Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 39

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 307.]

_Tendoy_.--FIFTY-SIX.

Close and extend the fingers and thumbs of both hands, with the palms forward, five times--_fifty_; then extend the fingers and thumb of the left hand, close the right, and place the extended thumb alongside of and near the left thumb--_six_. Fig. 308

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 308.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 309.]

_Huerito_.--VERY WELL. ARE THERE ANY BUFFALO IN YOUR COUNTRY?

Place the flat right hand, pointing to the left, with the palm down, against the breast-bone; then move it forward and slightly to the right and in an upward curve; make the gesture rather slow and nearly to arm's length (otherwise, i.e., if made hastily and but a short distance, it would only mean _good_)--_very good_, Fig. 309; place both closed hands to their respective sides of the head, palms toward the hair, leaving the forefingers curved--_buffalo_, see Fig. 298, p. 477; then reach out the fist to arm's length toward the west, and throw it forcibly toward the ground for a distance of about six inches, edge downward--_country, away to the west_; then point the curved index rather quickly and carelessly toward the person addressed--_your_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 310.]

_Tendoy_.--YES; MANY BLACK BUFFALO.

Pa.s.s the closed right hand, with the index partly flexed, to a position about eight inches before the right collar-bone, and, as the hand reaches that elevation, quickly close the index--_yes_; then make the same sign as in the preceding question for _buffalo_; touch the hair on the right side of the head with the palms of the extended fingers of the right hand--_black_; spread the curved fingers and thumbs of both hands, place them before either thigh, pointing downward; then draw them toward one another and upward as high as the stomach, so that the fingers will point toward one another, or may be interlaced--_many_. Fig. 310.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 311.]

_Tendoy_.--DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE SECRETARY? IF SO, TELL ME.

Close the right hand, leaving the index and thumb widely separated, pa.s.s it by the ear from the back of the ear downward and toward the chin, palm toward the head--_hear_, see Fig. 316, p. 492; point to the individual addressed--_you_; close the hand again, leaving the index and thumb separated as in the sign for _hear_ and placing the palmar surface of the finger horizontally across the forehead, pointing to the left, allow the thumb to rest against the right temple; then draw the index across the forehead from left to right, leaving the thumb touching the head--_white man_; then place the closed hand, with elevated index, before the right side of the neck or in front of the top of the shoulder; pa.s.s the index, pointing upward, as high as the top of the head; turn it forward and downward as far as the breast--_chief_; pa.s.s the extended index, pointing up ward and forward, forward from the mouth twice--_talk_; then open and flatten the hand, palm up, outer edge toward the face, place it about fifteen inches in front of the chin, and draw it horizontally inward until the hand nearly touches the neck--_tell me_.

_Huerito_.--HE TOLD ME THAT IN FOUR DAYS I WOULD GO TO MY COUNTRY.

Close the right hand, leaving the index curved; place it about six inches from the ear and move it in toward the external meatus--_told me, hear, I heard_, Fig. 311; with the right hand still closed, form a circle with the index and thumb by allowing their tips to touch; pa.s.s the hand from east to west at arm's length--_day_; place the left hand before the breast, the fingers extended, and the thumb resting against the palm, back forward, and, with the index, turn down one finger after another, beginning at the little finger--_four_; touch the breast with the tips of the finger and thumb of the left hand collected to a point--_I_; drop the hand a short distance and move it forward to arm's length and slightly upward until it points above the horizon--_go to_*; then as the arm is extended, throw the fist edgewise toward the ground--_my country_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 312.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 313.]

_Tendoy_.--IN TWO DAYS I GO TO MY COUNTRY JUST AS YOU GO TO YOURS. I GO TO MINE WHERE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SNOW, AND WE SHALL SEE EACH OTHER NO MORE.

