General Arrowhead...Both hands move on same path...

[Stuart Thiessen]

I have similar questions as Adam. I have one other ... Could you give 
us an example where this distinction would help us tell the difference 
between signs? I too thought it just meant that two hands moved the 
same while contacting. So for the sign CONTINUE, I would have thought 
that was written right. I guess I am trying to understand the benefit 
of the extra distinction? I thought it was helpful to eliminate the 
redundancy of two arrows when the movement information is the same. I 
have always been tempted by the idea of using the general arrow in 
every case where the movement is the exact same for both hands 
(parallel movement) because in those cases, it seemed unnecessary to 
write 2 arrows when the movements are parallel and identical (like the 
ASL signs WAY, CONTINUE, YOUNG, GO-AHEAD, GO, etc.). Just trying to 
understand better. Comparison and contrast help me understand the 
"why". :)

Thanks,

Stuart

On Feb 14, 2007, at 15:16, Adam Frost wrote:

> Wow! I did not know that I misunderstood that rule. I thought that the
> general arrowhead was for when both hands move together as a unit.
> (Probably like many others. Smile.) Now I think understand what the
> rule mean. You said it is for when you would have two arrow
> overlapping. So for the sign continue, the path (black and white
> arrows) for each hand do not over lap, so the general arrowhead is not
> used. Now my question is if you were to write continue from the side
> view (purely hypertheotical of course), then the general arrow would
> be used? And would that still be correct if the two hands were not
> touching (ie as in the sign for way)? Just trying to see if I
> understand this rule correctly. :-)
>
> Adam
>
>
> On 2/14/07, Valerie Sutton <signwriting at mac.com> wrote:
>> SignWriting List
>> February 14, 2007
>>
>> The General Arrowhead
>> WHEN TWO MOVEMENT PATHS WRITE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER (BLEND)
>>
>> The Movement Path of the right hand, writes on top of the Movement
>> Path of the left hand, creating a blend of the two arrows. This
>> creates a General Arrowhead. The blended arrow is neither right nor
>> left...it is both.
>>
>> Imagine placing your right hand in a can of black paint. It is now
>> dripping with black paint.
>>
>> Imagine placing your left hand in a can of white paint. It is not
>> dripping with white paint.
>>
>> Your two hands move in space. As they move, they paint Movement Paths
>> in space. The left hand paints white Movement Paths. The right hand
>> paints black Movement Paths.
>>
>> But what happens when the Right Movement Path paints on top of the
>> Left Movement Path?
>>
>> In those cases, you write a General Arrowhead.
>>
>> The General Arrowhead never meant Parallel Paths. It always meant
>> Blended Paths. There is a difference.
>>
>> I can show you examples later today....Unfortunately I have to go to
>> an appointment again and must run!
>>
>> Talk to you all later -
>>
>> Val ;-)
>>
>>
>