Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 29

---- MUCH.

Move both hands toward one another and slightly upward. (_Wied_.) I have seen this sign, but I think it is used only for articles that may be piled on the ground or formed into a heap. The sign most in use for the general idea of _much_ or _many_ I have given. (_Matthews_.)

Bring the hands up in front of the body with the fingers carefully kept distinct. (_Cheyenne_ I.)

Both hands closed, brought up in a curved motion toward each other to the level of the neck or chin, (_Cheyenne_ II.)

Both hands and arms are partly extended; each hand is then made to describe, simultaneously with the other, from the head downward, the arc of a circle curving outward. This is used for _large_ in some senses. (_Ojibwa_ V; _Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.)

Both hands flat and extended, placed before the breast, finger tips touching, palms down; then separate them by pa.s.sing outward and downward as if smoothing the outer surface of a globe. (_Absaroka_ I; _Shoshoni and Banack_ I; _Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "A heap."

_Much_ is included in _many_ or _big_, as the case may require.

(_Dakota_ I.)

The hands, with fingers widely separated, slightly bent, pointing forward, and backs outward, are to be rapidly approximated through downward curves, from positions twelve to thirty-six inches apart, at the height of the navel, and quickly closed. Or the hands may be moved until the right is above the left. So much that it has to be gathered with both hands. (_Dakota_ IV.)

Hands open, palms turned in, held about three feet apart and about two feet from the ground. Raise them about a foot, then bring in an upward curve toward each other. As they pa.s.s each other, palms down, the right hand is about three inches above the left. (_Omaha_ I.)

Place both hands flat and extended, thumbs touching, palms downward, in front of and as high as the face; then move them outward and downward a short distance toward their respective sides, thus describing the upper half of a circle. (_Wyandot_ I.) "A heap."

Both hands clinched, placed as high as and in front of the hips, palms facing opposite sides and about a foot apart, then bring them upward and inward, describing an arc, until the thumbs touch. (_Apache_ I.) Fig. 274.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 274.]

Sweep out both hands as if inclosing a large object; wave the hands forward and somewhat upward. (_Apache_ III.) "Suggesting immensity."

_Deaf-mute sign_:

The French deaf-mutes place the two hands, with fingers united and extended in a slight curve, nearly together, left above right, in front of the body, and then raise the left in a direct line above the right, thus suggesting the idea of a large and slightly-rounded object being held between the two palms.

---- And heavy.

Hands open, palms turned in, held about three feet apart, and about two feet from the ground, raise them about a foot; close the fists, backs of hands down, as if lifting something heavy; then move a short distance up and down several times. (_Omaha_ I.)

Remarks connected with the signs for _quant.i.ty_ appear on pages 291, 359, and 382, _supra_.

QUESTION; INQUIRY; INTERROGATION.

The palm of the hand upward and carried circularly outward, and depressed. (_Dunbar_.)

The hand held up with the thumb near the face, and the palm directed toward the person of whom the inquiry is made; then rotated upon the wrist two or three times edgewise, to denote uncertainty. (_Long; Comanche_ I; _Wichita_ I.) The motion might be mistaken for the derisive, vulgar gesture called "taking a sight," "_donner un pied de nez_," descending to our small boys from antiquity. The separate motion of the fingers in the vulgar gesture as used in our eastern cities is, however, more nearly correlated with some of the Indian signs for _fool_, one of which is the same as that for _Kaiowa_, see TRIBAL SIGNS. It may be noted that the Latin "_sagax_," from which is derived "sagacity," was chiefly used to denote the keen scent of dogs, so there is a relation established between the nasal organ and wisdom or its absence, and that "_suspendere naso_" was a cla.s.sic phrase for hoaxing. The Italian expressions "_restare con un palmo di naso_,"

"_con tanto di naso_," etc., mentioned by the canon De Jorio, refer to the same vulgar gesture in which the face is supposed to be thrust forward sillily. Further remarks connected with this sign appear on pp. 304, 305, _supra_.

Extend the open hand perpendicularly with the palm outward, and move it from side to side several times. (_Wied_.) This sign is still used.

For "outward," however, I would subst.i.tute "forward." The hand is usually, but not always, held before the face. (_Matthews_.) This is not the sign for _question_, but is used to attract attention before commencing a conversation or any other time during the talk, when found necessary. (_McChesney_.) With due deference to Dr. McChesney, this is the sign for _question_, as used by many tribes, and especially Dakotas. The Prince of Wied probably intended to convey the motion of _forward, to the front_, when he said _outward_. In making the sign for _attention_ the hand is held more nearly horizontal, and is directed toward the individual whose attention is desired.

