[sw-l] Adding Classifiers to SignPuddle Dictionaries

[Nancy Emery]

I think it would be good to have classifier handshapes in a dictionary to
acknowledge that they are an important part of the language, and to help
learners see which handshapes are used for what.

But for actually using them - since the location, movement and orientation
have to be added anyway, since they depend on what is being said with the
classifier, I'm not sure that it would be much more helpful to take the
handshape from the dictionary than just to compose the sign from scratch....
It's just that in certain texts some classifier constructions are used over
and over, and it is nice to be able to cut, paste and modify rather than
rebuild the whole thing.  But I don't know that dictionary signs can be
modified by the user anyway...

Is there a way to use the signpuddle style "drag and drop" method for
productive (off the cuff) classifier constructions like showing a car
zig-zag uphill, and save it to a document, without going through a
dictionary?  I'd been assuming we needed the word-processing programs like
SW-DOS or SW Java for that.

>From what you said about Ingvild's story, Val, where you could easily tell
the cat from the dog by the consistent handshape, those sound like
classifier constructions.  I'm guessing she couldn't just pull them out of a
dictionary, but had to put the movement together with the handshpae each
time?

Nancy

on 3/15/05 1:57 PM, Valerie Sutton at sutton at signwriting.org wrote:

> SignWriting List
> March 15, 2005
>
> On Mar 15, 2005, at 1:43 PM, Charles Butler wrote:
>> I like the idea of putting classifiers in.  For ease of use, it might
>> be better to put (classifier) first, though your dictionary will seach
>> either way.
>>  
>> (classifier) bed or flat surface
>> (classifier) vehicle that can be parked
>> (classifier) small thin object
>> (classifier) area
>
> -----------------------
>
> Sounds good to me....Stuart, Philippe, Adam, James and other ASL
> editors...is this ok with you? We are trying to establish a format for
> adding classifiers to the online ASL SignPuddle dictionary:
>
> http://www.signbank.org/signpuddle/sgn-ASL
>
> If you agree to this Nancy, and if it seems useful to you, you can try
> SignPuddle to add your classifiers then...
>
> Val ;-)
>
>
> Valerie Sutton
> Sutton at SignWriting.org
>
> 1. SignWritingSite
> http://www.SignWriting.org
> Read & Write Sign Languages
>
> 2. SignBankSite
> http://www.SignBank.org
> Sign Language Dictionaries