Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 20

Half close the fingers of the right hand, hook the thumb over the fore and middle fingers; move the hand, back upward, a foot or so toward the object referred to, and suddenly let the fingers fly open.

Scattered around, therefore bad. An Arapaho sign. (_Dakota_ IV.)

Close the fingers of the right hand, resting the tips against the thumb, then throw the hand downward and outward toward the right to arm's length, and spring open the fingers. Fig. 236. (_Dakota_ VI, VII, VIII; _Ponka_ II; _Pani_ I.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 236.]

The sign most commonly used for this idea is made by the hand being closed near the breast, with the back toward the breast, then as the arm is suddenly extended the hand is opened and the fingers separated from each other. (_Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.)

Hands open, palms turned in; move one hand toward, and the other from, the body; then vice versa. (_Omaha_ I.)

Throw the clinched right hand forward, downward, and outward, and when near at arm's length, suddenly snap the fingers from the thumb as if sprinkling water. (_Wyandot_ I.) "To throw away contemptuously; not worth keeping."

Raise hand in front of breast, fingers hooked, thumb resting against second finger, palm downward (G), then with a nervous movement throw the hand downward to the right and a little behind the body, with an expression of disgust on the face. During motion of hand the fingers are suddenly extended as though throwing something out of the hand, and in final position the fingers and thumb are straight and separated, palm backward (R 1). (_Sahaptin_ I.) "Away with it!"

Another: Same motion of arm and hand as in _good_. But in the first position fingers are closed, and as the hand moves to the right they are thrown open, until in final position all are extended as in final for _good_. (_Sahaptin_ I.)

Extend the right hand, palm downward, and move it in a horizontal line from the body, then suddenly turn the hand over as if throwing water from the back of it or the index. (_Comanche_ I.) "Good, no."

Pa.s.s the flat right hand, interruptedly, downward and backward past the right side. (_Pima and Papago_ I.) "Putting aside."

_Deaf-mute natural signs_:

Hold forward the closed hand with the little finger up, at the same time nodding the head. (_Ballard_.)

Draw the tongue out a little and then shake the head with a displeased look. (_Larson_.)

Use the sign for _handsome_ (see first part of the sign for GOOD), at the same time shake the head as if to say "no." (_Ziegler_.)

_Deaf-mute signs_:

The hand closed (except the little finger which is extended and raised), and held forward with the fingers to the front is the sign for _bad_ ill.u.s.trated in the Report for 1879 of the Ohio Inst.i.tution for the Deaf and Dumb. This sign is used among the deaf-mutes in England.

BEAR, ANIMAL.

Pa.s.s the hand before the face to mean ugliness, at the same time grinning and extending the fingers like claws. (_Burton_.)

Hands in front of and about eight inches above the elbows, fingers slightly bent and open, thumbs and palms to the front to represent claws,--or bear in standing position. Sometimes accompanied by clawing motion. (_Creel_.)

(1) Middle and third finger of right hand clasped down by the thumb, forefinger and little finger extended, crooked downward; (2) the motion of scratching made in the air. (_Cheyenne_ II.) Fig. 237.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 237.]

Fingers of both hands closed, except the thumb and little finger, which are extended, and point straight toward the front, hands horizontal, backs upward, are held in front of their respective sides near the body, and then moved directly forward with, short, sharp jerking motions. (_Dakota_ I.) "From the motion of the bear in running." This is also reported as an Arapaho sign. (_Dakota_ IV.) The paws and claws are represented.

Seize a short piece of wood, say about two feet long, wave in the right hand, and strike a blow at an imaginary person. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Seize a short thing about six inches long, hold it as dagger, pretend to thrust it downward under the breast-bone repeatedly, and each time farther, grunting or gasping in doing so; withdraw the stick, holding it up, and, showing the blood, point to the breast with the left forefinger, meaning to say _so do thou when you meet the bear_. (_Omaha_ I.)

Another: Pretend to stab yourself with an arrow in various parts of the body, then point towards the body with the left-hand forefinger.

(_Omaha_ I.)

Arms are flexed and hands clasped about center of breast; then slowly fall with arms pendulous and both hands in type-position (Q). The sign is completed by slowly lifting the hands and arms several times in imitation of the animal's locomotion. Movement and appearance of animal's front feet. (_Oto_ I.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 238.]

Hold the closed right hand at the height of the elbow before the right side, palm downward, extend and curve the thumb and little finger so that their tips are nearly directed toward one another before the knuckles of the closed fingers; then push the hand forward several times. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "Paw and long claws." Fig. 238.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 239.]

Hold both closed hands before the body, palms down, and about eight inches apart; reach forward a short distance, relaxing the fingers as if grasping something with them, and draw them back again as the hands are withdrawn to their former position. Ordinarily but one hand is used, as in Fig. 239. (_Ute_ I.) "Scratching, and grasping with the claws."

The right hand thrown in the position as for _horse_, as follows: Elevate the right-hand, extended, with fingers joined, outer edge toward the ground, in front of the body or right shoulder, and pointing forward, resting the curved thumb against the palmar side of the index, then extend both hands with fingers extended and curved, separated, palms down, and push them forward several times, making a short arch. (_Apache_ I.) "The animal that scratches with long claws."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 240.]

Fig. 240 is from a Moqui rock etching, contributed by Mr. G.K.

Gilbert, showing the pictorial mode of representing the animal.

_Deaf-mute sign_:

Claw both shoulders with the fingers. (_Wing_.)

---- Grizzly.

Right hand flat and extended, held at height of shoulder, palm forward, then bring the palm to the mouth, lick it with the tongue, and return it to first position. (_Omaha_ I.) "Showing blood on the paw."

Other remarks upon the signs for _bear_ are made on pages 293 and 345.

BRAVE.

Close the fists, place the left near the breast, and move the right over the left toward the left side. (_Wied_.) A motion something like this, which I do not now distinctly recall--a short of wrenching motion with the fists in front of the chest--I have seen used for _strong_. If _Wied's_ sign-maker's hand first struck the region over the heart (as he may have done) he would then have indicated a "strong heart," which is the equivalent for _brave_. (_Matthews_.) This sign is used by the Sioux at the present day to denote _small_.

(_McChesney_.) I have seen a similar sign repeatedly, the only variation being that the right fist is pa.s.sed over and downward, in front of the left, instead of toward the left side. (_Hoffman_.) Fig.

241.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 241.]

Clinch the right fist, and place it to the breast. (_Absaroka_ I; _Shoshoni and Banak_ I.)

Both hands fists, backs outward, obliquely upward, near together, right inside of left, are moved forward from in front of the chest, two or three times and back again to original position and then the right-hand fist is thrown with some force over the left on a curve.

_Endurance_ is expressed by this sign, and it is connected with the sun-dance trials of the young man in testing his bravery and powers of endurance before admission to the ranks of the warriors. (_Dakota_ I.)

Push the two fists forward about a foot, at the height of the breast, the right about two inches behind the left, palms inward. (_Dakota_ IV.) "The hands push all before them."

Hold the left arm in front as if supporting a s.h.i.+eld, and the right drawn back as if grasping a weapon. Close the fists, lower the head, moving it a little forward (with a "lunge") as well as the arms and fists.. (_Omaha_ I.) "I am brave."

Another: Index and thumb extended parallel, palm to left, the other fingers bent. Shake the open fingers several times at the person referred to, the forearm being held at an angle of about 20. (_Omaha_ I.) "You are very brave; you do not fear death when you see the danger."