LREC 2010 conference and future SignWriting software

Wed Jun 2 10:24:35 UTC 2010

Dear Val,

as for now it is only me in Iceland who can write signs so I cannot say that
we here in Iceland write signs. James Kegl and I started to “signwrite” a
book but I have been so busy that I haven´t had time to finish what we
started. And you know, there is no one here who can read it. There was a
deaf man who was so excited to write signs and wanted to do it really well
but I am not sure that he does. I was so glad to know of him and I hoped
that he can start a kind of project and spread SignWriting here.

O, ja, * *enjoyed the trip to Malta. I love Malta!!! It is so beautiful and
peaceful place!**
I hope that you will be invited to SLLS, it is open to all... So don´t worry
:=)

I was thinking, have you contacted the guy in Bulgaria? I am curious to get
know if they are intrested in SignWriting :=)

Best regards,
Nedelina
On Mon, May 31, 2010 at 7:21 PM, Valerie Sutton <writesignlanguage at gmail.com
> wrote:

> SignWriting List
> May 27, 2010
>
> Hello Nedelina!
> Thank you for posting this message. I am glad to know you made it to Malta,
> and met Maria and Tim. And I understand from Maria, that you all are using
> SignWriting differently? I would like to hear more about that...the
> different ways people use SignWriting is an interesting topic. I hope you
> enjoyed your trip to Malta.
>
> I am happy to know about this organization you mention from Europe:
>
> Sign Language Linguistic Society (SLLS)
> http://www.slls.eu/index2.php5
>
> I had never heard of them. I know you are a member of the SLLING List,
> Nedelina, because that is how I heard about your work in Iceland, but I
> would love to join the SLLS List...so I am writing to them to ask permission
> to join...it appears you have to be invited, so they may not want an
> American sign language transcriptionist like me (smile)...but we will see!
>
> The SLLS web site mentions TISLR 2010 - That is good!
>
> All the best -
>
> Val ;-)
>
> ------------
>
>
>
>
> On May 27, 2010, at 11:53 PM, Nedelina Ivanova wrote:
>
> > Hi from Iceland.
> >
> >  I could make it to Malta. I met Tim and Maria and it was great to have a
> talk with both of you.
> > It is true that SignWriting was not visible in Malta. As you say, you did
> not know about the conference ... I was thinking, is such kind of
> information given on SLLS (http://www.slls.eu/index2.php5)? But you have
> to be a member to get access to all the information, isn´t it?
> >
> > Best regards
> > Nedelina
> >
> > On Thu, May 27, 2010 at 3:57 PM, Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org>
> wrote:
> > SignWriting List
> > May 27, 2010
> >
> > Thank you, everyone, for your discussions about the LREC 2010. I feel
> many of you have missed the point a little...So let me explain from my point
> of view.
> >
> > SignWriting software development presentations dominated the LREC 2004 in
> Lisbon. You can see the majority of the papers presented at the LREC 2004
> were using SignWriting for software development. I created a special web
> area for all the papers and the whole proceedings and even the group photo:
> >
> > LREC 2004
> > http://www.signwriting.org/forums/software/lisbon/index.html
> >
> > HamNoSys presentations were there too, in 2004, but in that conference,
> SignWriting had more presentations.
> >
> > So when it comes to conferences, these things wax and wane...sort of like
> a tidal wave or a snowball effect...and SignWriting will dominate at the
> LREC conferences in the future...I am sure of it!
> >
> > Meanwhile, in 2010, behind the scenes, Steve's software development with
> SignWriting, which we are soon to announce, is so totally fabulous for
> people who write sign languages on a daily basis, for writing real
> literature and encyclopedia articles in the facial expressions and
> handshapes and movements and role shifting of sign languages, that it is
> really not correct to compare our work with anyone else's, including
> HamNoSys, since the HamNoSys system's goals are different. HamNoSys cannot
> write sign language literature. There is no comparison because the goals of
> the two systems were never the same. HamNoSys is not a system designed for
> writing for everyday use like SignWriting is...and therefore I feel it is
> wrong to even compare the two systems, since our goals are different.
> >
> > Why was SignWriting not present at this current LREC 2010? Because we
> didn't even know about the conference until all the papers had already been
> submitted and accepted...and besides...our organization doesn't have the
> funds right now to pay our own way to Malta from the US, and meanwhile our
> work is free on the internet for everyone to use, and we are making huge
> strides forward now with really cool software for people who read and write
> sign languages on a daily basis, and that has nothing to do with any other
> system...
> >
> > So this is more a choice as to when we present our work at conferences,
> and not a statement as to whether one system is better or not...or more used
> or not for that matter...
> >
> > Meanwhile, there are other linguistic-based software projects that DO use
> SignWriting, and also three different Avatar projects, so SignWriting is
> used for these other areas too, but those projects were not represented at
> this particular conference...One of the current linguistic projects using
> SignWriting has recently submitted a grant to fund it, so it is just getting
> started with using SignWriting for their linguistic database. If that
> project succeeds, it may influence other linguistic programs in the future
> to use SignWriting too, and Steve's new software development will help that
> process along.
> >
> > Remember Maria, that you did not know about the 2010 conference yourself,
> until it was too late to submit? If it were not for Shane, who informed us
> about the conference (thank you Shane!), I don't believe we would have known
> about it...and that is ok...there are conferences in the future where
> SignWriting will be present again...too bad not in Malta though!
> >
> > I am giving you all big hugs and just know that great things are
> coming...
> >
> > And may I ask...was Tim Grove from the UK, and Nedelina Ivanova from
> Iceland, able to fly into Malta, and did you meet each other? I hope so...I
> was thinking of all of you the whole time...I know the volcano in Iceland
> made flying difficult...
> >
> > Val ;-)
> >
> >
> >
> > On May 27, 2010, at 8:10 AM, Steve Slevinski wrote:
> >
> > > MARIA AZZOPARDI wrote:
> > >> Dear Steve, Val and all the list,
> > >> I attended the LREC 2010 and I must say I was slightly disappointed at
> the
> > >> very low use of SignWriting in Computer Sign Language linguists. There
> > >> were some researchers that told me they considered SignWriting, but
> opted
> > >> for HanNoSys. It would be ideal if SignWriting were used, I thought,
> but I
> > >> probably can't understand the technicalities, as computers are not my
> > >> area.
> > >> Could you explain why the situation is so.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nedelina Ivanova
> > Sign language researcher
> >
> > The Communication Centre for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
> > Sudurlandsbraut 12
> > 108 Reykjavik
> > Iceland
> >
> > www.shh.is
>
>

-- 
Nedelina Ivanova
Sign language researcher

The Communication Centre for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Sudurlandsbraut 12
108 Reykjavik
Iceland

www.shh.is
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