SignWriting List
February 8, 2000

QUESTION 0022:
When do I write a circle and when do I write a curved arrow?

ANSWER 0022:
Generally four curves make one circle. So usually a curved arrow is one quarter of a circle.

There are definitely exceptions, and you are welcome to write the curves in other configurations too. However, in general four curves make one circle. A complete circle is not written with curved arrows, but with circle symbols.

EXAMPLES 0022

SignWriting List
February 8, 2000

QUESTION 0023:
When do I write a circle and when do I write a curved arrow?

ANSWER 0023:
A complete circle is written with a Circle Symbol. Sometimes Circle Symbols have dotted lines, and sometimes they don't, but no matter what, they record complete circles.

EXAMPLES 0023

Illustration by Steve Parkhurst, from the text "SignoEscritura", Madrid, Spain,1999.

SignWriting List
February 8, 2000

QUESTION 0024:
When do I write a circle and when do I write a curved arrow?

ANSWER 0024:
Example 0024 shows that rotations are curves too, but they do not travel.

EXAMPLES 0024

Rotation symbols stay in one place and rotate in the direction of the
curve. There are four possible rotations to a circle.

The line represents the axis around which the rotation revolves. When you see a line going through the curved arrow you know it is a rotation.