Facial Expressions, Breathing, Multiple Face Features

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
May 21, 2004

Maria in Malta wrote:
> 2) Another problem for me is how to show the difference between
> Air-Coming out of the cheeks in one long stretch, and Air-Coming out of
> Cheeks in small puffs (or in one small puff). I'm not sure whether this
> would be similar in ASL, but in Maltese Sign Language there is a
> significant difference in Air-Coming out of the cheeks (say as used in
> CAR-classifier speeding off, and Car-classifier bumping up and down). I
> know how to transcribe the first one, but not the second...Any ideas?


BREATHING
Yes! We do have a way to write the difference between long and short
puffs of air... And this really has nothing to do with any one signed
language, but just a general way to write it...I first used the short
puffs when writing the Noah document in German-Swiss Sign Language...

Let me explain this in several email messages, so everyone gets a good
understanding... First, look at the attached diagram. These basic
symbols show inhaling and exhaling completely...not short, but instead
normal breathing... The lines from the mouth show the actual air going
in or out of the mouth...so the inhaling and exhaling symbols are
different than the air symbols..A person can inhale and exhale, without
letting air out of their mouth...so the two do not necessarily go
together, although they oftentimes do...to be continued next message...


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