SIGN TALK OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS (continued 3)

Fr. le lapin; Ger. der Hase.

Raccoon or Coon. Draw the V hand horizontally across the face and nose. If necessary, also indicate Size and striped tail.

Fr. le raton; Ger. der Waschbär.

Race. Move the index fingers forward and up, side by side, as in Equal; but keep them moving a long way forward and upward. Compare Parallel, Marry.

Fr. la course, le concours; Ger. das Wettrennen, der Wettlauf.

Rags, In rags. Touch Coat, add Old; then hold left 5 slightly curved, back up and use ditto right as though to comb out the fingers of left, once or twice.

Fr. les guenilles, en loques; Ger. die Lumpen, zerlumpt.

Railroad train or Cars. Sign Fire twice upward for puffs, then add Fast. Compare Motor car.

Fr. le train [de chemin de fer]; Ger. der Eisenbahnzug.

Railroad. Indicate Train as above; then push the right G finger quickly along the back of the left V hand and on beyond. (Sheeaka.)

Railroad. Sign Road; then with the two G hands, backs up, indicate rails as in Parallel.

Railroad. Sign Hard (i.e., metal); then hold out two G fingers, backs up, six inches apart, and push both together far forward and a little up.

Fr. le chemin de fer; Ger. die Eisenbahn.

Railroad Station. Make the signs of Railway and House; adding, if necessary, Alight and Aboard.

Fr. la gare; Ger. der Bahnhof.

Rain (Falling from clouds). Hold A hands, backs up, opposite forehead, near each other; lower them slightly, mostly by wrist action; at the same time open and separate fingers and thumb so they point downward; repeat.

Fr. la pluie; Ger. der Regen.

Rainbow. Sign Rain then indicate the arch with a slow sweep of the flat right hand, back up, high above head.

Fr. l’arc-en-ciel; Ger. der Regenbogen.

Rank or Quality (Of a soldier.) With the right G, indicate stripes on left arm, or else touch each shoulder for epaulets.

Rank or Quality. Sign Chief; then lay upright right G, palm forward, against back of left ditto, as in Rising man, sliding the right up and down to various heights.

Fr. le rang; Ger. der Rang, die Würde.

Rank, What is his? Sign Chief, Big; Chief, Little; Question. Sometimes omit Chief, Little.

Fr. quel rang-a-t-il?; Ger. Welchen Rang bekleidet er?

Rapid. See Fast.

Rapids. Sign River, Rock; and pass the right 5 hand, back up, points first, swiftly forward and down, in an up and down waved course.

Fr. le rapide; Ger. die Stromschnelle.

Rash (Going forward blind). Hold left hand on eyes and point right G index forward, moving it to front.

Fr. imprudent; Ger. unvorsichtig, verwegen.

Rattlesnake. Sign Snake, then hold right G finger, pointing up, near shoulder, and shake it.

Fr. le serpent à sonnettes; Ger. die Klapperschlange.

Reach. Arrive there.

Ready, Orderly, or Arranged. Extend the open hands, palm to palm, a few inches apart, pointing outward and parallel to each other, over toward the left side; lift them both together from the wrists, move toward the right a little and let them come down again; repeat the motion until by stages the hands have been moved over to the right side. (D)

Ready. Sign All, Good; or use Arranged, or combine them into Arranged, All, Good. See Arranged.

Fr. prêt; Ger. bereit, fertig.

Recall to memory. See Bring back.

Receive. Hold out hollow right hand, palm up, half open; draw it back, slightly closing fingers. Compare Give to me.

Fr. recevoir; Ger. erhalten.

Recover, Get well, Get all right again, Revive, or Save. Hold right G hand, back up, in front of breast, pointing to left and front; raise the hand with a graceful sweep, at same time turn it back to front and index pointing

If one is near death by disease, this may be used to denote recovery; if in great danger, this would mean escaped.

Fr. se porter mieux, se rétablir; Ger. sich erholen.

Recreation. See Play.

Reduce. See Decrease.

Reflect. See Idea and Consider.

Refuse. See Won’t.

Religion. Sign Medicine and Way.

Fr. la religion; Ger. die Religion.

Remain. See Sit.

Remember. Sign Heart, Know. Or, in popular code, touch the forehead with right G, raise the brows and nod.

Remember, I; or Understand. Hold right G index upright and grasp it firmly with left hand, face high.

Fr. je me souviens; Ger. ich erinnere mich.

Remember not (It slips from my grasp). As above, but let the right G index slip down and out. See Forget.

Fr. je ne me souviens pas; Ger. ich erinnere mich nicht.

Remembering. See Memories.

Repeat, Again, or Back. Place the finger tips of the compressed right hand on the left palm, as the latter is held in front of the body, back down, and strike once or twice. (Sheeaka. Probably borrowed from Deaf.) Compare Once, Twice, Often, and More.

Repeat. Hold up right G, chin high, back up, pointing to left and forward; lash down with it like a whip twice or more as best fits in. Sometimes sign Come back. Compare All the time.

Fr. répéter; Ger. wiederholen.

Reply. See Answer.

Request. See Beg.

Resemble. See Alike.

Respond. See Answer.

Responsible. Sign I (or whoever it is), Do, That Or My (or His) Way. (Seger.) Sign Carry and That (Suggested.)

Fr. responsable; Ger. verantwortlich.

Restaurant or Hotel. Sign for House and Eat.

Fr. le restaurant, l’hôtel; Ger. das Restaurant, das Hotel.

Restrain or Prevent. Sign Hold and Keep quiet. Sometimes use Do not.

Fr. réprimer, empêcher; Ger. zurückhalten, verhindern.

Result. Sign After, Work, See.

Fr. le résultat; Ger. das Ergebnis, die Folge.

Retreat (Of many). Sign Charge, then reverse and withdraw the hands.

Retreat (Of one). Sign Going, then turn the G hand palm toward you and draw it back with similar action. (Understood; not established.)

Fr. la retraite; Ger. der Rückzug.

Reverie. Bow the head, resting the mouth on the A fist. Compare Memories.

Fr. la rêverie; Ger. die Träumerei.

Revile. See Blackguarding.

Revive. See Recover.

Revolver. Sign for drawing from belt behind and present the same, using right G hand, back to right. Add Fire-off, if need be. See Gun.

Fr. le pistolet, le revolver; Ger. der Revolver.

Rich. Sign Possesses, Heap, Money.

Fr. riche; Ger. reich.

Ride (To ride an animal). Hold the hands as in Horse, and then move the hands to the front on short vertical curves.

Fr. aller à cheval; Ger. reiten.

Ridge (Of hills). Hold the A hands touching, thumbs toward face and upright; draw them apart a foot. Compare Soldiers and Hill.

Ridge. Sign Hill with right, then hold 5 out at arm’s length, face high, flat, and bent, so the fingers point to the left; swing it slowly horizontally across to the right. This last seems to mean “lying across the horizon” and appears in several combinations. See Mirage.

Fr. la crête; Ger. der Kamm.

Rifle. See Gun.

Right. See Good.

Rill. See Creek.

Ring (For finger). Hold up left 5 hand; then with right index and thumb make as though slipping a ring on the ring finger.

Fr. la bague; Ger. der Ring.

Rising man, or Coming man (Man rising to stand on a hill). Hold up left as in Hill; lay right G behind or beside it, against the thumb, palm forward, pointing up; push right up until the base of the index is sitting on top of the left; that is, becomes Prominent. See Prominent and Famous.

Fr. l’homme qui arrivera; Ger. der Mann der Zukunft.

River, Big stream, or Running water. Sign Water then with tremulous movement draw flat right 4 hand, palm down, from opposite left breast to opposite right; fingers always level and pointing to left. Compare Creek and Rill.

Fr. la rivière; Ger. der Flusz.

Road (i.e., Highroad; especially between high banks, hills, or fences). Holding the open hands, palm to palm and pointing forward, carry them forward, as if they represented the sides of a road; then add Going by pushing the flat right hand forward in line between, palm to left, fingers level. (Sheeaka.) Or sign Way and Wagon.

Fr. le chemin, la route; Ger. der Weg, die Landstrasse.

Robe. Sign Coat; but instead of ending at waist, sweep the hands as low as possible.

Fr. la robe; Ger. das Kleid, die Robe.

Rock or Stone. Sign Hard and sometimes indicate shape. For Stone add Lump. Compare Metal.

Fr. la roche, la pierre; Ger. der Fels, der Stein.

Root. First sign Tree or Grass, as may be; then point down, place the 5 hands together at the wrists, backs up and level; pointing left to front and left, right to front and right; then move them out and apart.

Fr. la racine; Ger. die Wurzel.

Rope (Trailing after the horse and twisted). Sign After; then, as right is drawn to rear, make tip of index describe a spiral curve. Commonly omit the left hand.

Fr. la corde; Ger. das Seil, der Strick.

Rose (Flower). Hold the fingers of the left hand straight, little separated, arranged in a circle, back to left and front; in front of body, index finger horizontal and pointing to right and front; with right hand make as though picking berries from the left finger tips. (C)

Fr. la rose; Ger. die Rose.

Rotten (Meat). Indicate smell, etc.

Fr. pourri; Ger. faul, verfault.