Place the flat hands horizontally, about two feet apart, move them quickly in an upward curve toward one another until the right lies across the left--_night_, Fig. 312, repeat this sign--_two nights_ (literally _two sleeps hence_); point toward the individual addressed with the right hand--_you_; and in a continuous movement pa.s.s the hand to the right, i.e., toward the south, nearly to arm's length--_go_; then throw the fist edgewise toward the ground at that distance--_your country_; then touch the breast with the tips of the fingers of the left hand--_I_; move the hand off slowly toward the left, i.e., toward the north to arm's length--_go to_*; and throw the clinched hand toward the ground--_my country_; then hold both hands toward the left as high as the head, palms down, with fingers and thumbs pendent and separated; move them toward the ground two or three times--_rain_, Fig. 313; then place the flat hands horizontally to the left of the body about two feet from the ground--_deep_; (literally, _deep rain_) _snow_--and raise them until about three feet from the ground--_very deep_--_much_; place the hands before the body about twelve inches apart, palms down, with forefingers only extended and pointing toward one another; push them toward and from one another several times--_see each other_, Fig. 314; then hold the flat right hand in front of the breast, pointing forward, palm to the left, and throw it over on its back toward the right--_not, no more_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 314.]

EXPLANATORY NOTE.--Where the asterisks appear in the above dialogue the preposition _to_ is included in the gesture. After touching the breast for _I_, the slow movement forward signifies _going to_, and _country_ is signified by locating it at arm's length toward the west, to the left of the gesturer, as the stopping-place, also _possession_ by the clinched fist being directed toward the ground. It is the same as for _my_ or _mine_, though made before the body in the latter signs. The direction of Tendoy's hands, first to the south and afterwards to the north, was understood not as pointing to the exact locality of the two parts of the country, but to the difference in their respective climates.

_OMAHA COLLOQUY._

The following is contributed by Rev. J. OWEN DORSEY:

_Question_. FROM WHAT QUARTER IS THE WIND?

Raise the curved right hand, palm in, in front of the left shoulder.

Draw in toward the body a little, then from the body several times in different directions.

_Answer_. FROM THAT QUARTER.

Hand as above; draw in towards the body _once_, and _farther_ with _emphasis_, according to the direction of the wind.

_BRULe DAKOTA COLLOQUY._

The following signs, forming a question and answer, were obtained by Dr. W.J. HOFFMAN, from Ta-tan-ka Wa-kan (Medicine Bull), a Brule Dakota chief who visited Was.h.i.+ngton during the winter of 1880-'81:

_Question_. WE WENT TO THE DEPARTMENT [OF THE INTERIOR], SHOOK HANDS WITH THE SECRETARY AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM, DID YOU HEAR OF IT?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 315.]

(1) Extend and separate the thumb and index, leaving the remaining fingers closed, place the ball of the thumb against the temple above the outer corner of the eye, and the index across the forehead, the tip resting on the left temple, then draw the index across to the right until its tip touches the thumb--_white man_, Fig. 315; (2) Elevate the extended index before the shoulder, palm forward, pa.s.s it upward, as high as the head, and forming a short curve to the front, then downward again slightly to the front to before the breast and about fifteen inches from it--_chief_; (3) Fingers of both hands extended and separated; then interlace them so that the tips of the fingers of one hand protrude beyond the backs of those of the opposing one; hold the hands in front of the breast, pointing upward, leaving the wrists about six inches apart--_lodge_; (4) Place the left hand a short distance before the breast, palm down and slightly arched, fingers directed toward the right and front, then pa.s.s the flat and extended right hand forward, under and beyond the left, forming a downward curve, the right hand being as high as the left at the commencement and termination of the gesture--_enter, entered_; (5) Clasp the hands before the body, left uppermost--_shook hands, friendly_; (6) Place the flat right hand before the chin, palm up with fingers directed to the left, then pa.s.s the hand forward several times--_talk, talked to him_; (7) Reverse this motion, beginning away from the body, drawing the hand edgewise toward the chin several times--_talked to me_; (8) Separate the extended thumb and index as far as possible, leaving the remaining fingers closed, place the hand about six inches opposite the right ear, palm toward the head, then pa.s.s it in a curve forward and downward, terminating at the height of the elbow--_hear, heard_; (9) then in a continuous movement direct the extended index at the individual addressed, the face expressing a look of inquiry--_you_.

a.n.a.lYSIS.

