Comprehensive Reference Manual for Signers & Interpreters by Cheryl M Hoffman (review)

Reviews in Brief Hoffman, Cheryl M. Comprehensive Reference Manual for Signers & Interpreters. 2nd edn. 1985. 8 1/2 X 11. Spiral bd. iv & 207 pp. C. C. Thomas (Springfield, IL 62717). $21.75. "This manual," the Preface states, "is intended for use by signers who have a familiarity with and a working knowledge of Sign Language." Such readers should be able to memorize easily the 68 abbreviations for terms it uses to describe the manual signs following the listed English words. One abbreviation alone ("fe = appropriate facial expression") completes the treatment of nonmanual features of signing. Such users will also understand that "lprtsu" (p. iv) means: "left palm facing toward the signer's right side, fingers together & pointing up." Moving from apparatus to entries, the following appears on the first page: ABOVE = cir rpdtsl hor abv lpdtsr OR MORE-THAN Translation: 'Circle right [hand], palm down, tips left, horizontally above left [hand], palm down, tips right; or else make use of another sign, glossed here as MORE-THAN' (to be found on p. 117). Note that "OR" in entries like this means, 'use another sign.' It is not part of the gloss though also printed in caps -- but would an accomplished interpreter need "above"" explained? A pair of entries down the page suggest an answer: ABSTRUSE = BLURRY ABSURD = SILLY Perhaps the intended user, despite knowing signs, lacks "a familiarity with and a working knowledge of" various levels of English. Perhaps blurry and silly are in the user's vocabulary while abstruse and absurd are not, so that use of an English glossary or thesaurus is in order. Yet although the user is told (p. 50) that "DICTIONARY = LOOK-IT-UP w rDpdtl," there is no entry to indicate that 'thesaurus equals dictionary.' Still on page one, the next entry might further confuse a signer unfamiliar with English: ABUNDANT = MUCH OR MANY The user here needs to be familiar enough with English to know that for the phrase "abundant mirth," the paraphrase "much mirth" will work but that "many mirth" is likely to occasion much unexpected mirth at the user's expense. Winter 1985 SLS 49 ...