Rub it out, Erase, Annul, Never mind, As you were. Put middle finger of right hand to tongue, then rub left palm and wipe the palm with under side of right forearm. (Sheeaka. A white man’s sign now understood by Indians.)

Or, if afar, simply shake the flat right hand quickly and vigorously from side to side as it is held palm forward in front of the face. (Pop.) Compare Easy and Erase.

Fr. effacer; Ger. auswischen, “Schwamm drüber!”

Rumor (A little flying thing). With flat 5 right hand, palm down, shoulder high, swing out level from throat to right, working all the fingers as in playing piano. (A Paiute sign, given me by Mary Austin.) A combination of Wind and Fly.

Fr. la rumeur; Ger. das Gerücht.

Run. Swing the fists at each side as in running.

Fr. courir; Ger. laufen.

Run against. See Quandary.

Run away, Slip away, Clear out, Sneak (Run under cover). Hold out flat left hand, palm down; push right G hand under it quickly and sinuously. Sometimes preface it by laying one hand over the eyes. Compare Jealous.

Fr. filer, se sauver; Ger. ausreiszen, weglaufen.

Running Water. See River.

S

Sacred. See Medicine.

Sad. See Sorrow.

Saddle. Hold out both S hands, palms up, side by side (sometimes inches apart), about height of shoulders, forearms vertical, wrists bent so backs of hands are nearly down.

Fr. la selle; Ger. der Sattel.

Safe. See Recover or Alive.

Sage Brush (Bunches). With all finger tips together pointing up, swing the hand to various places in front of right shoulder. (C) Compare Peak and Canoe.

Sage. Sign White, Good smell, Grass.

Fr. la plante aromatique de la prairie; Ger. der Präriebusch.

Salt. Sign Powder, then the act of sprinkling with finger and thumb. (Blackfoot.) Touch the tongue cautiously with the right G. Compare Sugar and Pepper.

Fr. le sel; Ger. das Salz.

Same. See Equal.

Sanctuary, to claim. See Bar up.

Satisfied. See Contented.

Save. See Recover, also Free.

Save or Except. See But.

Savey or Sabe. This word universal in the west is the same sign as Know.

Saw. With lower edge of right, thumb up, saw across the upper edge of left wrist held out horizontally.

Fr. la scie; Ger. die Säge.

Say. See Call.

Scalp (To). Point to scalp, make as though pulling it forward and sign Cutting under. The last two gestures being done out in front of the body.

Fr. scalper; Ger. die Kopfhaut abziehen.

Scatter! (A command to scouts). See Go and Scatter.

Scatter or Sow (As seeds). Hold the closed hands, backs up, near each other and close to breast; move right hand well to front and right, left well to front and left; that is, widely separate the hands, swinging each in a half-circle out, so the palms are a little outward, at the same time extending and separating fingers and thumbs. (C) Compare Bad and Scorn; in these the hands are not moved apart.

Scatter. Swing closed right to left, there opening to 5 so palm is to left and forward; then same movement with hand opened to right, each time in a graceful sweep. The Cheyennes say the above is Throw away.

Fr. disperser, semer; Ger. ausstreuen, säen.

Schoolhouse. Sign House and Writing; usually preceded by Children.

Fr. l’école; Ger. die Schule.

Schoolteacher. Sign Book and Chief.

Fr. le maître d’ école; Ger. der Lehrer.

Scold. See Abuse; also Fault-finding.

Scorn. Turn the head away and with one hand throw an imaginary handful of sand toward the feet of the person. This is the same as Bad, except for the turn of the head.

Fr. le mépris; Ger. die Verachtung.

Scout. Same as Wolf, but hold the hand near the right ear. Sometimes use Advance Guard, which see. The Cheyennes sometimes sign it as Wolf, Soldier.

Fr. le coureur (d’ armée); Ger. der Späher.

Scout, to. Sign Wolf and Look.

Fr. aller à la découverte; Ger. spähen.

Scout; that is, Boy Scout. Hold up the right hand with finger and thumb forming a ring, other three fingers straight up. (Pop.)

Fr. le petit éclaireur; Ger. der jugendliche Pfadfinder.

Scout; of the highest degree. Add the sign Wolf to the foregoing. (Suggested.)

Scout leader or Patrol leader. Sign Boy Scout; then lay the 4 left hand on left side of head to indicate plume. (Suggested.)

Scout, Tenderfoot. Make signs Boy Scout and Small. (Suggested.)

Sculptor. Right fist closed, thumb held up straight and free, then used as a trowel on an imaginary wall. (Pop.)

Fr. le sculpteur; Ger. der Bildhauer.

Search me. With a hand grasping each lapel, spread open the coat. (Pop.)

Fr. examinez-moi; Ger. was weisz ich? (Pop.)

Seasons. The four seasons are Little Grass (Spring); High Grass (Summer); Leaf Fall (Autumn); and Cold or Snow (Winter). Each is given in alphabetic place.

Secret or Private (Talk under cover). Left hand flat, horizontal, near left cheek; with right, sign Talk under it. Usually sign Talk and Hide.

Fr. le secret; Ger. das Geheimnis.

Seek. See Hunt.

See. The fingers of V hand pointed forward (as in Look) then advanced a little in the line of sight; sometimes for extra point, it is changed into G hand and pushed forward. Also compare Hunt and Lie, Look and Find. The difference between Look and See is not observed by most Indians; but it is well to maintain it.

Fr. voir; Ger. sehen.

See me. Point at one’s own chin with the right V hand and touch breast.

Fr. voyez-moi; Ger. sehen Sie mich.

Seem. See Appear.

Seize. Move the open hands forward; grasp and draw back as though seizing some object.

Fr. saisir; Ger. ergreifen.

Select. See Choose.

Sell. See Trade. On the Stock Exchange, the clenched fist thrown forward and down means Sell. Probably in imitation of the auctioneer’s hammer. See Kill.

Sell, Sold or Bought i.e., Marketed. On middle of side of left G held out, tap two or three times with middle side of right G. This is also used for Buy, which see for illustration. It is supposed to have had origin in an old gambling game. See Trade.

Fr. vendre; Ger. verkaufen.

Send (Command and Go). Hold the right A near the breast; swing it out, up and down a foot; then swing the right G higher and farther. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. envoyer; Ger. senden, schicken.

Separate or Apart. Lay the G fingers side by side, backs up; spring them apart, widest at tips, moving them forward and out.

Fr. séparer; Ger. trennen.

Several. Extend the fingers of the right A hand, one at a time, beginning with the index. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. plusieurs; Ger. mehrere.

Sew. Hold flat left hand index edge up, thumb level with index; move right G hand index with extended thumb, across left index once or twice as in sewing; each time nearer the body and each time turning the right index nail down, as it is moved forward. Compare Awl.

Fr. coudre; Ger. nähen.

Shade. Sign Sun, Not.

Shadow (Of a person). Indicate the person; then sign Going, There by me, Same. There by me is indicated by pointing to the ground on the left side with right G.

Fr. l’ombre; Ger. der Schatten.

Shall. See Will.

Shaman. See Medicine-man.

Shame (On you). (The finger of scorn made sharper.) Point left index at person, all others closed; and with right index similarly held, rub it on back of left index from middle to tip and beyond. (Pop.) See Ashamed. In France the idea is conveyed by the Horns. See Evil Eye.

Fr. fi! fi donc! (Pop.); Ger. Schäme dich!

Sharp or Keen. Hold out flat right hand, palm up; touch little finger edge lightly with ball of left thumb and add Good. For Sharp points see Porcupine.

Fr. affílé; Ger. scharf.

Shave. Use the flat right hand as a razor, palm to

Fr. (se) raser; Ger. (sich) rasieren.

Shawl. Sign Blanket and Fringe. For Fringe, hold out the left 5 hand points forward, level; then push the similar right over it forward several times.

Fr. le châle; Ger. der Schal.

She. Sign Female and point with G finger at the person.

Fr. elle; Ger. sie.

Sheep, Mountain, or Bighorn. With compressed hands above each eye, pointed backward, trace the sweep of horns, ending below ears, with points turned forward.

Fr. le mouton sauvage; Ger. das amerikanische Groszhornschaf.

Sheep, Common. Sign Bighorn and White Man.

Fr. le mouton; Ger. das Schaf.

Shell. Hold the curved hands side by side, close and open them on the under side, as though hinged on top. Compare Boat, Book, Bowl, and Open.

Fr. la coquille; Ger. die Muschelschale.

Shield (Noun). With both L hands a little apart, index fingers pointed down, make a large incomplete circle to left of left breast. See Protect.

Fr. le bouclier; Ger. der Schild.

Shine, Shimmer, or Glitter. Hold out the curved right 5 hand, palm down; lower it slightly, shaking it quickly sidewise. Compare Snow, Glitter, and Easy.

Fr. briller, étinceler; Ger. scheinen, glänzen.

Ship. Raise and spread thumb and two first fingers to be masts, others closed; then push the hand forward slowly in a rising and falling line. (Deaf sign for Sailing Ship. For Indian sign see Boat, Big.)

Fr. le navire; Ger. das Schiff.

Shoe. Sign Moccasin, White Man.

Fr. le soulier; Ger. der Schuh.

Shoot (A gun). See Fire.

Shoot (An arrow). Sign Bow, then snap the index fingers out straight. To add Hit with an arrow, hold up the flat left and thrust the right G through it.

