tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri May 05 06:26:46 1995

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Re: vIHadbogh Holmey

Ivan A Derzhanski <[email protected]> wrote:
> The only question is whether those peculiarities aren't too great for
> any extrapolation between sign and non-sign languages to be possible.
> Note that I'm not saying that they are; I have no opinion either way.

True ASL as spoken among the non-hearing has a novel "peculiarity" which
impresses me greatly.  "Pronouns" are created as needed by signing a
noun or name in a certain location; that LOCATION then takes on the
meaning of the noun.  Signing an action while moving it "toward" the
pronoun can indicate an object, and moving "away from" the pronoun can
indicate a subject.  This is an EVOLVED feature of the language, never
formally taught, and is rarely used when a hearing person is involved in
the conversation.  I've experienced a weak form of this phenomenon while
discussing complex subjects at a blackboard; certain spots on the board
can be referred to as a shorthand way of repeating previous concepts.
(This often works even if that part of the board has been erased in the
meantime.)

Perhaps "written" Klingon has a similar feature.  Mr. Okuda has
steadfastly refused to permit any explanation for the way the symbols
represent the words. It's possible that the "motion" of the appearing
symbols carries some meaning.

-- ghunchu'wI'

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