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Ch16 Concept Map - Coggle Diagram
Ch16 Concept Map
Symmetry and Balance
Symmetry means that something is well-proportioned and its parts are well-balanced (and conversely, asymmetry suggests a lack of balance or proportion)
A symmetrical image is easier to process. Poets can build all these understandings into their signed work creating thematic, temporal and spatial symmetry
We see thematic symmetry in creative sign language in the themes that are presented, especially with patterns of opposition and balance in a story’s plot or in its characters
Spatial symmetry is created in the way that signs are placed and moved in a visual spatial language. Many forms of spatial symmetry, the best-known is reflective symmetry, in which two shapes are mirror images of each other
Planes of Symmetry
There are three important planes of reflective symmetry that signers can use it create aesthetic and symbolic effects.
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Thematic Symmetry
Within the idea of symmetry, there is the concept of duality and opposition and stories and poems are frequently balanced by opposing or contrasting ideas
Thematic symmetry in sign language literature and folklore often includes these basic contrasts, especially with characters who are deaf contrasting with hearing characters
Temporal Symmetry
In spoken and signed languages, stories and poems can construct temporal patterns of symmetry and asymmetry, for example through the timing and rhythm of pieces.
In temporal symmetry, the form of the beginning nad end of the poem or story can echo each other, creating a ‘sandwich’ effect
Spatial Symmetry
Sign language literature has the forte of representing symmetry visually and spatially as well as thematically and temporally. As sign language can produce signs of varying shapes and sizes, sign language artists have the option of creating geometric symmetry. The transformations in sign language symmetry are often ‘reflections’, in which the hands form mirror images of each other, creating bilateral symmetry.
In dilation symmetry, the sign representing an object can be made larger or smaller while keeping the same shape. Dilation symmetry in sign language may be achieved by flexing or extending the finger joints, by selecting more or fewer fingers, or by moving the hands closer or further apart.
A Continuum of Symmetry
The a sign to show perfect reflection all symmetry, it must be two-handed and the handshape should be be the same on both hands, the locations should be in perfect opposition across a plane of symmetry, the orientation of the palms and fingers should be the same in both hands or incomplete mirror image and so must any movement
Sign language poems can even create a sense of balance in signing space when one hand (usually the non-dominant hand) holds the final part of the previous sign while the other hand articulates a new sign
Asymmetry
A certain amount of asymmetry in a performance may be more meaningful or effective than perfect symmetry, especially when the asymmetrical images or signs work together to create an overall feeling of harmony.
If symmetry is not relevant to a piece, whether thematically, temporally or spatially, we may say it is non-symmetrical or dissymmetrical. However, if the signer has deliberately chosen to reject a symmetrical form, we can say it is asymmetrical
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