Kathleens visit to Dublin

[Shane Gilchrist O hEorpa]

Kathje,

> but he seems to be the kind of man who doesn't
> just jump into a new method without being very
> sure it's a good thing.

He isn't. :-)

> He's really researching the options and I think you'll find
> if he sees that SW really works, he'll get on board..

did you see the CDS website?

http://www.tcd.ie/Deaf_Studies/

by having this gorgeous signwriting on their front page, it means the
CDS officially support the Sutton SignWriting System - I am very
surprised their students dont even get to learn that system - which is
a pity - as it is VERY easy to pick up shall they have a good teacher
in their own language :-)

> Patrick was very open and wants to ask more about
> my working with SignWriting as an educational tool..
> so that's great news on it's own.. no?

u might as well done his own homework - hes doing a PhD on SignWriting
right now - i do look forward to when its published.

> I asked the director about NISL and ISL, I remember
> you told me that there is a difference.. right? But they
> told me it's more a dialect.. like in Flanders. So the
> interpreters should learn this too.. right? And is ISL
> recognized in Nothern Ireland or NISL and BSL?

Patrick McDowell doesnt know much about the languages up North. He's
up to his head with the cultural conflicts going on in Dublin's deaf
community never mind looking outside Dublin!

NISL is the language that is made up of ISL, BSL (with Kentish,
London, Glasgow dialects), Old ASL and local signs - some protestants
in Belfast decided to call it BSL just because they wanted to 'stay
Protestant' - they say British, they mean Protestant. When they refer
to England's BSL, they ll sign 'England BSL' which is really silly.

NISL used to be known as 'Protestant Signs' or 'Jordanstown Signs',
ISL known as 'Catholic Signs' (in NISL, ISL is still referred to as
'Catholic Signs' or 'Down South Signs')

I think McDowell thought u were talking about the "Northern dialect"
of ISL - which is so funny as it is actually Cabra ISL (dublin schools
ISL) - the ISL u see being used at the CDS is actually 'the Deaf Club
ISL' or the infamous 'Signed English' advocated by many deaf leaders
in Dublin (they dont believe in Visual ISL yet!!).

BSL was first used in Dublin at the Claremont Institute, a Protestant
school - yes, BSL was first used in Ireland, long before the French
signs was brought to Dublin for the Catholic kids (that way they won't
sign like Protestants!!!)

complicated, no?

ISL and NISL (BSL) were recognised as official languages by the
Northern Ireland Office - but not in the legalisations im afraid -
just a tokenism really.

Shane