Punctuation

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
January 5, 2013

The Parentheses are used for an after-thought - something you think of that is not quite on topic, but necessary to say nonetheless…so the Parentheses are not quotes either…

The Quote symbols with the double lines at a diagonal work well when writing horizontally, from left to right, but when writing vertically as we do, they are not as easily read…that is why they are not in the ISWA 2010, although they can be constructed…I do not suggest using them when writing vertically, which I hope you do…Vertical writing is better for the grammar of sign languages, regarding role shifting and spatial comparisons…

So how do we write quotes in vertical writing? That is a good question…I would tend to write the sign for QUOTE in the beginning, before the quoted phrase, and then place double bracket after the sign for QUOTE, and then write the phrase…I can create a diagram of this later today and post it to the SW List -

Val ;-)

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On Jan 5, 2013, at 9:30 AM, Valerie Sutton wrote:

> SignWriting List
> January 5, 2013
> 
> Hello Dali -
> Thank you for your questions about Punctuation.
> 
> The brackets are not used for quotation marks. The brackets are called a "Unit Connecting Line". Attached is page 168 on the textbook "Lessons in SignWriting", that explains about the brackets.
> 
> The Unit Connecting LIne used to be used, when we wrote horizontally from left to right. They show "influence" of one symbol, like a Facial Expression, on a whole phrase or sentence…They worked better for horizontal writing. When we write vertically, it is harder to use the Unit Connecting Line and it is not necessary either - so our organization here stopped using the brackets (Unit Connecting Line). But I know the Parkhursts and other linguists do use them and that is fine - They are a part of the Sutton Movement Writing system and are used in DanceWriting too…for more detailed writing and linguistic analysis…but for everyday use, we find it is better not to use them because the reader has to stop reading and look back to see what is influencing what…and it interrupts they flow of reading and is too much information for daily reading -
> 
> See attached diagram…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------
> 
> On Jan 5, 2013, at 9:14 AM, Dali balti wrote:
> 
>> Hello brothers and sisters!!!
>> 
>> I am focusing for the moment on the punctuation, I can understand the whole system except for the "quotation marks" !!!!
>> 
>> Which system is it used now?
>> * the brackets?
>> * the bent fingers on bars?
>> * the parenthesis?
>> or any other system???
>> 
>> Thank you all !!!!
>> 
>> Dali
>> :D
> 

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