(_Hoffman_.)

Right hand in front of right side of body, forearm horizontal, palm of hand to the left, fingers extended, joined and horizontal, thumb extending upward naturally, turn hand to the left about 60, then resume first position. Continue this motion for about two to four seconds, depending on earnestness of inquiry. (_Creel_.)

Right hand, fingers pointing upward, palm outward, elevated to the level of the shoulder, extended toward the person addressed, and slightly shaken from side to side. (_Cheyenne_ II.)

Hold the elbow of the right arm against the side, extending the right hand, palm inward, with all the fingers straight joined, as far as may be, while the elbow remains fixed against the side; then turn the extended hand to the right and left, repeating this movement several times, being performed by the muscles of the arm. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.)

Place the flat and extended right hand, palm forward, about twelve inches in front of and as high as the shoulder, then shake the hand from side to side as it is moved upward and forward. (_Apache_ I.) See Fig. 304, in TENDOY-HUERITO DIALOGUE, p. 486. This may be compared with the ancient Greek sign, Fig. 67, and with the modern Neapolitan sign, Fig. 70, both of which are discussed on p. 291, _supra_.

_Deaf-mute natural sign_:

A quick motion of the lips with an inquiring look. (_Ballard_.)

_Deaf-mute sign_:

The French deaf-mutes for _inquiry_, "_qu'est-ce que c'est_?" bring the hands to the lower part of the chest, with open palms about a foot separate and diverging outward.

_Australian sign_:

One is a sort of note of interrogation. For instance, if I were to meet a native and make the sign: Hand flat, fingers and thumb extended, the two middle fingers touching, the two outer slightly separated from the middle by turning the hand palm upward as I met him, it would mean: "Where are you going?" In other words I should say "_Minna_?" (what name?). (_Smyth_.) Fig. 275.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 275.]

Some comparisons and ill.u.s.trations connected with the signs for _question_ appear on pages 291, 297, and 303, _supra_, and under PHRASES, _infra_. Quintilian remarks upon this subject as follows: "In questioning, we do not compose our gesture after any single manner; the position of the hand, for the most part is to be changed, however disposed before."

SOLDIER.

----, American.

The upright nearly closed hands, thumbs against the middle of the forefingers, being in front of the body, with their thumbs near together, palms forward, separate them about two feet horizontally on the same line. All in a line in front. (_Cheyenne_ III; _Dakota_ IV.)

Pa.s.s each hand down the outer seam of the pants. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.) "Stripes."

Sign for WHITE MAN as follows: The extended index (M turned inward) is drawn from the left side of the head around in front to the right side, about on a line with the brim of the hat, with the back of the hand outward; and then for FORT, viz, on level of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s in front of body, both hands with fingers turned inward, straight, backs joined, backs of hands outward, horizontal, turn outward the hands until the fingers are free, curve them, and bring the wrists together so as to describe a circle with a s.p.a.ce left between the ends of the curved fingers. (_Dakota_ I.) "From his fortified place of abode."

Another: Both hands in front of body, fists, backs outward, hands in contact, draw them apart on a straight line right to right, left to left about two feet, then draw the index, other fingers closed, across the forehead above the eyebrows. This is the sign preferred by the Sioux. (_Dakota_ I.)

Extend the fingers of the right hand; place the thumb on the same plane close beside them, and then bring the thumb side of the hand horizontally against the middle of the forehead, palm downward and little finger to the front. (_Dakota_ II; _Ute_ I.) "Visor of forage cap."

First make the sign for SOLDIER substantially the same as (_Dakota_ VI) below, then that for WHITE MAN, viz.: Draw the opened right hand horizontally from left to right across the forehead a little above the eyebrows, the back of the hand to be upward and the fingers pointing toward the left; or, close all the fingers except the index and draw it across the forehead in the same manner. (_Dakota_ IV.) For ill.u.s.trations of other signs for white man see Figs 315 and 329, _infra_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 276.]

Place the radial sides of the clinched hands together before the chest, then draw them horizontally apart. (_Dakota_ VI; _Arikara_ I.) "All in a line." Fig. 276.

Put thumbs to temples, and forefingers forward, meeting in front, other fingers closed. (_Apache_ III.) "Cap-visor."

----, Arikara.

Make the sign for ARIKARA (see TRIBAL SIGNS) and that for BRAVE.

(_Arikara_ I.)

----, Dakota.