What 𝤑 means
It tells you how contact happens during a sign. SignWriting writes signed languages using symbols for hand shapes, movements, facial expressions and other visible features. These symbols are arranged spatially to represent a sign; 𝤑 supplies the rubbing detail, not a word or translation on its own.
The key is continuous contact: the hand rubs against another hand or a body surface without lifting away during the action. The spiral normally indicates circular rubbing. An accompanying straight movement mark changes the path, while the rubbing contact remains.
Its roots are in movement notation
Valerie Sutton developed DanceWriting, a way to record body movement, beginning in 1966. In 1974, researchers in Copenhagen asked her to adapt her notation for signed languages. This work led to SignWriting, with writing conventions subsequently developed for individual signed languages.
Part of the collection
Related characters
2
Questions people ask
2How is rubbing different from brushing?
Rubbing maintains contact during the movement. The SignWriting brush symbol describes contact in passing: the hand touches the surface and continues away.
Why do I see a box instead of 𝤑?
Your font may lack this character. Displaying it requires Sutton SignWriting support; displaying a complete written sign also requires software that preserves the symbols’ two-dimensional arrangement.
More like this
9
How to type or find 𝤑
- Search it as
- rub symbol · spiral symbol · circular rubbing · rub contact
- Shows up in
- Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws
𝤑\1D911Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.