L
Labor. See Work.
Lake. Sign Water and with both L hands make an incomplete horizontal circle, then bring wrists together and swing finger tips apart. The last gesture is to suggest Wide. Compare Island.
Fr. le lac; Ger. der See.
Lame (Bobbing of horse’s head). Right A hand out in front, back up, moved forward a little and at the same time jerked down by wrist action and to left; repeat. Compare Old and Kill.
Fr. boiteux; Ger. lahm.
Land, Country, Ground, or Earth (Flat and extended). Pat toward ground with one or both flat hands; then swing them apart, flat, palms down, on a broad upward sweep left and right.
Fr. la campagne, la terre; Ger. das Land, die Erde.
Lantern. Sign Enclosure, but make it perpendicular; then in the same space sign Fire twice.
Fr. la lanterne; Ger. die Laterne.
Large. See Big and High.
Lasso. Sign Rope, then hold right L hand over right shoulder, back nearly to right, index pointing up; throw it forward, upward, and down, close index and thumb and jerk the hand back. Often omit Rope.
Fr. le lasso; Ger. die Wurfschlinge.
Last. Hold up the left 5 hand, thumb nearest you; push it straight away, then tap the thumb with the G of the other hand. (Sheeaka.)
Last (One, After). Hold up 5 left hand and, away behind it, the G right. (Blackfoot.) Compare First and Guide.
Fr. le dernier; Ger. der Letzte.
Last year. Sign Winter, Beyond.
Fr. l’année passée; Ger. voriges Jahr.
Late. See After.
Laugh. Hold both curved 5 hands, palms up, near the sides, a foot apart; then shake them up and down. Compare Play.
Fr. rire; Ger. lachen.
Law (Written road). Sign Write, then Across two or three times. Compare Council (No. 2.)
Fr. la loi; Ger. das Gesetz.
Lawyer. Whiteman, Law, and Know.
Fr. l’avocat; Ger. der Advokat.
Lazy or Tired. Shake the head, throw it back, then drop both nearly open, hands limply, one held out at each side motionless. Compare Weak and Tired.
Fr. paresseux, fatigué; Ger. faul, träge, müde.
Lead. With right hand fingers grasp the flat left hand and drag it forward. (Sheeaka; borrowed from the Deaf.) Sometimes used also for Teacher.
Lead. Hold right A hand high in front of right shoulder, back to right; move it forward by gentle jerks, as though leading a pony. See Guide.
Fr. conduire; Ger. führen.
Leaf. Sign Tree, then shake right hand shoulder high, with thumb and index pointed nearly up, forming an incomplete circle, others closed. Compare Money and Fruit.
Fr. la feuille; Ger. das Blatt.
Learn. Sign Book, then follow the lines with the right G finger and last draw it to Me. Or sign Book, Look, Know, making the last sign once or twice toward the Book. See Lesson.
Fr. apprendre; Ger. lernen.
Leggings. Draw the L hands, backs out, one on each leg from well down to near hips.
Fr. les grandes guêtres; Ger. die ledernen Gamaschen.
Lend, Loan, or Borrow. Sign Give you (or me) and By and By, Give me (or you). Or, Give, Little while.
Fr. prêter, emprunter; Ger. leihen, borgen.
Less (Compressed). Hold the open flat hands a foot or two apart, palm to palm, one above the other. Hold the lower hand stationary and then draw the upper in jerks down toward the lower. See Decrease.
Fr. moins; Ger. weniger.
Let it alone. See Abandon.
Letter (Sticking on the stamp). Indicate size of letter, then close right hand, thumb extended; wet thumb end on lips and press on open left palm.
Fr. la lettre; Ger. der Brief.
Level, All right. See Good, also Prairie.
Liar. Make sign for Lie; then indicate the person. To add the intensive Very much makes it equivalent to the strong and unprintable English expression that is used in extreme cases.
Fr. le menteur; Ger. der Lügner.
Liberal. See Generous.
Liberate. Sign Prisoner, throw the hands up and apart, then add Go. (C) See Pardon.
Fr. délivrer; Ger. befreien.
Lie or False (Two tongues or forked tongue). Hold the right V hand, back out, a little in front and to the right of mouth, and pointing to left; move the hand to left, past mouth, and downward.
Fr. le mensonge; Ger. die Lüge.
Life. See Alive.
Light (Not dark). See Day.
Light (Not heavy). Hold out both flat hands, palms up; raise briskly together in one or two jerks. Compare Heavy, which is the same in pose, but in which the hands drop briskly. See Hurry, which is similar but much faster and raised each time in one movement.
Fr. léger; Ger. leicht.