Fr. lancer (une flèche); Ger. schieszen.

Shop. See Store.

Short. For things which grow, hold the flat hand back forward, fingers pointing up at desired height. For things which do not grow, use the flat hand, palm down; or else, both flat hands side by side, palm to palm. The same as Low.

Fr. court; Ger. kurz.

Shot-gun. See Gun.

Shout. See Yell.

Show, Prove, Proof, or Behold. Raise flat left hand, palm forward. Lay index of right G on it and turn the two about, pushing them forward as though to show something. (Sheeaka. Borrowed from the Deaf.)

Show, Prove, Proof, or Behold. Hold out the flat left, palm up, pointing forward and down. Point to the person in question with right G, then at left palm with right V.

Fr. montrer; Ger. zeigen.

Sick, Suffering, Sick one, or Invalid (Throbbing). Hold flat hands out near breast; move the hands quickly outward and back several times. Compare Lungs.

Fr. malade; Ger. krank.

Side by Side. See Parallel.

Sign Language, To talk in Sign Language. Touch the back of left hand with tip of right, the back of right with tip of left and add Talk. (C)

Fr. le langage des signes; Ger. die Gebärdensprache.

Silence, Silent, or Hush. Lay the extended index, pointing upward, over the mouth. In the more vigorous form of Shut up, lay the flat hand on the mouth (recent).

Fr. silence! taisez-vous!; Ger. schweigen! still!

Silly. See Foolish.

Silver. Sign Money and White.

Fr. l’argent; Ger. das Silbergeld.

Sin or Badness. Same as Bad. See Evil.

Since. See After.

Sing. Hold right V hand, back to right, in front of face; finger tips a little higher than and close to mouth, pointing nearly up. Move the hand briskly so finger tips describe a small horizontal circle. Compare Lie and Abuse.

Fr. chanter; Ger. singen.

Sioux. See Indian.

Sister. Sign Woman and Brother.

Fr. la soeur; Ger. die Schwester.

Sister-in-law. Sign Brother-in-law and Woman.

Fr. la belle-soeur; Ger. die Schwägerin.

Sit, Sit down, or Remain. Hold the right A hand in front of and a little lower than right shoulder, back to right; move the hand emphatically downward a few inches. Compare Wait and Aboard.

Fr. s’asseoir; Ger. sitzen.

Skin. See Hide.

Skinny. See Lean.

Skunk or Polecat. Indicate Size and tail up; that is, curving G up, palm forward; move in gentle jerks forward, and then add Smell, Bad. Compare Weasel.

Fr. la bête puante, la mouffette; Ger. das amerikanische Stinktier.

Sky. See Heavens.

Sled or Sleigh (The runners). Both G hands, backs down, 4 inches apart; index fingers curved and pushed forward. The idea is helped by Snow on Ground.

Fr. le traineau; Ger. der Schlitten.

Sleep. Hold both flat hands, backs up, in front of breast, same level; swing both over to the left in an up and down curve, in which the right (only) turns palm up; the left continues back up; then lower the head a little to right. Some finish with both palms up.

Journeys are one sleep, two sleeps, etc., on the Plains.

Fr. le sommeil, dormir; Ger. der Schlaf, schlafen.

Sleepy. Rub the eyes with the fists. (Pop.) Or yawn and lay the head on one side, closing the eyes. (Sheeaka.) Both of these are understood by the Cheyennes, but they use Want, Sleep.

Fr. avoir sommeil; Ger. schläfrig.

Slow. Hold out the flat left hand, palm to right; ditto right hand opposite, palm to left; in slow jerks, move the left hand forward; at the same time, jerk the right, making the latter fall behind. Compare Fast.

Fr. lent; Ger. langsam.

Small, Few, or Crowded. Compress both hands so the fingers are straight, but at an angle with the back of the hand; hold them about eight inches apart, backs out, pointed up and forward, right higher; move them together till the right is over the left. Sometimes the Cheyennes made this sign with the closed fists to mean Few. Compare Little.

Fr. peu; Ger. wenig.

Smaller, to make. See Decrease.

Smart. See Cunning.

Smell. Hold V hand, back up, fingers pointing to chin; swing fingers up so the nose passes between them. Compare Blood and Brother. Place the palm close before the tip of the nose. (Pop.)

Fr. sentir; Ger. riechen.

Smell, A bad smell, or Stink. Sign Smell and hold the nostrils, or sign Bad. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. la mauvaise odeur, la puanteur; Ger. der üble Geruch, der Gestank.

Smell, A good smell. Sign Smell and Good.

Fr. la bonne odeur; Ger. der gute Geruch, der Duft.

Smoke. For distant smoke, like a signal-fire smoke, make sign for Fire and continue raising hand in a spiral till higher than head.

Fr. la fumée; Ger. der Rauch.

Smoke a pipe (Action of filling it). Hold up the left A, thumb up, tap on top two or three times with flat right, then add Pipe, jerking it forward two or three times.

Fr. fumer (une pipe); Ger. rauchen (eine Pfeife).

Smoke a cigarette. Put index and thumb to mouth as though holding a cigarette. (Blackfoot.)

Smooth or Level. Rub the back of the flat left hand, held palm down, with whole palm of the flat right, back and forth, in long strokes. Sometimes use Prairie. Compare Indian and At.

Fr. lisse; Ger. glatt.

Smooth Ground. See Prairie.

Snake (Its motion). Hold the right H (or sometimes G) hand, back to right, waist high, fingers pointing to front; move it several inches to front in a sinuous line from side to side. Compare Fish, Creek, and Rope.

Fr. le serpent; Ger. die Schlange.

Sneak. See Run away.

Snow. Raise and spread both hands a foot apart, backs up, fingers curved; then softly lower them in slow, short zigzags. For Rain, the lines down are straight. Years are commonly called Snows or Winters. Compare Shimmer.

Fr. la neige; Ger. der Schnee.

So, Just so (That’s true). Swing the right G index from 45 degree angle down to level; then add Straight, swinging index up slightly at finish. Sometimes sign Yes. Compare Idea.

Fr. si, précisément cela; Ger. so, jawohl.

So that; In order that (So, that). Strike down a foot with the right G in front of breast, then strike it on the left flat hand held opposite left breast. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. de sorte que, pour; Ger. um, damit.

Soap. Rub the hands together as in washing them.

Fr. le savon; Ger. die Seife.

Soft or Muddy Ground (Animal’s legs going down). Form a horizontal half-circle of left index and thumb; drop the right fist into it; reverse the hands and repeat.

Fr. la terre molle, la boue; Ger. die weiche Erde, der Schlamm.

Soft, in general. Sign Hard and Not.

Fr. mou; Ger. weich.

Soil. See Earth.

Soldiers (In a row, spread out). Hold the flattened fists out in front, side by side, backs up so basal joints of the fingers are nearly level and the middle joints form a row; then swing them apart.

In many whose fingers are stiff the row is made with the basal joints plumb, as in the upper cut; but the correct way is as below.

“This represents the line of the Indian soldiers that, pending the order to charge, held back the people in the buffalo hunt.” (Scott.) Compare Ridge, Done, and Fat.

Fr. les soldats; Ger. die Soldaten.

Some (Here and there one). Point with index finger downward and at some near spot on the ground, then change to another farther off, then to another. (Scott.)

Fr. quelques; Ger. einige.

Some, A part of. Hold out level flat left, back forward and out; lay flat right thumb up on left index near the tip; then jerk it toward tip and beyond. This is much like Halve; but the right is casually brushed along the edge of the left and at no time precisely placed.

Fr. du; Ger. etwas.

Sometimes (Different times). Sign Time, moving the hands apart in short jerks. (Seger.) Compare By and by.

Fr. quelquefois; Ger. zuweilen.

Somewhere. Hold right G up near right shoulder; swing it in a curve up and down to opposite left shoulder and back. Also used in the question Where?

Fr. quelque part; Ger. irgendwo(hin).

Son. Sign Born and Male.

Fr. le fils; Ger. der Sohn.

Song or Poem (Written singing). Sign for Sing and Write.

Fr. la chanson; Ger. das Lied.

Soon or Early. Sign Time, then stop with the fingers an inch apart. Compare Sometimes, Time, By and by, Close.

Sorrow, Distress, Discouraged, Down-hearted, Sadness, or Sad (Heart on the ground). Lay the right compressed hand on the heart, pointing down; then throw it forward and down, ending the sign with the flat hand very low, palm up, near the ground.

Fr. le chagrin, la douleur; Ger. das Leid.

Sorry (It grinds my heart). Rub the fist on heart in circle two or three times. (Blackfoot.)

This is less strong than Sorrow and is used as a polite expression of interest, equivalent to “What a pity.” (Eastman.) See also Trouble.

Fr. j’en suis fâché; Ger. leid tun, es thut mir leid.

Soul. See Spirit.

Sour. See Bitter.

Sow. See Sew.

Sow Seeds. See Scatter.

Spark. See Fire.

Speak. See Talk.

Spear. Make as though thrusting a spear with both hands.

Fr. la lance; Ger. der Speer.

Speech, Message, or Talk. That is, a long talk, as at council, by oneself. (Handing out words.) Hold the flat right hand, back down, pointing to left, at lower lip and swing it forward several times. Compare Discussion and Talk.

