PROGRAMMERS: Typing SignWriting in Vertical Columns...

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
June 18, 2004

> I would like to ask for acceptance for both writing orientations. None
> is
> better if the reader understands the message. Do you agree?
> Stefan ;-)

Dear SW List and Stefan!
Yes. I agree! I assumed you would continue to write horizontally,
vertically, diagonally, in circles or in any pattern...just as you
always have done. I like writing horizontally too. I hope you will
continue to do whatever is best for you and your students...

Writing vertically is not for everyone. My Deaf staff, who were all
native signers, after writing volumes of SignWriting by hand in the
1980's, came to me and told me that they wanted to write vertically. So
of course I said yes, and then over the years I became aware of some of
the benefits...but that does not mean that you or your students in
Germany need to write vertically...Not only is horizontal writing good
for classrooms with bi-lingual lessons, but there is a possibility that
your German Sign Language has a different structure than ASL...maybe
DGS doesn't have Spatial Comparisons? We will learn together over the
years...

Meanwhile, for over a decade, I have dreamed of a day when computer
programmers could help us design a way to type in vertical columns...So
I am very grateful to this List, for at least listening to me...;-)

Attached is a GIF of an old design that I had meant for SignWriter
years ago...as you can see I had hoped for a pull-down menu that would
give the typist the choice of typing horizontally, vertically, or in
other patterns...all in the same program.



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