[sw-l] LESSONS in Finger Movements

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
February 17, 2005

Stefan Wöhrmann wrote:
> in fact I did not know about this difference between
>
> Close-Close and Close-Open-Close --  ;-((
>
> Do you remember a sign (ASL) with "Close - Open - Close"
>
> Maybe its a decission of feeling like the  movement down, down  - 
> instead of
> down, up , down

Yes. That's right. It is a different emphasis...Close-Close is uneven 
in timing. The down motion is important, but the tiny little up that is 
inbetween the two, is not written because it is not important.

BUT...Close-Open-Close gives equal timing to all three movements...So 
there is a real difference in the feeling of the movement...And this 
timing issue is a Writing Rule that has been a part of the writing 
system for decades now...

It is great that you wrote your example, Stefan...otherwise we would 
never have known that you did not realize this! So I hope that Kathleen 
and Sara will participate too, if you have time...the more you post 
your own writing, the more I can see what needs to be taught...

Close-Close seems to be the most used in different signed 
languages...but there are examples of BOTH in most signed 
languages...Here are two ASL signs that show the difference:


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