Wa-si'-cun | i-tan-can | ti-el' | ti'-ma-hel | unk-i'-pi (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) White man | chief |lodge in|lodge within |we were at that place

|na | na'-pe-un-za-pi | na | ki-ci | wo-un-gla-ka-pi | kin | (5) | (6,7) | |and | hand we hold it,| and | to each other | we talk | the take hold of thing

| na-ya-?on-hu-o (8,9) | you hear it?

It will be observed that the interrogation point is placed under the last syllable, hu-o, the latter implying a question, though the gesture was not made to accompany it, the gestures for _hear_ and _you_, with a look of inquiry, being deemed sufficient to express the desire on the part of the speaker.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 316.]

_Answer_. YES, I HEARD OF IT, BUT DID NOT SEE IT.

(1) Hold the naturally closed hand before the right side of the breast or shoulder, leaving the index and thumb loosely extended, then, as the hand is thrown downward and forward, bring the index against the inner side of the thumb--_yes_. (2) Repeat gesture No. 8--_heard_, Fig. 316; (3) pa.s.s the extended index forward from the right eye--_saw_; (4) then in a continuous motion extend all the fingers so as to place the flat hand edgewise, and pointing forward about twelve inches before the right side of the breast, and throw it outward and slightly downward--_no, not_.

a.n.a.lYSIS.

Ha-u | na-wa'-?on | tka | wan-mla'-ke | sni (1) | (2) | | (3) | (4) Yes, | I heard | (but) | I saw it. | not.

_DIALOGUE BETWEEN ALASKAN INDIANS._

The following introductory notes are furnished by MR. IVAN PETROFF, who contributes the Dialogue:

It has been repeatedly stated that among the natives of Alaska no trace of gesture or sign language can be found. The universal spread of the Russian language in former times as a medium of trade and general intercourse has certainly prevented observations of this primitive linguistic feature in all the vast regions visited by the Russians. On the other hand, the h.o.m.ogeneous elements of the Innuit tongue, spoken along the whole seacoast from the Arctic to the Alaskan Peninsula, and the Island of Kadiak, has, to a great extent, abolished all causes for the employment of sign language between tribes in their mutual intercourse. Basing their opinions upon what they saw while touching upon the coast here and there, even the acknowledged authorities on Alaskan matters have declared that sign language did not and could not exist in all that country. Without entering into any lengthened dispute upon this question, I venture to present in the subjoined pages a succinct account of at least one instance where I saw natives of different tribes converse with each other only by means of signs and gestures within the boundaries of Alaska.

In the month of September, 1866, there arrived on the Lower Kinnik River, a stream emptying its waters into Cook's Inlet, two Indians from a distant region, who did not speak the Kenaitze language. The people of the settlement at which the strangers made their first appearance were equally at a loss to understand the visitors. At last a chief of great age, bearing the name of Chatidoolts (mentioned by Vancouver as a youth), was found to be able to interpret some of the signs made by the strangers, and after a little practice he entered into a continued conversation with them in rather a roundabout way, being himself blind. He informed me that it was the second or third time within his recollection that strangers like those then present had come to Kinnik from the northeast, but that in his youth he had frequently "talked with his hands" to their visitors from the west and east. He also told me that he had acquired this art from his father, who, as the old man expressed himself, had "seen every country, and spoken to all the tribes of the earth." The conversation was carried on with the help of the old man's sons, who described to their blind parent the gestures of the strangers, and were instructed in turn by him with what gestures to reply.

This being an entirely new experience to me I at once proceeded to carefully make notes of the desultory talk, extending over several days. My object, primarily, was to make use of the signs for purposes of trade in the future.