Re: They all do that, sir...

On 30 Mar 2009 13:04:45 GMT, crn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

dog <dog@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
crn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I disagree. The purpose of writing is to convey speech. Written words have
no meaning of their own, they exist purely as a representation of the spoken
word.

i see. so a community of congenitally deaf and dumb people who appear to
communicate with one another entirely through hand signals and the written
word, are not actually communicating since those words and signals have no
meaning.

You have the cart before the horse. The various sign languages are
themselves representations of speech.

No they're not.

Would a totally deaf and dumb
and totally isolated community develop a complex sign language?.

It's happened several times.

I doubt it, although there would probably be a limited vocabulary such as
putting a hand to mouth to indicate food.
AFAIK no such community exists without contact with speech so your point
is moot.

The case I know about involved a group of d&d kids in, iirc Mexico,
lumped together without any signing teachers, developing their own
unique sign language. The first version was simple, but it quickly
evolved into a complete and complex language.

So, once again, you're completely wrong. Uncanny.
--
Champ
What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger
ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R600 racer (for sale) | ZX10R racer (broken)
neal at champ dot org dot uk
.

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