Fr. la harangue; Ger. die Rede.

Speech to me or Tell me. Speech by another addressed to oneself is the same as the preceding, but swing the right hand in toward the chin instead of out. Compare Drink, Water, Discussion, and Talk.

Spell, that is, Spell it. Make writing in the air, then sign Talk.

Fr. écrivez le; Ger. buchstabieren Sie es.

Spider. Hold the palm of the right hand about one and a half inches from a flat surface; spread the fingers and thumb and work them like legs; the hand represents the body. (Scott.) Compare Bunch and Herd.

Fr. l’araignée; Ger. die Spinne.

Spirit or Petrole (Water of strong power). There is no established sign; but Sheeaka understood this combination: Water and Strong. A Cheyenne gave it Lantern, Different, Strong, Pour.

Fr. l’essence, le pétrole; Ger. das Benzin.

Splendor. See Glow.

Spoon. Use the cupped right hand as a spoon.

Fr. la cuiller; Ger. der Löffel.

Spotted. Hold out the level left arm and with right curved 5 hand finger tips tap the left arm at various places on the inside, from the wrist up, as though flecking it with the tip of a brush, at both up and down strokes. Compare Striped.

Fr. tacheté; Ger. getupfelt.

Spring (Water coming up and spreading). Make the sign for Water, then a large horizontal circle with L hands (as in Hole); then push the right compressed hand up through the left L hand and, as it comes up, extend the fingers with a slight snap to represent the bubbling water.

Fr. la source; Ger. die Quelle.

Spring (Little grass time). Sign Grass and Short. Add Time if there is doubt.

Show longer grass for June, etc.

Fr. le printemps; Ger. der Frühling.

Squeeze. See Few.

Squirrel. Hold both compressed hands near the mouth and give a quick motion of the lips. (Ruggles.) Or sign Tree with left hand, then with compressed right hand as in Animal indicate running up and around.

Fr. l’écureuil; Ger. das Eichhörnchen.

Squirrel, Flying. Sign Squirrel, Fly; and then with right hand flat, palm down, simulate flight down and up in a long sweep. This is merely a description, not an established sign.

Fr. l’écureuil volant; Ger. das Flughörnchen.

Stand (As a man). Make right V hand stand on left palm, the fingers representing legs. For an animal, use all four fingers of right. See Alight.

Fr. se tenir debout; Ger. stehen.

Stand up (As a tree or pole). Hold G hand, back forward, erect over shoulder. Compare Tall and Up.

Fr. être debout; Ger. aufrecht stehen.

Star. Make the sign for Night, then cross the right G with left G near the tips and hold up high. Some flirt the index tip from behind the curved thumb in different directions up high, to mean twinkling. This is nearly like Talk up high.

Fr. l’étoile; Ger. der Stern.

Stay. Sign Stop, Wait, and Sit down.

Fr. rester; Ger. bleiben.

Steal (To seize under cover). Hold out flat left hand pointing out, back up; reach right G hand under

Fr. voler; Ger. stehlen.

Steamboat. Sign Boat, Big, Fire, holding the hand above the forehead for the last.

Fr. le bateau à vapeur; Ger. das Dampfboot.

Stingy. See Mean.

Stink. Sign Bad Smell.

Stir. Hold left as in C, back out, and make as though stirring its contents with a ladle held in right. Compare Tea.

Fr. remuer; Ger. rühren.

Stone. Sign Rock and Lump.

Stop. See Halt.

Stop or Full Stop. See Period.

Store or Shop. Sign House and Trade.

Fr. le magasin, la boutique; Ger. der Laden.

Storm. Sign Strong then Wind, shaking the fingers when opened and sometimes adding the sound of blowing.

Fr. l’orage, la tempéte; Ger. der Sturm.

Story. See History.

Straight. See Honest; also True.

Stranger. Sign, My, People, Not. Or Man, Different.

Fr. l’étranger; Ger. der Fremde.

Stream. See River.

Strike. Hold out flat left, palm up; strike it with the edge of flat right hand. Compare Chop and Kill.

Fr. frapper; Ger. schlagen.

Strike, To make a. See Count Coup.

Striped. Hold out flat left with forearm level and draw the right flat palm across it at different points on the upper side. Compare Spotted.

Fr. rayé; Ger. gestreift.

Strong. With left fist, back out, grasp an imaginary stick; then also grasp it four inches higher with right fist, back in. Give a strong outward twist to the right, finishing with the right fist below the left and back downward. The left is not moved. This means physically strong in most cases, and few Indians distinguish this from Very much; which see. Compare Little.

Fr. fort; Ger. stark.

Subtract or Take from. Holding out the flat left, palm toward you, with all the right fingers and thumb make as though seizing something on the left palm; draw the right to you and down. (Sheeaka. Borrowed from the Deaf.) Compare Place.

Fr. soustraire; Ger. abziehen.

Succeed. Sign Push, Work, and Finish. Compare Fail.

Fr. réussir; Ger. Erfolg haben.

Suffering. See Sick.

Sugar or Sweet. Rub the tongue with tips of extended index and second finger of right hand, then add Good. Compare Salt and Bitter.

Fr. le sucre; Ger. der Zucker.

Sullen or Sulky. Sign Heart, Angry, Hide. (Blackfoot.) See Gloomy.

Summer (Time of high grass). Sign High, Grass. Or sometimes sign Hot only.

Fr. l’été; Ger. der Sommer.

Sun. Form a circle with index and thumb of right hand; hold hand toward east and swing it in a great up-curve toward the west. In conversation, the circle is often incomplete.

Fr. le soleil; Ger. die Sonne.

Sunday. Sign Day and Medicine.

Fr. le dimanche; Ger. der Sonntag.

Monday is Day after Medicine Day.

Fr. le lundi; Ger. der Montag.

Tuesday is Two Days after Medicine Day.

Fr. le mardi; Ger. der Dienstag.

Wednesday is Three Days after Medicine Day.

Fr. le mercredi; Ger. der Mittwoch.

Thursday is Four Days after Medicine Day.

Fr. le jeudi; Ger. der Donnerstag.

Friday is Two Days before Medicine Day.

Fr. le vendredi; Ger. der Freitag.

Saturday is Little Medicine Day.

Fr. le samedi Ger. der Sonnabend.

Sunrise. Make a ring of the right index and thumb, others closed, level, at full length toward the east; then raise it, chiefly by wrist action, so the ring is nearly at an angle of 45 degrees.

Fr. le lever du soleil; Ger. der Sonnenaufgang.

Sunset. The reverse of Sunrise; that is, hold the ring to the west and swing it down from 45 degrees to level or lower.

Fr. le coucher du soleil; Ger. der Sonnenuntergang.

Superior or Higher (One above another). Hold both G fingers side by side, upright, one of them higher to represent the person or thing. When it is One above many use the left “5” hand instead of left G. See Rising Man, also Chief.

Fr. supérieur; Ger. höher (stehend), vorgesetzt.

Superlative. See Comparative; also Very much.

Supper. Sign Night and Eat.

Fr. le souper; Ger. das Abendessen.

Surprise, You surprise me. Hold flat hand on the mouth. This can be made stronger by using both Astonishment.

Fr. étonner; Ger. überraschen.

Surrender or Give up. (No weapons.) Hold both 5 hands, palms forward, at height of head. Sometimes one hand only.

Fr. rendre, se rendre; Ger. sich ergeben.

Surround or Encircle. Hold out both L hands at arm’s length, then swing them together to form a level circle. See Enclosure.

Fr. entourer; Ger. umgeben.

Swap. See Trade.

Swear. See Oath.

Sweat. Draw the hooked right index across the brow as though wiping off sweat. See Hot.

Fr. la sueur; Ger. der Schweisz.

Sweat Lodge or Turkish Bath. Sign Medicine and Wickey up. (C) Or with 5 hands indicate the shape beginning at top, then sign Open, Enter, Sweat.

Fr. le sudatorium, le bain turc; Ger. das Schwitzbad.

Sweet. See Sugar.

Sweetheart or Lover. Touch G to lips and add Heart. (Modern, but now in general use among Cheyenne boys.)

Sweetheart or Lover. Thrust the right L hand forward, level, back up and to right, turning slowly by wrist action so the thumb rises two or three inches up and down on the axis of the index. Compare Courting and Glitter.

Fr. le bien-aimé; Ger. der Geliebte.

Swift. See Fast.

Swim (Probably to suggest a fish tail in action). That is, “Will you come in swimming?” Hold right hand as high as the face, back forward, all fingers closed except index and middle, these are spread like V and pointed to left. Move the hand a little to right (Pop.)

Fr. nager; Ger. schwimmen.

Swimming. Sign Water, then strike out with hands as in swimming.

Fr. nageant; Ger. schwimmend.

Swoop. See Dive.

T

Table (Flat top, square shape). Swing flat hands, palms down, as in Broad turn sharply and draw both toward you; with a V hand on each side, strike down for legs, then sign On and Eat. A description, not an established sign.

Fr. la table; Ger. der Tisch.

Tail. Right G hand, back up, at left side, pointing back and down.

Fr. la queue; Ger. der Schwanz.

