Si5s

I came across this script a few months ago. I've been looking into Si5s since someone suggested a Wikipedia should be in Si5s too. Si5s is not in Unicode, does not have an encoding design, has not registered their script with ISO, has not specified freedom from IP issues, and is not a stable script. The ASL Wikipedia Project uses SignWriting Block Printing.

The Si5s script has many things going for it. They have a great argument for why writing is an empowering tool. I think many of the argument apply equally to SignWriting, and the other sign scripts around.

They designed hand shape symbols for both left hand and right hand, called the Digibet. There is a second version of the digibet that has split their community. The new digibet shapes have more detail.

Outside of the digibets, there is an unanalyzed set of symbols that provides additional meaning. The script can be written as a list of symbols. Sometimes, 2 dimensions are used for placement.

Outside of the digibets and other add on symbols, there are variably sized span symbols that surround and enclose content.

This is my understanding of the script. I have not read the textbook.

The designer of the script wants to create an industry around the script to employ and empower Deaf. This is why ownership of a script is an important consideration. The creator(s) of Si5s have said in general that the script should belong to the ASL Deaf community as is evolves or refines.

The script has been confused with SignWriting. Structurally, Si5s is similar to the writer's half of the SignWriting Script. Stylistically, it is somewhere between SignWriting Cursive and SignWriting Shorthand.

There has been excitement, interest, indifference, and hostility towards the script. I myself am interested and hope that we can cross reference the two scripts. I would encourage Si5s users to borrow from SignWriting where appropriate.

Proponents of Si5s incorrectly believe that palm facings are not needed in the writing. This is a common idea for new sign language scripts. Palm facings were used by Valerie Sutton in DanceWriting before SignWriting existed. When SignWriting was born, the palm facings were dropped. After 10 years of writing sign languages without palm facings, Valerie Sutton introduced the palm facings to the SignWriting script because they were needed when writing for the general population. According to Valerie, writing sign language with too little detail creates "notes that are sketchy". When there is too little detail, the writing does not translate to others who are unfamiliar with the specific writing of a particular sign. Any argument to the contrary is suspect because of too little time and not enough readers. After 10 years of writing without palm facings, experience has shown the need for palm facings when writing for the general population. Quick hand written notes can drop the palm facings, but the notes are sketchy with a restricted audience.