Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 23

---- Dying.

Hold the left hand as in _dead_; pa.s.s the index in the same manner underneath the left, but in a slow, gentle, interrupted movement.

(_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "Step by step; inch by inch." Fig. 251.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 252.]

---- Nearly, but recovers.

Hold the left hand as in _dead_; pa.s.s the index with a slow, easy, interrupted movement downward, under the left palm, as in _dying_, but before pa.s.sing from under the palm on the opposite side return the index in the same manner to point of starting; then elevate it.

(_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) Fig. 252.

Other remarks upon the signs for _dead_ are given on page 353.

GOOD.

The hand held horizontally, back upward, describes with the arm a horizontal curve outward. (_Long._) This is like the Eurasian motion of benediction, but may more suggestively be compared with several of the signs for _yes_, and in opposition to several of those for _bad_ and _no_, showing the idea of acceptance or selection of objects presented, instead of their rejection.

Place the right hand horizontally in front of the breast and move it forward. (_Wied._) This description is essentially the same as the one I furnished. (_Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.) I stated, however, that the hand was moved outward (i.e., to the right). I do not remember seeing it moved directly forward. In making the motion as I have described it the hand would have to go both outward and forward. (_Matthews_.) The left arm is elevated and the hand held in position (W). The arm and hand are thus extended from the body on a level with the chest; the elbow being slightly bent, the arm resembles a bent bow. The right arm is bent and the right hand, in position (W), sweeps smoothly over the left arm from the biceps muscle over the ends of the fingers. This sign and _Wied's_ are noticeably similar. The difference is, the _Oto_ sign uses the left arm in conjunction and both _more to the left_. The conception is of something that easily pa.s.ses; smoothness, evenness, etc., in both. (_Boteler_.)

Wave the hand from the mouth, extending the thumb from the index and closing the other three fingers. This sign also means _I know_.

(_Burton_.)

(1) Right-hand fingers pointing to the left placed on a level with mouth, thumb inward; (2) suddenly moved with curve outward so as to present palm to person addressed. (_Cheyenne_ II.)

Pa.s.s the open right hand, palm downward, from the heart, twenty-four inches horizontally forward and to the right through an arc of about 90. (_Dakota_ IV.) "Heart easy or smooth."

Another: Gently strike the chest two or three times over the heart with the radial side of the right hand, the fingers partly flexed and pointing downward. An Arapaho sign. (_Dakota_ IV.)

Place the flat right hand, palm down, thumb touching the breast, then move it forward and slightly upward and to the right. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Ojibwa_ V; _Dakota_ VI, VII, VIII; _Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.)

Pa.s.s the flat hand, palm down, from the breast forward and in a slight curve to the right. (_Dakota_ VI; _Hidatsa_ I; _Ankara_ I.)

The extended right hand, palm downward, thumb backward, fingers pointing to the left, is held nearly or quite in contact with the body about on a level with the stomach; it is then carried outward to the right a foot or two with a rapid sweep, in which the forearm is moved but not necessarily the humerus. (_Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.)

Move right hand, palm down, over the blanket, right and left, several times. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Hit the blanket, first on the right, then on the left, palm down, several times. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Point at the object with the right forefinger, shaking it a little up and down, the other fingers being closed. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Same as preceding, but with the hand open, the thumb crooked under and touching the forefinger; hand held at an angle of 45 while shaking a little back and forth. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Hold the closed hands together, thumbs up; separate by turning the wrists down, and move the fists a little apart; then reverse movements till back to first position. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Hold the left hand with back toward the ground, fingers and thumb apart, and curved; hold the right hand opposite it, palm down, hands about six inches apart; shake the hands held thus, up and down, keeping them the same distance apart. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Hold the hands with the palms in, thumbs up, move hands right and left, keeping them about six inches apart. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Look at the right hand, first on the back, then on the palm, then on the back again. (_Omaha_ I.)

The flat right hand, palm down, is moved forward and upward, starting at a point about twelve inches before the breast. (_Wyandot_ I.)

Hold the flat right hand forward and slightly outward from the shoulder, palm either upward or downward, and pa.s.s it edgewise horizontally to the right and left. This sign was made when no personality was involved. The same gesturer when claiming for himself the character of goodness made the following: Rapidly pat the breast with the flat right hand. (_Pima and Papago_ I.)

Throw right hand from front to side, fingers extended and palm down, forearm horizontal. (_Sahaptin_ I.)

Make an inclination of the body forward, moving at the same time both hands forward from the breast, open, with the palm upward, and gradually lowering them. This is also used for _glad, pleased_.

(_Iroquois_ I.)

Bring both hands to the front, arms extended, palms outward; elevate them upward and slightly forward; the face meanwhile expressive of wonder. (_Comanche_ I.)

Bring the hand opposite the breast, a little below, hand extended, palm downward (W), and let it move off in a horizontal direction. If it be very good, this may be repeated. If comparatively good, repeat it more violently. (_Comanche_ I.)

Hold the right hand palm down, pointing to the left, and placed horizontally before the breast, then raise it several times slightly.

Good and glad. (_Kutchin_ I.)

_Deaf-mute natural signs_:

Smack the lips. (_Ballard_.)

Close the hand while the thumb is up, and nod the head and smile as if to approve of something good. (_Hasenstab_.)

Point the forefinger to the mouth and move the lips with a pleased look as if tasting sweet fruit. (_Larson_.)

Use the sign for _handsome_ by drawing the outstretched palm of the right hand down over the right cheek; at the same time nod the head as if to say "yes." (_Ziegler_.)

_Deaf-mute signs_:

Some of the Indian signs appear to be connected with a pleasant taste in the month, as is the sign of the French and American deaf-mutes, waving thence the hand, either with or without touching the lips, back upward, with fingers straight and joined, in a forward and downward curve. They make nearly the same gesture with hand sidewise for general a.s.sent: "Very well!"

The conventional sign for _good_, given in the ill.u.s.tration to the report of the Ohio Inst.i.tution for the education of the deaf and dumb, is: The right hand raised forward and closed, except the thumb, which is extended upward, held vertically, its nail being toward the body; this is in opposition to the sign for _bad_ in the same ill.u.s.tration, the one being merely the exhibition of the thumb toward and the other of the little finger away from the body. They are English signs, the traditional conception being acceptance and rejection respectively.

_Italian signs_:

The fingers gathered on the mouth, kissed and stretched out and spread, intimate a dainty morsel. The open hand stretched out horizontally, and gently shaken, intimates that a thing is so-so, not good and not bad. (_Butler_.) Compare also the Neapolitan sign given by De Jorio, see Fig. 62, p. 286, _supra_. Cardinal Wiseman gives as the Italian sign for _good_ "the hand thrown upwards and the head back with a prolonged ah!" _Loc. cit._, p. 543.

---- Heart is.

Strike with right hand on the heart and make the sign for GOOD from the heart outward. (_Cheyenne_ II.)

Touch the left breast over the heart two or three times with the ends of the fingers of the right hand; then make the sign for GOOD.

(_Dakota_ IV.)

Place the fingers of the flat right hand over the breast, then make the sign for GOOD. (_Dakota_ VII.)