left, right and together arrows

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
March 15, 2006

> Thank you for your comment.  Back to Charles' comment, that we can use
> possible sign with general arrow since both hands in same shape  
> moves at
> the same direction.  This shows simplify and less symbols to read.   
> This
> is my thoughts.

Smile!

I did not read Charles' comment to mean that thousands of signs would  
have to be re-written! Because that is what that means...

You are talking about changing the meaning of the General Arrow to  
mean Parallel Paths...at the moment it is defined as Overlapping  
Paths...that is totally different

A simplified way of teaching the concept of Overlapping Paths, was to  
say that the two hands must contact each other and move  
together....that is the General Arrow...when the right is on top of  
the left....

Would you really write the sign for POSSIBLE, Charles, with a general  
arrow? That would mean that all the signs that have the right and  
left hands moving at the same time, would have to be changed...It  
would be like a simultaneous line...the general arrow would change  
its definition in a major way...

Here is how it is defined at this time, in all the textbooks on  
SignWriting in the world:

Right path...dark arrowhead
Left path...white arrowhead
Overlapping paths...general arrow

There are some exceptions, but the sign for POSSIBLE, or Parallel  
Paths, has not been one of them...smile...

Anyway, at least I have told you how it is taught at the moment, and  
I will try to create some better lessons!

Keep writing, Philippe...that is what matters the most...and as we  
write more and more full sentences, we learn through experience what  
is really needed...I think in dictionaries the entries are kind of  
dry...if you know what I mean...they are not a part of a sentence and  
so they do not have the feeling that comes into writing full  
sentences in ASL...but I personally have found that writing ASL  
sentences needs the right and left clearly defined...

Great to talk with you!!

Val ;-)