alternating at the same time

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
April 19, 2006

> On Apr 19, 2006, at 12:59 AM, Stefan Wöhrmann wrote:
> I never used this timing-symbol (alternating at the same time and  
> especially if the arrows show this information clearly the single  
> little curve would be enough indicating that both hands move at the  
> same time – the arrows indicate left hand this direction – right  
> hand that direction. From my point of view b)is much better to  
> understand. What do you think? Stefan ;-)

Hello Stefan and Everyone!
I think you know SignWriting very well and you do not need the added  
information, because you know how to write the alternating without  
it! That is fine. Both are correct.

We didn't have the Alternating Timing symbol until SignWriting was at  
least 15 years old...Alternating was built into the symbols  
themselves, as you mention above, so an extra symbol for Alternating  
was not needed...

But, then later, some people started writing some signs that were  
harder and less clear to see, and so the added Timing symbols had  
some uses for clarity, in those rare signs, so we added those  
symbols. Linguists tend to like them ;-))

And there are times when they can be absolutely required...so there  
is a use for the Timing symbols...

But I rarely use them too, because most of the time they are not  
necessary...so I see them as added reinforcement for the reader,  
rather than a requirement ;-)

So in the diagram attached, both are correct. I personally write like  
B most of the time, but technically you could take the alternating  
information out of A and still read it...

Thanks for your question!  Val ;-)



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