I felt more detailed symbols were necessary:
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