Take or Bring (From some one else). Reach out the G hand, hook the index and draw it toward you, in and upward, as though pulling a string up and back. Compare Steal.

Fr. prendre (de quelqu’un); Ger. nehmen (von Jemandem).

Take (From oneself). The same, but point index toward body, hook it and draw away.

Fr. prendre (de soi-même); Ger. nehmen (von sich selber).

Take from. See Subtract.

Talk or Say (A little talk). Hold right hand under mouth, index and thumb tips together, pointing forward, and move slightly forward, snapping the index from behind the thumb two or three times. Compare Called, Telltale, Speech, Bark.

Fr. parler; Ger. sprechen.

Talk, to me. Make the same gesture as above, but point and draw the hand toward the cheek.

Tall or High. Move the flat right straight up to arm’s length, back out.

Fr. grand, haut; Ger. hoch, grosz.

Tangle or Tangled. Revolve the 5 hands, in and out, one about the other. Compare Play.

Fr. embrouiller; Ger. verwirren.

Taste. Join the first finger and thumb, rest their points on the lower lip and work the lips. Compare Salt, Sugar, Sour, and Bitter.

Fr. goûter; Ger. schmecken.

Taste bad (To taste and throw away). Sign Taste and Bad. (Seger.)

Fr. avoir un goût mauvais; Ger. schlecht schmecken.

Tattler. See Telltale.

Tattoo. Tap the place with all five finger tips in a point.

Fr. tatouer; Ger. tätowieren.

Tea (Stirring it). Trace the rim of the left O hand with the thumb and finger tip of the right O hand, other fingers extended. (Sheeaka.) Compare Stir. Or sign Leaf, Drink.

Fr. le thé; Ger. der Tee.

Teacher. Sign Writing and Chief. See also Guide.

Fr. le professeur; Ger. der Lehrer.

Team. Sign Horse, Two; with L hand indicate Halter and add Coat for Harness.

Fr. l’attelage; Ger. das Gespann.

Teepee or Lodge. Cross the tips of the G fingers held high. In Tent they are not crossed.

Fr. la loge (la hutte) des Indiens; Ger. die Indianerhütte.

Telegraph. On forefinger of left G hand, palm up, tap with crooked forefinger of right hand, as though

Telegraph. Sign Wire, then tap on it two or three times with right G and add Talk, shooting it far ahead.

Fr. le télégraphe; Ger. der Telegraph.

Telephone. Sign Wire; raise O hand to the ear like the receiver, then add Talk.

Fr. le téléphone; Ger. der Fernsprecher.

Tell about. See Explain and Speech.

Tell me. See Talk and Speech.

Tell-tale, Tattling, or Tattle (Magpie or Chatterer). Make a bill with forefinger and thumb; hold it at the mouth, pointing forward; open and shut it, but do not advance it. Note, it does not get anywhere; Talk does.

Fr. le rapporteur; Ger. der Ausplauderer.

Tenderfoot. Make signs for Scout and Little. (Scott.)

Fr. le novice; Ger. der Neuling.

Tense, of verbs, indicated by Now, Time Back, and Future, that is Time Ahead.

Tent. Like Teepee, but do not cross the fingers. Sometimes add White Man.

Fr. la tente; Ger. das Zelt.

Than. See As.

Thank you, or Gratitude. Raise the open right hand within a foot of the face, back down and to right; then carry it outward and downward toward person, bowing at same time (Pop). For this the Cheyennes use one hand as in Gratitude, which see. Sign Give, Good. (Blackfoot.)

Fr. merci, je vous remercie, la gratitude; Ger. ich danke dir (or Ihnen), die Dankbarkeit.

That. Point with right G at the person or thing. Compare This, There, and Yonder.

Fr. ce ... là; Ger. der, jener.

That or Which, relative pronoun (The one behind that). Left L hand pointing to right. Lay right forefinger on end of left, then turn it up and back to touch the thumb. (D)

Fr. qui, que, lequel; Ger. welcher.

That place. Hold out right G, back up, at arm’s length, face high, pointing forward; strike it down three or four times, chiefly by finger action. Compare Then and Here.

Fr. là; Ger. da, dort.

Theatre. Sign House, Look, Big, Many. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. le théâtre; Ger. das Theater.

Their. See Possession.

Then (That time). Swing right G, point first, forward and down in an 18-inch curve. Compare Yonder and That place.

Fr. alors; Ger. damals.

There. Simply point with middle finger, others closed, hand held breast high. Compare Challenge.

Thick. Hold out flat left, back to left, place right underneath palm up; clasp left with it, rub right fingers and thumb tips back and forth on the middle of the left hand in long, slow rubs. Compare Meat, Thin, Oil, and Bacon.

Fr. épais; Ger. dick.

Thief. Sign for the person and add Steal. (C)

Fr. le voleur; Ger. der Dieb.

Thin (Not thick). Like Thick, but rub lower edge and little finger of left with tips of right thumb and index finger united, others closed. Usually the little finger side is the Edge. Compare Bacon, in which all of the fingers are used; also, Oil, Thick, and Meat.

Fr. mince; Ger. dünn.

Thin or Poor in flesh (Flesh clawed off). Bring both 5 hands, backs forward, in front of breast and touching it. Move each to its side, curving the fingers more.

Fr. maigre; Ger. mager.

Things. The 5 hands similarly pointing forward, backs up, waist high, one at each side of the body; swing once or twice in small circles nearly vertical, but a little forward in the upper part.

Fr. les choses; Ger. die Dinge.

Think (Drawn from the heart). Lay right G on the heart, back up, and swing it outward ten inches and a little up.

Fr. penser; Ger. denken.

Thinking. See Consider.

Thirst, Dry, or Drouth. Sign Want and Drink.

Fr. la soif; Ger. der Durst.

This. Hold flat left palm up near body and thrust right G down to it. For These repeat it several times.

Fr. ce ... ci; Ger. dieser.

Thought. See Idea.

Thousand. Sign Hundred and then Ten times. See Numbers.

Fr. mille; Ger. tausend.

Thread. Rub thumb and index together, as though twisting a thread, and sign Sew. Compare Powder.

Fr. le fil; Ger. der Faden.

Threaten. Shake clenched fist toward the person.

Fr. menacer; Ger. drohen.

Through. Push the right flat hand edgewise outward between the middle and third fingers of the left, which are held pointing upward. Compare Between.

Fr. par, au travers de; Ger. durch.

Thunder. Clap the hands loudly in front of face and add a rapid zigzag with the right G finger for Lightning.

Fr. le tonnerre; Ger. der Donner, das Gewitter.

Thy or Thine. Sign You. Possess.

Fr. ton; Ger. dein.

Ticket. Hold out H left, back up; lay the right G across it at the middle knuckles; add Writing and indicate Railway, Theatre, Pawn, etc., as needed.

Fr. le billet; Ger. das Billett.

Till. See To.

Time (Duration). Join the index finger and thumb of each hand at tips, other fingers closed; hold back of right hand to right, left to left, thumb tips touching; draw the hands apart, slowly and level. A little apart means Little time; a long way is Long time, etc. Sign After, Little time, for Bye and bye. So leaving the hands touching means Now; and Time, Long, Behind means Long time ago. A much-used sign. See Ago and Past.

Fr. le temps; Ger. die Zeit.

Time afterward, After a little time, Bye and Bye. Hold out the left G level, pointing forward, breast high; lay the right G on the back of the left, draw it back toward the wrist an inch. For Time ahead, sign Time and Ahead, that is, hold up left G and swing right G parallel and far ahead in the same line. Or sometimes for Time ahead or Future give the Time sign first given, but draw the right forefinger and thumb in an up and over curve far ahead, instead of to the right.

Fr. plus tard; Ger. später.

Time (Shadow around tree). Hold up left G, point right G at it and swing it around, finally touching it at top. (Sioux, Sheeaka.) This is used for exact point or date.

Fr. l’époque; Ger. die Zeit, der Zeitpunkt.

Hour. Indicate in the sky the position of the sun at that hour.

Hour (i.e., sixty minutes). Hold up the left hand with back toward you, index and thumb joining in a complete vertical circle; with right G on this as a pointer, move an inch and add One.

Fr. l’heure; Ger. die Stunde.

Minute or Moment. Hold the flat left hand pointed forward, thumb up; lay the right G on it like a pointer and move it the least bit. (Sheeaka.) The Cheyennes sign Hour and Small. In giving Time it is safest to do it in railway style; that is, 45 minutes after 4 would be 4 hours and 45 minutes; not a quarter before 5.

Fr. la minute; Ger. die Minute.

Second. Make the signs Minute and Very small. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. la seconde; Ger. die Sekunde.

Day or Light (The opening up, as contrasted with Night, the closing over). Hold out the level flat hands in the same horizontal plane, backs up, pointing to front, a few inches apart. Swing them upward apart to right and left, and then downward on a curve, turning the palms up; ending when the hands are about opposite shoulders and a little higher than at the start.

For the days of the week, see under Sun.

Sometimes “one sun” is “one day.”

For To-day the sign for Now is first made.

Fr. le jour; Ger. der Tag.

Time of Day, as morning, forenoon, noon, afternoon, etc. Point to the sun’s position in the sky at the time. See Midnight.

Fr. l’heure du jour; Ger. die Tageszeit.

