Japanese Sign Language "ni" Which is the "unmarked" form?

[Ingvild Roald]

For me, the U-hand is not necceserily touching - but two parallell fingers. 
Depending on the signer, and as you say, 'just there'. The V-handshape has 
to show some spreading, maybe more than in reality, to be clearly read.

My 2-pennies worth,

Ingvild





>From: "Penner Mark" <pennersw at ybb.ne.jp>
>Reply-To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
>To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
>Subject: [sw-l] Japanese Sign Language "ni" Which is the "unmarked" form?
>Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 13:38:42 +0900 (JST)
>
>
>We are in the process of trying to determine the standard fingerspelling 
>for "ni" ( and by the same principle, "mi") in Japanese Sign language. The 
>handshape has two fingers out, but the native signer doesn't think of them 
>as the fingers touching  (eg. ASL "u") or spread (eg. ASL "v"). In 
>actuality, they do not touch, but neither are they spread. They are "just 
>there". The "u" option seems too stiff, but the "v" option seems way too 
>purposefully spread.
>
>We would like to hear from others in the SW community. When you see the 
>first handshape, do you think of the fingers touching? Or do you think of 
>two fingers out parallel, maybe, but not necessarily, touching?
>
>Thanks in advance for your input,
>
>Mark