Sign language glossing is a way of writing down sign language using capitalized English words, like CAT or RUN, to represent signs. Signwriting is a separate, visual system that uses symbols to show the shape, movement, and location of each sign. You write glosses as notes for study or teaching, and you write Signwriting as a true written form of the language itself.
What Is Sign Language Glossing?
Glossing is not a translation. It is a notation system. You take a signed sentence and write it word-for-word using English words as labels for each sign.
For example, the American Sign Language (ASL) sentence meaning “I am going to the store” might be glossed as STORE ME GO. The order of the glossed words matches the order of the signs, not the order of English grammar. This is why glossing looks strange to someone who only reads English.
Linguists and students use glossing to analyze how sign languages work. It lets you see word order, facial expressions, and grammatical markers on paper. Without glossing, studying a visual language on paper would be nearly impossible.
How Do You Write A Gloss?
You write glosses in all capital letters. Each sign gets one English word. If a sign needs two English words to describe it, you connect them with a hyphen, like LOOK-AT.
Facial expressions and body movements carry grammar in sign languages. You show these with symbols written above the glossed line. A raised eyebrow for a yes/no question is written as a line over the words. A head shake for negation gets a small “neg” mark above the sign.
Common glossing symbols include:
- IX for pointing signs (index finger)
- CL: for classifiers (handshapes that represent objects)
- ++ to show a sign repeated
- # for fingerspelled words
- fs to mark fingerspelling, like fs-CAT
- t for topic markers
There is no single universal standard for glossing. Different textbooks and programs use slightly different symbols. The key is consistency. If you write EAT for a sign in one sentence, use the same label every time that sign appears.
What Is Signwriting?
Signwriting is a complete writing system for sign languages. It was created by Valerie Sutton in 1974. It uses visual symbols rather than English words.
Each Signwriting symbol shows a handshape, orientation, location, and movement. The symbols are written the way the sign looks. A hand facing left is drawn facing left. A movement upward is drawn as an upward arrow.
Signwriting is not a code for English. It is a way to write the sign language itself. A person who reads Signwriting can read a signed sentence the way a person who reads English reads a book.
Signwriting works for any sign language. The same system can write ASL, British Sign Language, or Japanese Sign Language. The symbols represent physical actions, not meanings tied to one spoken language.
How Do You Write In Signwriting?
Signwriting uses a set of symbols organized in a specific structure. Each sign is written as a cluster of symbols that shows all the parts of the sign at once.
The main components are:
- Handshape symbols — show which fingers are extended or bent
- Contact symbols — show where the hands touch the body
- Movement symbols — show direction, speed, and type of movement
- Rotation symbols — show wrist or arm rotation
- Face and body symbols — show facial expressions and body position
You place the symbols in a specific spatial arrangement. The center of the cluster represents the center of the body. Symbols on the left side of the cluster represent the left side of the body. This spatial layout is what makes Signwriting readable as a visual language.
Learning to write Signwriting takes practice. You must learn to analyze a sign into its parts: what handshape is used, where the hand is placed, what movement occurs, and what the face is doing. Then you select the correct symbols and arrange them properly.
What Are The Main Differences Between Glossing And Signwriting?
Glossing and Signwriting serve different purposes. Glossing is an analytical tool. Signwriting is a writing system.
Glossing uses English words as labels. This means it is only useful to someone who knows the sign language already. If you read the gloss CAT, you still need to know the actual sign for cat to understand what is being communicated. The gloss is a reminder, not a full representation.
Signwriting contains all the information needed to produce the sign. A person who has never seen a particular sign can read its Signwriting and know exactly how to make it. This makes Signwriting a true orthography, not just a notation system.
Glossing is faster to learn and faster to write. You can gloss a sentence in minutes. Signwriting takes much longer to learn and to write. But Signwriting preserves the actual language, while glossing only preserves a rough outline.
When Should You Use Each System?
Use glossing when you are analyzing grammar or studying linguistic structure. It is the standard tool in sign language linguistics courses. It is also useful for taking notes during a class or comparing how different signers express the same idea.
Use Signwriting when you want to write down a sign language story, poem, or lesson so that someone else can read it and reproduce it exactly. Signwriting is also used in some dictionaries and educational materials for deaf children.
Neither system replaces learning the language itself. Both are tools for writing about or writing in sign language. A fluent signer does not need either system to communicate. The systems exist for study, documentation, and preservation.
How To Write Sign Language Glossing And Signwriting For Beginners
Start with glossing because it is simpler. Learn the basic symbols: capital letters for signs, hyphens for multi-word signs, and the common markers for grammatical features.
Practice by watching a short signed video and writing a gloss for each sentence. Compare your gloss with others if you are in a class. Notice where your word order or symbol choices differ.
For Signwriting, begin by learning the handshape symbols. There are dozens of them, but you only need a few to start. Learn the symbols for the handshapes you use most often in everyday conversation.
Then learn movement symbols. These are arrows and lines that show direction and type of movement. Practice writing simple signs like GO or COME before moving to complex signs.
Use the SignWriting website and its free resources. The system has an online dictionary and instructional materials. Many university programs in deaf studies offer courses in Signwriting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is glossing the same as translating sign language?
No. Glossing writes signs using English word labels in sign order, not English grammar. A translation converts meaning into proper English sentences.
Can anyone read Signwriting without knowing sign language?
No. You need to learn the Signwriting symbol system first. However, once you learn it, you can read signs from any sign language without knowing that language.
How long does it take to learn Signwriting?
Basic reading ability can develop in a few weeks of regular practice. Writing fluently takes months to a year, depending on how often you practice.
Do deaf communities use Signwriting in daily life?
Some do, but most deaf people communicate face-to-face and do not use a written form daily. Signwriting is used mainly in education, research, and documentation.