Week. Sign Suns, Seven (Sheeaka) or One Medicine Day. Compare Sunday.

Fr. la semaine; Ger. die Woche.

Month. Crescent or Horns in the sky. See illustration in M.

Fr. le mois; Ger. der Monat.

Seasons. Spring, Short grass; Summer, High grass; Autumn, Falling leaf; Winter, Cold or Snow.

Fr. les saisons; Ger. die Jahreszeiten.

Year. Sign One Cold (Cheyenne). Or better perhaps, though not general, sign Snow, then swing the right G in a circle to left, down and up on right, then again make Snow, meaning from snow around to snow. (Sheeaka.) Sign One Snow (Blackfoot).

Fr. l’an, l’année; Ger. das Jahr.

Tired or Weary. Hold out G hands, backs up, six inches apart, drop them and draw them to you a little. Sometimes used for Quit. See Lazy. Compare Afraid.

Fr. fatigué; Ger. müde.

To, Till, or Until. Hold the left G a little forward, palm to you; swing the right G upward till the forefingers meet at tip. (Sheeaka; probably borrowed from the Deaf.) Compare Meet.

Fr. jusqu’à; Ger. bis.

Tobacco (Ground in the palm). Hold flat left hand, back down, in front of body; grind on it the heel of closed right in small circles.

Fr. le tabac; Ger. der Tabak.

To-day. Sign Day and Now.

Fr. aujourd’hui; Ger. heute.

Together or Gather (Gathered together). Press the palms of the flat hands together two or three times, swinging them apart and together once or twice, so the tips describe six-inch vertical circles going down on the outside and up on the inside of each. Note this also means Gather. See also With, Meet, and Heap.

Tomahawk. Hold the flat right hand in the hollow of the horizontal left arm (C). Compare Baby. Or sign Axe and Smoke.

Fr. le tomahawk, la hache de guerre des Indiens; Ger. die Streitaxt der Indianer.

To-morrow. Sign for Another and Sunrise. Compare Yesterday.

Fr. demain; Ger. morgen.

Too, Too much. Sign Enough, but raise both hands at arm’s length above the head. (Scott.) Sometimes use Heap. See also Excessive, Ahead, and Over.

Fr. trop; Ger. zu viel.

Too or Also. Sign Equal, With, or And.

Fr. aussi; Ger. auch.

Touch. See Feel.

Town. Sign House; then, keeping the flat hands at same angle, swing them wide apart, keeping left near body, right far away. Add White Man if needed.

Fr. la ville; Ger. die Stadt.

Track or Trail; i.e., to follow by Trail. Sign Walk and point to the ground with right G; move it forward in a sinuous course. Sometimes add Look.

Fr. tracer; Ger. aufspüren.

Trade, Exchange, Swap, Bargain, Buy, or Sell. Hold G hands pointing up, one at each shoulder; move them together in a down curve till wrists are crossed. See Avoid.

Fr. trafiquer, troquer, faire le commerce; Ger. tauschen, handeln, Handel treiben.

Trail (A road). See Way.

Train. See Railroad.

Trap or To trap. Make a large level circle of forefingers and thumbs for the trap; then snap these up together, index alongside index, thumb alongside thumb to indicate the closing.

Fr. le piège, prendre au piège; Ger. die Falle, mit der Falle fangen.

Travel. Hold out the 5 hands, palm to palm, but left a foot advanced and six inches higher, both of them vibrated up and down. This means Keep on Going. See Work, Go, and Walk.

Fr. voyager; Ger. reisen.

Treaty. Sign Shake Hands and Write; that is, write with right index on flat left palm.

Fr. le traité; Ger. der Vertrag.

Tree. Hold right forearm upright in front of shoulder, fingers straight, spread upward. For plural use both hands. For Forest, hold left outside and touching right; draw right near body and push left far away. See Forest.

Fr. l’arbre; Ger. der Baum.

Tribe or Troop. See Bunch.

Triumph. Wave one hand in circle above the head as swinging a flag. At a distance, wave a hat, coat, or blanket.

Fr. le triomphe; Ger. der Triumph.

Troop or Tribe. See Bunch.

Trot. Indicate the kind of animal, then with S hands, backs up, indicate movement of feet as in trotting. (C)

Fr. le trot, trotter; Ger. der Trott, traben.

Trouble or Perplexity. See Consider, Doubt, Sorry, and Sorrow.

Fr. le trouble, la perplexité; Ger. die Sorge, die Bestürzung.

True, Truth, Certain, Sure, Straight (One straight trail). The G forefinger pointing straight forward under the chin, then moved forward with an upward curve. Compare Honest.

Fr. vrai, la vérité; Ger. wahr, die Wahrheit.

Try or Attempt. Sign Work and Begin.

Fr. essayer; Ger. versuchen.

Turkey. Sign Bird; then indicate Beard with compressed right hand under the chin, pointed down and shaken. (C)

Turkey. Sign Bird; then hold right G at forehead, back up, curved, pointed down, and drop it past the nose down below chin.

Fr. le dindon; Ger. der Truthahn, der Puter.

Turkish Bath. See Sweat Lodge.

Turn him down or Thumbs down. This dates from the Roman arena. Right arm at full length, fingers closed, thumb extended and pointing downward; meaning “Kill him” or “it.” See Knife.

Turn into. See Grow.

Turn loose. See Free and Pardon.

Turtle or Tortoise. Hold right hand low, back up, flat, but fingers bent back on palm; push it forward, giving it by wrist action a serpentine course. See Fog.

Fr. la tortue; Ger. die Schildkröte.

Twice. See Once.

Twinkle. Sign Star and Talk.

Fr. étinceler; Ger. funkeln.

Twins. Lay V fingers, palm in, on abdomen and add Born.

Fr. les jumeaux; Ger. die Zwillinge.

Typewrite. Sign Write; then with both hands strike here and there at keys.

Fr. écrire à la machine, dactylographier; Ger. mit der Schreibmaschine schreiben.

U

Ugly. Sign Face; i.e., swing the right 5 hand in a circle near the face, and add Bad.

Fr. laid; Ger. häszlich.

Unable. See Can’t.

Uncertain. Sign Perhaps, Know, and Not.

Fr. incertain; Ger. unbestimmt.

Uncle. Sign Father (or Mother) and Brother.

Fr. l’oncle; Ger. der Onkel.

Undecided. Bow the head forward, resting the right G on the lips. See also Thinking and If.

Fr. en doute; Ger. unschlüssig.

Under. See Below.

Understand. See Know; also, Keep.

Unfair. See Excessive.

United. Sign Alliance or With.

Fr. uni; Ger. vereinigt.

United States of America. There is no well-established sign, but the Indian of a hundred years ago referred to the United States as the “Thirteen Fires,” i.e., Council Fires. So that Thirteen and Fires would answer. The Blackfeet indicate the Boundary Line running east and west, then all south of it.

So, also, for the individual States, in the absence of established signs, we may use their nicknames. These, however, are mere suggestions.

Fr. les États-Unis d’Amérique; Ger. die Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika.

Alabama (Cotton State). Country and Cotton. The latter by pointing to something by cotton.

Arizona (Cactus State). Country, Trees, and Sharp, as in Porcupine.

Arkansas (Bear State). Country and Bear Black, to distinguish from Russia.

California (Golden State). Country and Gold; for gold pinch the lobe of the ear, or point to any gold or yellow thing in sight; if it is near, take an imaginary pinch of it, to exclude the object that is made of it.

Colorado (Centennial State). Country and 100 Years or Snows.

Connecticut (Nutmeg State). Country, Fruit, and Hard.

Dakota, North (Flickertail State). Country and holding G hand, palm up, wag the index to express the tail of the Flickertail gopher.

Dakota, South (Coyote State). Country and Small Wolf.

Delaware (Diamond State). Country and, for Diamond, place the right thumb and index on an imaginary stone on ring finger of left; then add Twinkle.

Florida (Peninsular State). Country and Water. The half into the left C hand, held level and facing the right, lay the right N fingers, backs up.

Georgia (Cracker State). Country, Corn, and Grind, as in Coffee. The Crackers were so called because of their cracked corn diet.

Idaho (Land of the Shoshoni). Country and Snake.

Illinois (Prairie State). Country and Prairie.

Indiana (Hoosier State). Country and Who is here?

Iowa (Hawkeye State). Country, Hawk, and Eye.

Kansas (Sunflower State). Country, Flower, and Sun.

Kentucky (Blue Grass State). Country, Grass, and Blue.

Louisiana (Pelican State). Country, Bird, Long bill; and with index show outline of the pouch.

Maine (Pine Tree State). Country and Tree.

Maryland (Terrapin State). Country and Turtle.

Massachusetts (Bay State). Country and Bay.

Michigan (Wolverine State). Country and Wolverine or Bushy-tailed Bear. Indicate Bear, then Tail and Bushy.

Minnesota (Gopher State). Country and Small Striped Animal. With compressed right hand, back up, indicate a small animal; then draw the fingers of left 4 hand along it for stripes.

Mississippi (Bayou State). Country, Bay, and Trees.

Missouri (Banner State). Country and Flag. Or else, “Show me State,” thus, with flat right hand shade right eye, knit brows, look here and there.

Montana (Land of the Blackfeet.) Country and Blackfeet.

