Oh you might be right Max-- Its just i think of words as a basic unit of a language-- (just as 1, 2, 3, 4 are units for counting.. and mathematics.) so I think of SL as having words.. some time one gesture can represent a whole concept (raise your hand-- fold down all fingers but tallest-- place a sneer on your face-- and display to the road hog who has been going 10 or 20 units (any kind of units) under the sped limit in the fast lane of a high way-- What did you say? (F*** You!--?) is that a concept or a word? and since ASL readily can be "translated" to and from standard writen english (there some irregular verb/ tense and pronouns -- but 99% of the "language" is the same-- I don't know of any sign that express ideas that can't be expressed in English (for ASL-- other SL's seem to work the same for other languages.. I suspect there is NZSL word for hoot-- even if there isn't a ASL one.

but I have freely admitted to the need to scrape egg off my face in the past.. and i am sure if there is any about-- no one will lose time pointing it out!


my other obsession