AW: Finger Direction is Meaningful

[Stefan Wöhrmann]

Hi Val and sw-list friends, 

 

I followed your explanation about the “M” symbol. Well I agree and almost
ever write the M the way you showed to us. 

 

There is another thing I would like to mention. Regarding finger direction
and your idea about "Finger Direction is Meaningful:”

 

I guess it may become a question of habit and style. 

 

Personally I feel uncomfortable with these hand shapes on the diagonal – and
for me it is not easier to read – just in contrary. 

 

One reason may be that I concentrate on the palm rather on the fingers ???
But I have to admit that there are signs that obviously violate my intuitive
style of  spelling but nevertheless ... I grew up with these signs written
the given way and my brain got accustomed to that and now I simply accept
them as they are – 

 

Look at the typical way we write the “What”- sign  -- it is easy to read and
nothing seems wrong, but if you look at your hands while performing the sign
without any force they are much more inward than outward. This is
interesting. 

 

Nevertheless it is fun to discuss spellings – 

 

I am preparing some documents to get feedback from my deaf students about
horizontal versus vertical writing. You know that at school I ask my
students to write the translation directly beneath the signwriting line. So
it makes sense to write from left to write. But if it comes down just to rad
a story it may be a difference .. I am interested to get more insight ... 

 

 

Stefan ;-) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  _____  

Von: SignWriting List: Read and Write Sign Languages
[mailto:SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACC.EDU] Im Auftrag von Valerie Sutton
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 2. Dezember 2010 03:50
An: SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACC.EDU
Betreff: Finger Direction is Meaningful

 

SignWriting List

December 1, 2010

 

Regarding finger direction -

 

Finger direction is meaningful - and there are times when it is useful to
write a handshape a little on the diagonal, so you can see the fingers
projecting down.

 

Sometimes signs can be flexible. They can be understood with the same
meaning, whether they are exactly projecting forward, or directed toward the
diagonal. In these cases, if the diagonal position is just as acceptable,
and the fingers look more like they are pointing in the proper direction,
then the symbol can be written on the diagonal or to the side and it is
easier to read.

 

In the new book that Adam Frost and I are writing, we have a page at the end
of each chapter called "Finger Direction is Meaningful:

 

SignWriting Hand Symbols Manual

http://www.signwriting.org/archive/docs7/sw0618_SignWriting_Hand_Symbols_Man
ual_Sutton_Frost.pdf
<http://www.signwriting.org/archive/docs7/sw0618_SignWriting_Hand_Symbols_Ma
nual_Sutton_Frost.pdf%0A> 

 

Here is a sample page:

 



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/sw-l/attachments/20101202/5809959d/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 58388 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/sw-l/attachments/20101202/5809959d/attachment.jpg>