Lightning or Thunderbolt. With right G index held high, make a quick zigzag downward.
Fr. l’éclair; Ger. der Blitz.
Like (To be partial to). Sign Want.
Like or Alike. See Equal.
Listen, I will not. Cover both ears with the hands and shake head. (Pop. and Blackfoot.)
Fr. je n’écouterai pas; Ger. ich will nicht zuhören.
Listen. Hold right L hand back to right near and around right ear; rotate the hand by wrist action (Cheyenne). Or hold hollowed right hand behind the right ear. (Popular sign understood by Cheyennes.) Compare Hear.
Fr. écouter; Ger. horchen.
Little of, Small, Piece of, Part. Hold right hand in front of body, shoulder high, back to right, end of thumb pressing against under side of index so that only about half an inch of index is seen beyond the thumb, other fingers closed. For emphasis, point at right with left G.
Little or Small of Stature. For small animal, person, etc., indicate the stature by holding out flat right, palm down, above the ground or above the flat left, palm up. See Boy.
Little or Small degree or matter, Weak. Hold the right fist above the left as though both were grasping a thin stick, backs out. Twist the right hand and draw it in a little to the breast, turning it so the palm is a little upward instead of a little downward. Compare Few. Note Strong is its analogue.
Fr. petit, peu; Ger. klein, wenig.
Live. See Alive.
Live in. See Dwell.
Liver. Compress the right hand, bend it much at the wrist, hold it so the back is forward and down, fingers level and pointing back; lay it on the right side under the ribs, draw it to the middle of the body following under side of ribs.
Fr. le foie; Ger. die Leber.
Lock. Against flat left palm turn thumb and index of right as a key.
Fr. fermer à clef, la serrure; Ger. schlieszen, das Schlosz.
Long. Fully extend the left arm forward and downward, hand flat, palm down; lay right G finger on the left wrist; then draw it up to the shoulder. Often use Big.
Fr. long; Ger. lang.
Longing. Sign Heart and Want; or Heart, Want, and See.
Fr. le désir ardent; Ger. das Verlangen.
Long time (Drawn out). Slowly draw the hands very far apart as though pulling out a piece of gum or elastic. See Time.
Fr. longtemps; Ger. lange.
Look. Make V hand and point with fingers in line of sight. Compare Hunting and See.
Fr. regarder; Ger. ansehen, hinsehen.
Look at that. Point with forefinger at object and add See. Compare There.
Fr. regardez cela, voyez; Ger. sehen Sie das an.
Look out. See Warning.
Loose or Set Free. See Liberate.
Lose, Lost, or Astray (Hid, find, and not; apparently referring to the game of hide in the hand). Hold out both fists together, palms up, for Hid; then look about and point with right G hand behind here and there and to one side; add Not. (Sheeaka.)
Lose. The Cheyennes use Hide, which see. Compare Night.
Lost, I am lost. Sign Look, Way, See, Not. (Blackfoot.)
Fr. perdre, perdu; Ger. verlieren, verloren.
Love. See Fond.
Low. Hold flat right hand low, back up.
Fr. bas; Ger. niedrig.
Luck, Happen, Chance, or Accident (What turns up). Extend both G hands in front, palm side up; turn them in toward each other till the backs are up; forefingers still extended. Then add Good or Bad. (D) This suggests the gambling sticks in the Indian game. See Of.
Luck (Whatever befalls me). Sign Medicine, or shake the head and the flat hand in front of the neck, then swing right G in a curve till it strikes the breast. (Sheeaka. A doubtful Sioux sign.)
Fr. la chance, l’accident; Ger. der Zufall.
Lump (Apparently “hill” that can be held in the hand). Hold up the right A hand, waist high, palm to you, thumb pointing up, wrist bent so arm is nearly level. Compare Hill.
Fr. la petite masse; Ger. der Klumpen, die kleine Masse.
Lunch or Luncheon. Sign Noon and Eat.
Fr. le déjeuner; Ger. das Mittagessen.
Lungs. Hold the 5 hands on the breast, one at each side, and indicate slow heaving. Compare Sick.
Fr. les poumons; Ger. die Lungen.
Lynx. With the C hand at each side of the face indicate ruffs; with rings of index fingers and thumbs, show the eyes; then on the G right with the G left show the bob tail. (Sheeaka.) This is a description rather than a name.
Fr. le lynx; Ger. der Luchs.
Lynx, Bay, or Bob-cat. Sign Cat and Short tail. (Scott.) The Cheyennes, who do not know the true Lynx, sign Animal and Short tail.
Fr. le lynx rouge; Ger. der Rotluchs, die amerikanische Wildkatze.