How many symbols do we use in SignWriting? Part 1

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
August 18, 2009

On Aug 18, 2009, at 10:20 AM, Steve Slevinski wrote:
> In raw numbers, the ISWA 2008 defines 30 SymbolGroups, 639  
> BaseSymbols, and 35023 symbols.   The first 250 BaseSymbols are hand  
> shapes.

Hi Steve!
Thanks for this perfect answer with raw numbers.

And your last statement is the important point. Out of the 250  
BaseSymbols that are handshapes, in the past, ASL only used around 80  
of those handshapes, so the number of symbols, based on only 80  
handshapes, goes way way down...because each handshape we do not use  
deletes 96 rotations and flops per handshape...

The problem we have had in recent years, is that when people are  
handed 250 handshapes instead of the 80, they end up using a lot more  
handshapes to write the same sign language...so ASL is writing with  
more handshapes than 80 now, and so the question arises...did we  
really always need more handshapes to write ASL and were we deprived  
before?, or are we using right now, too many handshapes and the number  
could go back to the original 80 handshapes from the old days? that  
part is fascinating I think...smile...

Val ;-)





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