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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: ASL lit.12
Message-ID: <18849@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 16 Apr 91 20:31:11 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

        Was there anything else you particularly liked?  (Response:
The image of the boy trudging through the snow against a cold bitter
wind to the barn and the scarf flapping in the cold brisk wind.)
Right, I didn't sign "wind" or "cold".  I did nothing of the sort!  I
showed how the boy walked (Cl-1 at a slant.) and the scarf blowing in
the wind.  Wow!  Could you feel the cold while you were watching it?
That doesn't happen in Arizona?  How did I open the story?  (Sam gave
a live demonstra tion of the beginning of the story.)  (Response: That
established the mood for the story.)  Yes, that helped set the mood.
Let me explain something else.  Did you notice anything interesting
about the language I used in the very beginning?  What do you notice
about the signs? (Sam demonstrated the beginning again.)  Do you
notice something about the movement of the signs?  (Response:  Each of
the signs has the same handshape.)  Right.  There are four signs in a
row at the beginning which all us e the "5" handshape.  I didn't use
everyday conversational signs to say that there was a farm and it was
a cold and windy day.  Instead I used a series of signs with the same
handshape.  That is called harmony of handshape between signs.  There
is a relationship between each of the signs.  The process continues
after that as well.  The next part, if you recall, uses different
handshapes but the location of the signs is the same.  Did you notice
that?  (Sam demonstrated again.)  The sign for "col d" is made at the
chest.  The next sign is "white" which is also at the chest.  The
location now moves.  Then the second half of the sign for "white"
becomes the snow which falls on the ground which is represented by the
B-classifier of my left hand.  The location moves from my chest, to an
area away from my body, to the top of my left hand.  The snow falls to
my left hand and accumulates.  Notice that the handshapes are similar
again.  The opening and closing of the hand from a five hand to an "O"
hand is repeated in the sign for white and then in the sign for an
accumulation of snow.
        Anyway, something is happening between the handshapes, the
locations, and the handshapes again.  There is harmony with handshape,
location and handshape.  That is an example of how I used language in
a special way in the story.

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