While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
While there is not sufficient evidence that
any exhibition of sign language in any tribe is a dialect
derived or corrupted from an ascertained language in any
other tribe, it still is convenient to consider the
different forms appearing in different tribes as several
dialects (in the usual mode of using that term) of a common
language. Every sign talker necessarily has, to some extent,
a dialect of his own. No one can use sign language without
original invention and without modification of the
inventions of others; and all such new inventions and
modifications have a tendency to spread and influence the
production of other variations. The diversities thus
occasioned are more distinct than that mere individuality of
style or expression which may be likened to the differing
chirography of men who write, although such individual
characteristics also constitute an important element of
confusion to the inexperienced observer. In differing
handwriting there is always an attempt or desire to
represent an alphabet which is essentially determinate, but
no such fixedness or limited condition of form restricts
gesture speech.
Those variations and diversities of form and connected
significance specially calling for notice may be: 1st. In
the nature of synonyms. 2d. Substantially the same form with
such different signification as not to be synonymous. 3d.
Difference in significance produced by such slight variation
in form as to be, to a careless observer, symmorphic.
This site includes some historical
materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or
language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as
part of the historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that
the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes implied.
Sign Language
Among North American Indians Compared with
that Among Other Peoples and Deaf-Mutes,
1881
