how important is the diagonal plane of SW?

[Charles Butler]

I think you have hit the difference between a computer program and a linguistic 
study choice and actual sign.

Citation forms can be chosen to avoid the diagonal planes, but if you are 
transcribing from actual people signing, their hands and motions will be all 
over the place. If they are in conversation and are telling a story about 
someone up in a tree, writing precisely will show them moving their hands in 
diagonals from you on the ground to your brother in the tree. Throwing a ball in 
front of you, your hands end diagonal to the plane.  You can show it from the 
side to avoid the diagonal, but that becomes writing style, not real life. 

I think for a program you can choose not to show the third plane, but just know 
that you have done so. Technically, the sign for elephant or any other sign 
moving up and over or down and under is using the diagonal plane.




________________________________
From: Ingvild Roald <iroald at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACC.EDU
Sent: Fri, November 5, 2010 7:48:31 AM
Subject: Re: how important is the diagonal plane of SW?

 
Here are 3 ways of writing FLY (aeroplane. flying by aeroplane) in Norwegian SL. 
The first one where only the wall plane is used, is good enough for ordinary 
use. The other two are for more special purposes, when you have to tell in which 
direction a plane is flying 

Ingvild 
(you may also look at the statics in 'serch by symbol' in the Norwegian Sign 
Puddle - the diagonal is hardly used, as you will see)


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