Re: How to recite the works of Shakespeare in 2.5 minutes

>Is there possibly any type of "Proto-Sign Language", perhaps?
Could you elaborate on this question a bit?

My generic answer would be "yes" and "no".

Prior to the recognition of the deaf as people/persons in the USA, when it
was considered vulgar/rude/embarassing to sign in public, there was a great
amount of what was called "homesign" - sign which families developed to
communicate with a deaf child at home. Schools taught lip-reading &
vocalization. I believe that Gallaudet University (the first USA university
for the deaf) would have at least some records of this.

Yet, it is also true that the use of body-language is not the same amongst
speaking in dividuals global-/species-wide, with the exception (supposedly)
that humans universally raise our eyebrows upon initially seeing someone
whom we recognise.



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