Lesson 8

Strategies

A powerful way to expand what you can say in Blissymbolics, is through the use of Strategies. For descriptions of the many strategies that can be used, see Resource 8. In this lesson, only three will be introduced - opposite meaning, combineand colonstrategies.

The following strategies are the most useful and most frequently used strategies within Blissymbolics as it is used by persons who are nonspeaking. Each of them enables the user to say things that are not available to them on their display or in their electronic dictionary.

opposite meaning strategy up down

Opposite meaning is explained by demonstrating how it shares part of the arrow heads from up and down, which are opposites.

Opposite meaning is used as a strategy by placing it before a second symbol to create a meaning that is the opposite of the second symbol.

Thus

Is another way of saying sad (opposite of happy)

By using this strategy effectively, the Bliss user can gain double the number of descriptive meanings available in using the Bliss display.

The second strategy provides an excellent way to expand the number of nouns as well as descriptive words available from the Bliss display.

Combine indicator

The combine indicator is positioned hanging from the indicator line immediately before and after a sequence of Bliss-characters that spell a meaning that is new and unique to the user. The Bliss-word contained within the combine indicators is no contained in the BCI Authorized Vocabulary.

The combine indicator is derived from the verb, to combine.It is composed of two interlocking circles (mini-sized).

For your interest, here are the Bliss-words for to combine and combination.

This group of symbols can be illustrated through making links of a chain with your two index fingers joined with your thumbs to form two links in a chain. When things are linked together, they are “combined” and a new “whole” is formed. This indeed happens when the combine indicator is used to indicate a new Bliss-word. Note the size and position differences.

to combine combination combine indicators

When using the combine indicator, here are the rules to follow:

  1. Aim for conciseness and transmission of the essential meaning elements
  1. Use established Bliss-characters which, when sequenced, create a new meaning.
  1. Position the combine indicator ¼ space before and ¼ space after the sequence of Bliss-characters (the indicators being positioned on the indicator line)
  1. In general, position classifiers first. (Classifier is the Bliss-character that tells you what kind of concept the resulting Bliss-word will represent. Examples of classifiers are person, building, vehicle, animal, feeling, event, machine, plant.

Exceptions to this rule involve initial characters that always serve as prefixes – opposite meaning, part of, like, group of, much, similar to, metaphor, more, most and minus. (Those prefixes not introduced in Course 101 will be introduced in Course 201)

  1. Do not superimpose any component elements. Always sequence them.
  1. Use only one indicator and place it over the classifier, unless more are required for clarification. Through limiting the use of indicator to one over the classifier, the part of speech is clearly marked.
  1. If necessary, use a comma to separate units to clarify meaning.

Remember when teaching the use of the combine indicator, the composition of the combined symbol is the result of the creative and independent thinking of the Bliss user. The age, experiential and developmental level of the individual will influence the outcome. If the Bliss user is successful in communicating their intention, the combined Bliss-word is acceptable. As they mature they can adhere more and more to the rules. The rules were developed to facilitate successful clear communication and there is no right or wrong, if communication is achieved.

Examples of Combined Bliss-words demonstrating different developmental levels.

Daddy has (one)

Daddy drives (it)

Daddy drive (it) (for) work

Car for work (van)

The last combine symbol shows the highest level. The classifier of “car” is placed first, telling the listener, what kind of thing it is (i.e., a car used for work). That it is used or owned by the Bliss-user’s father is not relevant information to the concept of “van”. For the early Bliss-user, however, it may be the only information that he is able to give in order to help his listener understand what he is talking about. It is to be accepted for successful communication is the goal! As the Bliss-user develops, however, many examples can be given of placing the classifier first, providing models for the Bliss-user to observe and eventually replicate.

Colon strategy

When an English synonym other than the default word is desired by the Bliss-user, they can create a new Bliss-word using the colon strategy. This strategy allows the original general meaning to remain available in the device for when it is required but enables the Bliss-user to add a qualifier after a colon, and represent a synonym that has a more precise meaning within a VOCA or for the purpose of translation. The English word to be spoken is identified by the qualifier that follows the colon. The qualifier is typically an attribute or association that is memorable.

e.g.,

hear

listen

In the above example, the Bliss user has decided to differentiate between hearing and listening by adding the qualifier of the mind. When one “listens”, one thinks as well!

This strategy, like the combine strategy is a personal one, unique to the individual.

Another example:

Building. house Can be represented separately on the device

as houseand as building

In the first instance the Bliss-word building can mean either building or house.

The Bliss user could havethe meaning of building on the display, and could also have the meaning of house by adding the colon and the cue of person, associating a house with people living in it. This is a personal Bliss-word, and is different from home which uses the same principle but is in the BCI Authorized vocabulary as the building to which one is emotionally tied or to which one has many associated feelings. It does not use a colon since it is an authorized Bliss-word.

home

Augmentation

To augment the meaning within a Bliss-word, the character meaning “group of” is positioned as the first character in the Bliss-word. The Bliss-words created with from one to three “group of” characters have related meaning. The number of “group of” or “much” characters differentiate the size of the referent.

You saw examples of augmentation in Lesson 6 in the Bliss-words for forest and city.

Here are Bliss-words related to them:

grove forest

village city

Here is another example or augmentation:

lake ocean

Intensity.

A more intense form of a word can be derived by adding one or more small exclamation marks to the end of a Bliss-word. The intensity character can be applied as many as three times.

Here is an example using the verb to speak:

speak call shout scream