What is the same throughout all Sign Languages?....

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
September 11, 2003

Dear Tony and SW List Members:
The List has been so busy lately, with so many topics, that I fear that 
Tony's question might go unanswered....(see below)

This is a very difficult topic, Tony, because there are so many signed 
languages in the world....I suspect that western signed languages have 
certain common traits, but the signed languages coming from the Far 
East are quite different, but may have common traits among themselves...

Can anyone point Tony to specific research on this topic?

Val ;-)


On Tuesday, September 9, 2003, at 08:38 AM, Tony wrote:
> I was wondering if anyone had a view on what is the same
> throughout all sign languages.  I know in each language although some
> are similar that the hand shapes and movements for a particular sign 
> are
> all different.  But I am wondering what I can find that is the same.  I
> am thinking here from a view that maybe facial expressions defining
> emotion are similar even the hand shapes of the sign are different but
> then not all signs have a facial expression so what about sign location
> in space.  I'm not looking for any hard and fast rules just
> generalisations if there are any????  If anybody has an opinion just 
> let
> me know ......
>
> Thanks....
>
> Anthony McCloskey
> University of Ulster
> Magee Campus
> Room: MF028
> ta.mccloskey at ulster.ac.uk
> Tel Ext: 75745
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