Either or Both Body Parts

Either or Both Body Parts
Submitted by Charlotte Wile - July 16, 2002

In Motif Notation there is a way to indicate a “right” body part,” “left” body part,” “either” body part,” or “both” body parts, e.g., right arm, left arm, either arm, both arms. (Ex. 1a-1d) However, there is no established way to indicate “either or both” body parts. One idea is to place a pre-sign for “any number” before the body part sign. At a recent DNB theory meeting Ann Hutchinson Guest suggested using Albrecht Knust’s sign for “any number.” The sign consists of an ad lib. sign inside a circle, as in Ex. 1e. (I like this sign better than the one I proposed in previous postings, e.g., Wile, Movement in Place Thread, April 10, 2000). Thus Ex. 1f would indicate the “right or left or both arms.” 

The encircled ad lib. sign could also be used in indications for “any number of unspecified body parts” (Ex. 2a), “any number of limbs” (Ex. 2b), etc. This fits the established method of indicating a specific number of body parts, such as three unspecified body parts, two limbs, etc. (Ex. 2c and 2d)).