Consinglang (was: Theory (was...))

Yoon Ha Lee wrote:

> I would love to develop a con-sign language, BTW, but unfortunately
> haven't had the opportunity to learn any natsignlang.  It would be
really
> neat to see if you could de-linearize things and speak more
radially,
> concurrently, develop ideas in parallel...I'm sure there are
wonderful
> things sign-speakers use.  I just want to wait until I can take some
> basic Ameslan-or-other-sign language course before attempting such a
> thing, and transcription would be a pain (I can do fantasy arts but
my
> diagrams are horrible).
Well.   I was tought a little on Colombian Signed Language (LSC) and I
loved it... just if I had time...

Signed languages are more descriptive than oral ones, with signs
decribing the concepts but also how things look and how they move.
They use less signs in average than words are used in oral language
but the fact that information can be parallel, like a sign
representing a verb, the movement of the hands while signing showing
the indirect object and the expression in the face telling the mood.

Problem with a signed language is, as you said, documenting the work.
Videotaping is an alternative ($$$), but a more afordable solution is
learning something as SignWriting (http://www.signwriting.org).

> Has anyone out there done a consignlang?  How's it work?  Website?
> That's something I'd *make* time to learn, just to see how it did
things.