[sw-l] Are SignSpellings really synonyms?

[Stephen Slevinski]

Hi Val,

We were talking about symbol synonyms, not sign synonyms.

The two signs you showed illustrated the same movement with different
symbols.

The white palm to the side  facing the chect (01-05-011-01-01-03) of the
first sign is a synonym symbol with the palm to chest overhead view
(01-05-011-01-05-03).

Another example with the same symbol.  Palm half filled (01-05-011-01-02-03)
is a synonym to palm all black with a gap (01-05-011-01-06-03).  I'll
include pictures later....  So it looks like fill 1 is sometimes equivalent
to fill 5.  And fill 2 can be the same as fill 6.  For this symbol
anyways...

These symbol synonyms are used for alternate sign construction.

I think...
Steve
  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
[mailto:owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu]On Behalf Of Valerie Sutton
  Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 1:33 PM
  To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
  Subject: [sw-l] Are SignSpellings really synonyms?


  SignWriting List
  April 29, 2004

  Stephen Slevinski wrote:

    How many IMWA symbol synonyms are there anyway? I've know about them,
but
    never really researched this aspect of the IMWA.


  Hello Everyone, Stuart, Stefan and Stephen -
  Thanks for this interesting message...Actually I think we should be
careful about assuming these are synonyms...I am not so sure that is true.
These are different spellings of exactly the same sign...

  Let me give you an example in English:

  color
  colour

  Both are the same word. The second spelling is used more in Great Britain.
The first spelling is commonly used in the US...But I read both as the same
word...

  Is that a synonym? I looked synonym up in a dictionary and it said it was:

  -----

  synonym
  n : two words that can be interchanged in a context are said to be
synonymous relative to that context [syn: equivalent word]

  ----------

  but that is not a different spelling....They are talking about two
completely different words that mean the same thing...

  In the beginning of writing English, centuries ago, there were multiple
spellings for different words, and over time, through a natural evolution,
one or two became the norm...I believe that is what is happening with
SignWriting...and that is fine. Let it evolve!!

  Can Stuart give us an example of a synonym in ASL?...can you write both
signs in SignPuddle please, Stuart, and then show them to us...smile?

  Val ;-)
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