Vertical columns left to right...

[Shane Gilchrist O hEorpa]

Val,

when I read manga (Japanese cartoons) books, some are printed from
right to left (with japanese replaced with English texts) - at first
it can be confusing but I got used to it.

Japanese/Chineses can sign-write from right shall they desire it - as
long as its clear.

Its good to see flexibility and I do look forward to seeing the SW
materials in NS (Japanese Sign Language) and Chinese Sign Language

Shane

On 09/01/07, Valerie Sutton <signwriting at mac.com> wrote:
> SignWriting List
> January 9, 2007
>
> Kimberley Shaw wrote:
> > I also have a change of subject here - just caught myself doing
> > something that happens quite often when Signwriting ... I always write
> > in columns. But I keep starting the page from the upper right side -
> > like traditional Chinese or Japanese texts (also written in columns) -
> > NOT from the upper-left corner! Then I'll catch myself and start again
> > English (Euro-) style.  Anybody else inclined to do this? Or do I
> > spend too much time around Asian books??
> > Best,
> > Kim from Boston
>
> ------
>
> I am impressed that you read Asian books, Kim! I personally do not
> read any languages from Asia so I didn't even realize that their
> columns went from the right side of the page to the left side of the
> page, until one day, someone from Japan, who uses SignWriting,
> mentioned this fact to me...
>
> This just proves how the vertical columns in SignWriting were never
> based on anything Asian...the vertical columns came from a need to
> write the human body vertically...
>
> Why did we choose to write the columns starting on the left side of
> the page and moving to the right? Because SignWriting started in
> western Europe and North America...that is why!
>
> Looking back on it, if I had realized that Asian documents went the
> other direction, before we ever had published a SignWriting document,
> would I have placed them from right to left? I have no idea...now we
> are so used to the left to right, it might be confusing to switch it...
>
> But feel free to try to write that way and see how it feels! There is
> no reason you couldn't, except the reader will automatically start on
> the left and get confused...because we are not used to it.
>
> Val ;-)
>
>