Brian, There is no question that sign language is based on symbols in the same way that is true for any language.
The major point has to do with the ability of humans to symbolize. If sign language were not based on symbols we should be able to understand it by being able to connect the signs to what they stand for simply by observing them.. I defy anyone to do that with human sign language without studying it in the same way that any other language needs to be studied. The ability of humans to symbolize is the critical issue here. As I have noted in my other communications, that ability changed the physiology of the human brain and in many critical ways distinguishes humans from animals. Without understanding the importance of symbolization, it is impossible to understand the human condition. The physiological brain change brought about by symbolization is what made it possible for human behavior to no longer be hard-wired to its genetic beginnings. It is very interesting that Helen Keller is referred to in your post. As I may have mentioned before, one of the things I was most proud of in the 26 years I taught Sociology and Women's Studies was the way I was increasingly able to find concrete examples in order to illustrate the very abstract concepts I was constantly trying to explain. One of the examples I used in explaining the importance of symbolization was the story of Helen Keller as portrayed in the play *The Miracle Worker*. The entire play illustrates the importance of symbolization from the beginning and build-up to show how wild and uncontrollable Helen was and then to the gradual build-up to show how she was able to make some progress with understanding words to the climax of the whole play in which Helen was pumping water and suddenly made the connection between the substance *water* and the word *water*. If you've seen the play, you know what an absolutely thrilling moment that was. It was a dramatic depiction of the importance of the human ability to symbolize; to make an intellectual connection between a symbol and an object to which it is connected arbitrarily. The word water could possibly mean any one of hundreds of different things; there is nothing inherent in the word that suggests what it stands for in our language. Helen Keller was, of course, blind and deaf. Certainly the deaf can symbolize regardless of the fact that they use gestures as their symbols. Selma ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian McAndrews" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Selma Singer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 10:21 AM Subject: Re: NYTimes.com Article: Indian Languages: Tending the Flame > Hi Selma, > A lot of the attempts to communicate that I read on FW reminds me of > how powerful the Tower of Babel story is! (of course I include my own > attempts). > > >Selma wrote: > >> Analogic communications is the way animals communicate with > >>the use of gestures and signs. > > > The above sentence causes me to pause and think of the profoundly > deaf and their use of sign language. Oliver Sacks, a neurologist and > author, (I highly recommend all of his books) wrote "Seeing Voices" > in which he explores sign language. Snip
