Znakopis - Czech translation of the word SignWriting

[Tomáš Klapka]

Hello SW list,
discussion about the translation of "SignWriting" into another languages 
was here some time ago.

We had some meeting about SW on Tuesday and we discussed the translation 
again.
On the meeting there was Honza, Štěpa (Lucyna knows her, she is a new 
student of the Deaf studies - so am I), Jitka (new for you) and I :)

We finally found czech word "znakopis" which is composed of two words 
"znak" and "pis".

Maybe it sounds funny to you, but "-pis" is common czech suffix for 
anything which is written.
examples:
těsnopis - shorthand (těsný = close, taut, strait, near)
krasopis - penmanship, caligraphy (krása = beauty)
pravopis - orthography (pravý = right)
rodopis - genealogy (rod = family, kin, sect, lineage)
zeměpis - geography (země = earth, land)
přírodopis - nature science (příroda = nature)
časopis - magazine (čas = time)
recepis - medical prescription
nadpis - title, heading (nad = above)
dopis - letter, mail
popis - description
opis - copy made by writing

It is often possible to translate czech "-pis" as english "-graphy" or 
"writing"

Znakopis could be translated back into english as Sign-graphy, 
Signography or Signwriting.

The word Znakopis has never been used in Czech language, so it is brand 
new word, which cannot be misunderstood.

If anybody would find better word we welcome it, but I am going to use 
this one and I think other people too. Only time and deaf community will 
show if Znakopis will be used ;)

Why do I write it here? To document it. If it isn't written it doesn't 
exist :) And I hope other people could have feelings to say their own 
opinion. Especially Honza and Martin.


I hope you like it :)
Tomas