Nebraska (Shallow River). Country, River, Broad, and Low. Or Pawneeland, Country, and Wolf, which is the Pawnee sign.

Nevada (Silver State). Sign Country, Metal, and White; bring right hand hollow under left and shake as though jingling coins.

New Hampshire (Granite State). Country and signs for Hard and Very.

New Jersey (Blue State). Country, Color, and Blue.

New Mexico (Sunshine State). Make sign for Country and Sun.

New York (Empire State). Country and Crowned, which is indicated by placing both 5 hands on the sides of the head like the feathers in a war-bonnet.

North Carolina (Tar Heel State). Country, Heel, and Black.

Ohio (Buckeye State). Country, Deer, and Eye.

Oklahoma (Sooners State). Country and Soon, or else Country and Kiowa.

Oregon (Beaver State). Country and Beaver.

Pennsylvania (Keystone State). Country and Keystone, thus: Hold up right hand, fingers out, pointing up, a space between the ring and middle fingers only; hold all fingers of left hand extended and join at tips to form a wedge; put this wedge in the opening between the fingers of the right hand.

Rhode Island (Little State). Country and Very Small.

South Carolina (Palmetto State). Country and Leaf; then indicate the shape of leaf with flat hand and fingers spread to their utmost.

Tennessee (Long Rifles). Country, Rifle, and Long.

Texas (Lone Star State). Country, and Star, Alone.

Utah (Mormon or Many Wives State). Country, Mates, Many.

Vermont (Green Mountain State). Country, Mountain, Color, and Grass.

Virginia (Tobacco State). Country and Tobacco.

Washington (Evergreen State). Country, Green, and Always.

West Virginia (Panhandle State). Country and Cook by frying; then hold out flat spread left hand, palm up, and grasp the wrist with the right.

Wisconsin (Badger State). Country and Badger.

Wyoming (Land of Cheyennes). Country and Cheyennes or Finger Choppers.

Unjust. Sign Honest and Not. See Excessive.

Fr. injuste; Ger. ungerecht.

Unless or Except. See But.

Unlucky. Sign Medicine and Bad.

Fr. malheureux; Ger. unglücklich.

Until. See To.

Unwise. See Foolish.

Up or Upward. Point up with flat hand or else the right G, raising the same about head high. The index means specifically “that thing up there”; whereas the flat hand means the abstract idea “up.” Compare Tall and Stand.

Fr. en haut, haut; Ger. auf, hinauf, aufwärts.

Us. See We.

V

Vain. Sign Beautiful; then draw head and body back with an arrogant look. (Blackfoot.) Sign Paint, Dress, Good, Love. (C) See Pride.

Fr. vain; Ger. eitel.

Valise. Hold out both arms, level, low, parallel; hands flat, but bent at right angles to arms; palms to you, tips touching. Add Clothes and Enter twice or three times.

Fr. la valise; Ger. der Handkoffer.

Very Much, Heap Much, Strong, Brave, Superlative. Hold left S hand, back out, in front of body; forearm horizontal and pointing to right and front; bring the ditto right hand some six inches above and a little in front of left hand; strike downward with right hand, mostly by elbow action, the second joints of right hand passing close to and about on a line with knuckles of left hand. This is very like Strong and seems in some renditions to be the same.

It is also used for Very, Very Much, and for a certain strong English adjective that is omitted from the Sunday School readers. Compare Strong.

Fr. beaucoup, très; Ger. sehr, viel.

Vessel. See Bowl.

Victor. See Kill and Triumph.

Vigilant or Watchful. Sign Look, in different directions, and All the time.

Fr. vigilant; Ger. wachsam.

Village (Many Lodges). Sign Lodges or Teepees and Many.

Fr. le village; Ger. das Dorf.

Vine. Sign Tree with left; then with right G trace the vine’s course about it.

Fr. la vigne; Ger. die Ranke.

Volley. See Fire.

Vomit. Hold compressed right hand back up below chin, pointed to left and upward, move it upward forward and down, point first, once or twice.

Fr. vomir; Ger. (sich) brechen, sich übergeben.

W

Wager. See Bet.

Wagon. With index and thumb of each hand make two vertical circles, hands held backs up, a foot apart and shoulder high; by wrist action rotate these circles and move them forward a little.

Fr. la voiture; Ger. der Wagen.

Wait (Stop here). Flat hand up, palm forward; then gently bent forward to nearly level, palm down. Compare Halt.

Fr. attendez!; Ger. warten!

Waken. Sign Sleep and Arise (That is, lay the right G horizontally on breast and swing it out upright a foot away, back to right). Or sign Sleep and Done, i.e., Ended.

Fr. réveiller, s’éveiller; Ger. wecken, erwachen.

Walk or March. (For a person.) (Shape and movement of feet.) Hold out the flat hands, backs up, a few inches apart, pointing to front; swing the right forward, upward, and downward to same height as when starting; then the left ditto; draw the right hand to rear. Repeat these motions.

Walk (For an animal). With the S hands, backs up, go through the same as above.

Fr. marcher; Ger. gehen.

Wall or Fence. Push flat hands straight forward, points up, palms in; then, when well out, turn palms toward you and swing together. Compare Valise and Box.

Fr. le mur; Ger. die Mauer, das Gitter.

Wandering. Hold up right G, palm forward; advance it with excessive sweeping zigzags from side to side, forming loops. These loops are 18 inches across; their plan, seen from above, is in the lower scroll. Compare Alive and White-tail Deer.

Fr. errant; Ger. wandernd.

Want (To), Crave, Desire, Wish, Anxious for, Will (Thirsty for). Hold the right hand, back to right, in front of and near chin; form a vertical incomplete circle with G index and thumb. Swing the hand down past the mouth, outward and upward, turning it at the finish so that the little finger is as high as the index.

Fr. désirer; Ger. wünschen.

Wapiti. See Elk.

War. See Fight.

War-cry. See Battle-cry.

Warm, To (One’s hands). Hold out both flat hands, side by side, breast high, backs up, slightly curved as though over a fire; then rub them together. (Blackfoot.)

Warm, I am warm. Draw the 5 hands down over breast, then hold out together, palms down, pointing forward. See also Hot.

Fr. chaud; Ger. warm.

Warning, Beware, Caution, or Look out. Raise right index, rest closed; turn hand so as to have right eye, index, and the person in line; at the same time, shake the head a little. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. l’avertissement, prenez garde!; Ger. die Warnung, Vorsicht!

Warpath, To go to War (The thumb chasing the index). With its index at a right angle with the palm and pointing toward the left, other fingers closed, its thumb extended

Fr. le chemin de guerre; Ger. der Kriegspfad.

Washing Clothes. Rub with both fists as on a rubbing board. Old gesture was to rub the right fist circularly, palm down, on the left, palm up.

Fr. laver; Ger. waschen.

Washington. Sign White Man, All, Chief, High. (Sheeaka.)

Watch (A timepiece). Form a horizontal circle with thumb and index of left hand, others closed; tap around on this with the tip of right G.

Fr. la montre; Ger. die Taschenuhr.

Watch. See Look.

Water, Running. See River.

Water (In general). Bring the slightly cupped right palm from forward nearly level to near the chin. Compare Drink and Speech.

Fr. l’eau; Ger. das Wasser.

Waterfall. See Fall of Water.

Way, Manner, Road, Method, Custom, Plan, Trail, Law, etc. Both hands flat, palms up, but thumb sides higher, side by side, pointing front, breast high, alternately advanced and withdrawn. Much used among Indians and sometimes equivalent to -ship or -ness, as in Kingship or Goodness. Compare Walk and Road.

Fr. le chemin, la manière; Ger. der Weg, die Art und Weise.

We, Us, and Our (Me all). Touch one’s chest with right thumb, fingers closed, then add All. (Sheeaka.) The Cheyennes sign Me, All, and Together.

Fr. nous, notre; Ger. wir, unser.

Weak. Swing the bent arms slowly from side to side as in walking weakly. Or Strong, and No. See Tired and Lazy.

Fr. faible; Ger. schwach.

Weary. See Tired.

Weasel. With right G curved, back up, imitate bounding; then indicate Tail and Half, Black. (Sheeaka.)

Fr. la belette; Ger. das Wiesel.

Week. See Time and Sun.

Weep. See Cry.

Weigh (Metaphorically). See Consider.

Welcome. Sign Come and Good.

Fr. bienvenu; Ger. willkommen.

Well, Good Health (Body strong). Flat hands one on each side of the body; draw them away, clench them and move them down with a jerk. (Sheeaka.) The Cheyennes sign All, Body (as above), Hard. Compare Sick and Lungs.

Fr. bien portant, la bonne sante; Ger. wohl, die Gesundheit.

What? See Question.

When? See Question.

Whence? See Question.

Where? See Question.

Wherever (All places). Hold right G out, back up, pointing toward horizon. Swing slowly in a half-circle up and over to left, then back to right; repeat.

Fr. en quelque lieu que ce soit; Ger. wo auch nur.

Whether. See If.

Whetstone. Sign Hard, then hold out left N hand and rub right N hand on it, with long, sweeping strokes.

Fr. la pierre à aiguiser; Ger. der Wetzstein.

Which? See Question.

Which. See Who.

While, After a. See Bye and bye.

