SignWriting Course June-July 2010

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
July 7, 2010

Hello List members, Dali, Stefan, Anny -

I am going ahead and posting this lesson. I am pretty sure this is ok with PISOURD that I post their pictures, since the logo PISOURD is showing on each picture and Anny gave us permission (smile - thank you Anny!). It is so nice to be able to refer to photos and videos, when writing.

Attached is one sentence written by Val, Dali and Stefan - you can see who wrote each example in the Source area at the bottom of each sentence...and as you can see, we all chose to write the same sentence differently - For example, I saw that there was a wrist movement in the second sign, but the sign also finished with the arm stretched forward - it traveled while doing the wrist motion - so which is more important? the wrist action or the traveling of the arm finishing forward? So I wrote the traveling of the arm, and others wrote the wrist motion - both are correct - it depends on the writer and what detail each writer feels is more important - all the details could be written, but then it becomes overwhelming for the reader, so some choices have to be made by the writer - 

Why did I write the ear in the sign for Deaf? not because the ear is required - not at all - but it seemed like he really touched the ear with his index finger when he signed it, so I wrote the ear to show how one can write the ear, if you feel there is emphasis or contact on it - and I think Stefan and Dali are correct about the palm facing on the sign for Deaf...his first hand position on the ear should have been looking at the back of the hand - I didn't notice that ;-))

Dali did not write as many facial expressions as Stefan and I did...so Dali, I would suggest writing more Facial Expressions. Facial expressions are important parts of sign language grammar and communication, and should be an active part of your writing any sign language.

I hope the attached diagram is interesting to all of you - I will be writing the next sentences, Dali, without looking at yours first, and then we can compare them too... 

Val ;-)

The attached is based on the video: http://www.pisourd.ch/faire-un-don



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