Do you want these handshapes in the IMWA?

[Ingvild Roald]

I agree with Charles that we should preferrably use the Greek or Hebrew
original - provided that it differs from the alphabet we are using
ourselves. That is the reason physics and mathematics use Greek and Hebrew
lettering: to get more symbols that can not be confused with one another.
26 letters in the alphabet, or 52 if you use the capital letter as well,
is not enough.

But I will suggest that we in Norway change our 'pi' (3,14) to the Greek
one, we use a two-handed one at the moment, and the Greek one cannot be
confused with anything, as we do not have that handshape for anything else.

As for the 'phi', I do not recall the Greek handshape ....

Ingvild

SignWriting List <SW-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA> writes:
>Ingvild wrote:
>
>"We also do have a weird one for use in physics and
>mathematics, representing the greek letter phi: an O
>with the index crossing down in front of the O (only
>seen with back of hand to the side, fingers down).
>However, if we do get this little toolbox to tinker
>with, we could easily write it. Sorting the SignBank
>with it would be a different matter, if it is not
>included."
>
>Charles Butler wrote:
>
>I'd be curious to see how the Greeks do the letter
>"phi" to compare to yours.  Wouldn't that be a way to
>perform cross-cultural ties when one is using an
>alphabet (such as math) that relies upon another
>culture's alphabet? Getting the Greek alphabet as used
>by Greek deaf to be the "fingerspelling" for use in
>math, science, and physics?"  Also the Hebrew "Aleph"
>for use in "Aleph-null" in infinity equations.
>
>Hmm.