While, Every Little While. Hold out left G, pointing to right; with left G tap on it several times, each time moving the right nearer the base of left G. See, All the time. Compare Peas and Buy.

Fr. à chaque moment; Ger. jeden Augenblick.

While, Meanwhile, or During. Sign Time, slowly moving hands until about six inches apart. Some shake the right hand in drawing it back. Or sign Time, Sit. Compare Time, Sometimes, Soon.

Fr. pendant; Ger. während.

Whirlwind. See Cyclone.

Whiskey. Sign Fire and Water, or Crazy, Water. Although some Cheyennes call beer fire-water, because of the explosion and froth.

Fr. le whiskey, l’eau-de-vie; Ger. der Whisky, der Branntwein.

Whisper, or Speak Privately. Hold up flat right hand, thumb at one side of the mouth, and incline the head. Or sign Hide and Talk.

Fr. chuchoter; Ger. flüstern.

White (Color). See Colors.

White or White Man (Hat or Cap wearers). Hold right G hand, back up and to right, in front of, close to, and a little to left of face, pointing to left; draw the hand to right, index finger passing horizontally in front of eyes. Sometimes add Man.

Fr. l’homme blanc; Ger. der Weisze.

Whither? See Question.

Who or Which (This equals that). Hold the two G fingers side by side on left; then, keeping the relative positions, swing them to the right. (W. C. Roe.) Probably modern. This is the same as As; the context alone shows which is meant.

Why? See Question.

Wicky-up. Swing the curved G fingers together in dome shape, left tip resting on right tip; then change to curved 4 hands and swing down and apart on a curve. (C)

Wide. See Broad.

Wife. Make signs for Female, then Marry. Usually sign My (or His) Woman.

Fr. la femme; Ger. die Frau, die Gattin.

Wild. Sign Bad; then push both 5 hands forward, thumbs up, six inches apart, switching them simultaneously from side to side. Sometimes use Crazy or Free.

Wild (Wild animal). Sign Look backward, then add Go quickly. Sometimes use Free.

Fr. sauvage; Ger. wild.

Will. See Want.

Will or Shall (Futurity). Hold the right open flat hand, palm to left, pointing straight out and elevated near ear. Push it straight forward and upward the length of the arm. Sometimes sign Time Ahead or Far Ahead. Compare Past and Future.

Fr. le futur exprimé par l’inflexion du verbe; Ger. werden, wollen.

Win or Overcome. Make sign for Kill; and indicate in what way. Thus, a person winning at gambling “Kills” the other in that way.

Fr. gagner, vaincre; Ger. gewinnen, siegen.

Wind. Hold up the 5 hands, shoulder high, backs up, a few inches apart, pointed forward and hands moved with a tremulous motion in direction of wind. If Fire-off or Charge. Or Sign Forward, using both hands. See Rumor and Storm.

Fr. le vent; Ger. der Wind.

Wing. Hold out left arm level, bent; sweep flat right 5 hand over it from shoulder down. Or, sometimes flap one hand as in Bird. Compare Hair.

Fr. l’aile; Ger. der Flügel.

Winter (Cold time). Hold closed hands in front of body, forearms about vertical, hands several inches apart; give a shivering, tremulous motion to hands; Sometimes, and particularly with Northern Indians,Snow is made. Add Time, if there is any doubt.

Fr. l’hiver; Ger. der Winter.

Wipe Out, Excuse, or Forgive (To wipe it off). Hold left hand flat, palm up; smartly brush it with finger tips of right flat hand, from wrist to fingers and beyond. Compare Exterminate and Color. For the stronger idea, see Pardon.

Fr. excuser; Ger. verzeihen.

Wire. Hold right G back nearly up, pointing to left, about face high, near left shoulder; draw it across level to right shoulder. Compare Creek and Rope.

Fr. le fil de métal; Ger. der Draht.

Wise, Wisdom (Heart and head good). Sign Heart, then touch forehead and sign Good. (C) Or, Heap, Understand. Sometimes use Cunning.

Fr. sage, la sagesse; Ger. klug, die Weisheit.

Wish. See Want.

Witch. Cross the upright thumb of right hand on the middle of the index, which is a little bent, other fingers straight, held so one can sight over the thumb at the person meant. (Ruggles.) Also used for Distrust and Discredited. Widely established in the mountains.

Fr. la sorcière; Ger. die Hexe.

With or Together. Hold out the flat left, fingers forward, level, back to left; and lay the side of the right G finger, pointed forward, against the centre of the left palm. Sometimes means Add. See Together and Beside.

Fr. avec, ensemble; Ger. mit, zusammen.

Within or Inside. See In.

Wolf. Hold the right V hand, palm forward, near right shoulder, pointing straight upward; move it a little forward and up. See Scout.

Fr. le loup; Ger. der Wolf.

Wolverine. Sign Bear, Small, and indicate bushy tail. This is merely a description, not an established sign.

Fr. le carcajou, le volverenne; Ger. der braune Vielfrasz.

Woman. Make the sign for Female; sometimes also indicate height. Compare Comb.

Fr. la femme; Ger. die Frau.

Wonderful. See Glow.

Wood or Timber. Sign Tree, then indicate size and shape. Add Chop and throw forward (i.e., onto fire).

Fr. le bois; Ger. das Holz.

Woodchuck or Groundhog. With compressed right, back up, pushed forward, rolling from side to side, indicate the animal, its Size; then, with left H hand near upper lip and right H hand near lower, show the action of the front teeth, which differ from those of other rodents its equal in size in being White. This is not an established sign, but suggested as a description.

Fr. la grande marmotte d’Amérique; Ger. das virginische Murmeltier.

Woodcraft Boy. The Y hand; this denotes the Horned Shield, the symbol of the Order. (Not Indian.)

Woodcraft Girl. Make the sign of Sun on the heart and then raise it to the zenith. (Not Indian.)

Woodpecker. Sign Bird, then hold left arm upright for Tree and on this place the partly compressed right; make it hop up and tap the left palm with curved right G.

Fr. le pic, le pivert, l’èpeiche; Ger. der Specht.

Word (One piece of talk). Make C and lay it on the mouth, then swing it forward and a little down. (A very doubtful sign given by Sheeaka.)

Fr. le mot; Ger. das Wort.

Word of Honor. See Cross the heart. (Pop.)

Work, Doing, Make, or Act. Hold the flat hands four inches apart, palm to palm, level, left a little ahead; push them forward a little, simultaneously, and, at the same time, swing the points upward and downward briskly by wrist action, so that the finger points follow Work hard, use both A fists instead of flat hands.

Fr. travailler; Ger. arbeiten.

World. See Earth.

Wound (The course of arrow or bullet). Swing the right G hand toward the body, point first, back of hand to left and front, so that the tip just grazes the surface of the body and passes on, as though glancing off. Compare Ache.

Fr. la blessure; Ger. verwunden.

Wrap. Bring the slightly compressed hands, backs outward, in front of body, backs of fingers of right hand resting against inner surface of left, index fingers about horizontal; rotate the hands around each other.

Fr. envelopper; Ger. einwickeln.

Wrestle. Cross the wrists about two feet in front of the face, hands clenched as in Prisoner; then wriggle them from side to side.

Fr. lutter; Ger. ringen, kämpfen.

Wring. Hold the left A hand palm up and the right A hand back up, index of each touching thumb of the other as though holding a rope; then twist by wrist action till the position of each hand is reversed.

Fr. tordre; Ger. ringen.

Wrinkle. Wrinkle the skin of forehead and pinch same; also draw lines on face with finger tip. Sometimes omit last.

Fr. la ride, le pli; Ger. die Runzel, die Falte.

Write or Writing. With an imaginary pencil in right fingers, write on left palm; or in the air simply.

This last preceded by Come is commonly used in European hotels for “Give me my bill.”

Fr. écrire; Ger. schreiben.

Wrong. Sign Honest and Not; or else Bad. Sometimes use Different and Bad. See Crooked.

Fr. tort; Ger. unrecht.

Y

Year. See Time.

Yell, Holla, or Cry Out. Place the G hand on the mouth, jerking it much upward and a little forward to show the sound coming out of the mouth and going far. Compare Called.

Fr. holá hé! Ger. holla!; hallo schreien.

Yes (Bowing of the head and body). Hold right hand upright near shoulder, index and thumb only extended, others closed; move it slightly to the left and a foot downward, at the same time closing the index over the thumb. Or simply nod.

Fr. oui; Ger. ja.

Yesterday (Beyond the night). Sign Night; then, holding left in position, swing the right upward and to right on a curve, finishing at height of left, palm up, i.e., Beyond. Or, sign Before and Day. Or, One, Sleep, Behind.

Fr. hier; Ger. gestern.

Yonder, Over yonder. Point as in There, or with G, then swing the finger up over and down farther ahead. Compare Far.

Fr. là-bas; Ger. drüben, dort.

You or Thou. Singular, point at the person; for plural, point, then add All; that is, swing the finger in a horizontal circle (You, all).

Fr. vous; Ger. Sie.

Young (A sprout). Hold the hand as in Grow; then lower it emphatically a foot. Sometimes use Old and Not.

Fr. jeune; Ger. jung.

Younger. Sign Born and After.

Fr. plus jeune, cadet; Ger. jünger.

Your. See Possession.