AW: help with writing an ASL sentence for an academic paper

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
September 8, 2013

Hi everyone -
If you look at two interpreter's interpretation of the same conversation, you will find the two interpreter's versions different - and not only different, but sometimes a different meaning to the interpretation too - And although feedback is important, because then we grow together, it is still important that everyone keeps writing - because what SignWriting needs more than anything, is more literature - and no literature is ever perfect or the same from person to person - so the three of you have provided good translations and all three are acceptable within ASL - as you say Adam - with your Deaf friends you might sign it one way, but if you are asked to do a "translation" of an English sentence, bringing some of the characteristics of the original sentence into the translation, then that translation is just that…a translation. But it is still ASL, and it is not English… there is a difference.

Once I read an English translation of a German poem, and although the words were in English and it was understandable English, I could "feel" the German behind the original - and I liked that because it felt like a German poem even though I was reading the translation -

I want so much to document all this and I thank you once again for this discussion -

Val ;-)




On Sep 8, 2013, at 7:47 AM, Adam Frost <icemandeaf at GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> 
> On Sep 8, 2013, at 2:41 AM, Stefan Wöhrmann wrote:
> 
>> Looking at your document Nancy – I have a question. (Same question goes to Adam  ;-)) )
>>  I tried to rewrite your sentence with the US- SignPuddle Dictionary. I do not get the same signs this way. Does this mean that you write this kind of document from scratch with SignText?   
> 
> I generally write from scratch with SignText, although there are times that I will use the translate feature for some bases and then edit it in SignText to match how I would sign something.
> 
>> Now a discussion apart from SignWriting and spelling...
>>  
>> Both of you (Nancy and Adam)  write a sign for “with” –mh –   (Maybe just because Maria asked for a sentence including this  “with”)
>>  
>> Do not know ASL but  here is my question – from my point of idea “with” is kind of  “with a pen” or “with my friend”    or...”with the delegs Editor” but “written with (????) SignWriting?
>>  
>> I am looking forward to your answers.
>>  
>> All best
>>  
>> Stefan
> 
> Like I said in my original email, I am not sure how I would truly sign this sentence if I were with my friends and trying to convey the same thought. Yes, the signing of WITH is influenced by the original sentence having the word "with" in it. I went with it because I felt that it would be understood by most as to what is meant. (But that is also because most ASL users that I know are bilingual, especially the Deaf ones.) I might do another attempt at the sentence now that I have seen Cherie's writing and had some time to think it over.
> 
> Adam

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