Sign talk

by Ernest Thompson Seton

N

Name (Of a man). Sign Called. “What is your name?” would be Question, You, Called.

Name (Of animal). With right forefinger and thumb, others closed, make an incomplete circle and lay it palm down against the palm of the flat left hand, held forward, back to left. Compare Brand and Called. Scott gives it as illustrated.

Fr. nommer, le nom; Ger. (be) nennen, der Name.

Name, To sign one’s (Thumb print). Press the thumb tip of the A hand against the palm of the flat left. Compare Letter.

Fr. signer son nom; Ger. seinen Namen unterschreiben.

Named. See Called.

Narrow. Hold flat hands out, palm to palm, about six inches apart, fingers level and pointing forward; move them toward each other until but one inch apart. Compare Fast, Between, Few, and Road.

Fr. étroit; Ger. eng.

Nation (People all). Hold up both 5 hands, swing them toward each other and away in a great circle. (Sheeaka.) Not well established.

Fr. la nation, le peuple; Ger. die Nation, das Volk.

NATIONALITIES:

American. Sign Thirteen, Fires. This was once used on the Ohio, referring to the Council Fires of the thirteen original colonies. Then add Country by

patting the ground with both flat hands and swinging them apart and up.

According to Clark, sometimes called Long Knives. Draw a long line east and west; then with flat hand, point up, indicate all south of it. (Blackfoot.)

Fr. l’Américain; Ger. der Amerikaner.

British (Red coat). Touch the coat; then with fingers brush the cheeks for red.

Fr. les Anglais, les sujets anglais; Ger. die Briten, das britische Volk.

Canadian (Shaking off the snow). Shake the coat lapel with right hand. (D) The Blackfeet draw a long line east and west then with flat hand point to indicate all north of that line.

Fr. le Canadien; Ger. der Kanadier.

Chinaman. Indicate long tail by signing Rope at back of head.

Fr. le Chinois; Ger. der Chinese.

Dutchman (Long pipe). Place thumb of Y hand at the mouth, draw it down and outward to indicate the long pipe. (D)

Fr. le Hollandais; Ger. der Holländer.

Englishman. Sign White Man, Far. (Blackfoot.)

Fr. l’Anglais; Ger. der Engländer.

Frenchman. Hold out the F hand well toward the left, palm up; draw it across in front of self from left to right, turning it palm down. (D) To sign Hairy Man would translate the nickname “Poilu.”

Fr. le Français; Ger. der Franzose.

German (The double eagle). Cross the wrists of both 5 hands, thumb palm against thumb palm, and work the fingers. (D)

Fr. l’Allemand; Ger. der Deutsche.

Great Britain (Red-coat land). Land, Coat, and Red.

Fr. la Grande-Bretagne; Ger. das Groszbritannien.

Holland. Same as Dutchman.

Indian. See Indian on p. 106.

Irishman. Hold out left S hand, back up; swing right V around it and end with V resting on back of left. (D) Green Island Man would be more acceptable.

Fr. l’Irlandais; Ger. der Irländer.

Japanese. Sign Country and Rising Sun. Or sign Man, Short, Eyes, Oblique. The last by pushing up the outer corners of the eyes with G fingers. (These are suggested.)

Fr. le Japonais; Ger. der Japaner.

Jew (Long beard). Placing the fingers of the bent 5 hand on the chin, draw them down and off, letting the hand assume the flat position as it leaves the chin. (D)

(As a slang term.) Spread both hands open from opposite each shoulder, palms forward, and rotate them slightly on the wrist back and forth. (Pop.)

Fr. le Juif; Ger. der Jude.

Italian. With the little finger of I hand trace a cross in the centre of the forehead. (D)

Fr. l’Italien; Ger. der Italiener.

Mexican (Bearded White Man). Sign for White Man and Beard. In this case, Beard is made by rotating and jerking the 5 hand before the chin, points up.

Fr. le Mexicain; Ger. der Mexikaner.

Negro. Sign White Man, Black face. (C) Sheeaka also fumbled the open right over the knuckles of the half closed left, to indicate kinky hair.

Fr. le nègre; Ger. der Neger.

Ontario (Land of Lakes). Make signs for Country and Lakes. (Suggested.)

Fr. l’Ontario; Ger. das Ontario.

Russian. Arms akimbo, i.e., C hand on each side of the waist. (D) The Cheyennes call them Ride Easy from the Cossack circus performers; but it is not an established sign. Bear Man is suggested.

Fr. le Russe; Ger. der Russe.

Scotchman (Plaid clothes). Cross the fingers of the right 5 hand with those of the left 5 hand on the chest, then let each drop to continue the lines. (D)

Fr. l’Écossais; Ger. der Schotte.

Spaniard. Sign Old, Mexican.

Fr. l’Espagnol; Ger. der Spanier.

White Man (Hat man). With G right hand draw first finger across the brow. (C) For illustration see White Man among W’s.

Fr. l’homme blanc; Ger. der Weisze.

Other countries are indicated in the Deaf Code by making the initial letter in the single-handed alphabet and swinging them in a circle in front of the forehead; but this mode contravenes the fundamental principle of Signs. (See Introduction.)

Therefore, it is better to wait till a true sign is discovered.

Near or Nearly. Same as Close, which see.

Near by. See By.

Nearest. See Next.

Need or Need to. See Must.

Needle. Make the sign for Sew. (C)

Fr. l’aiguille; Ger. die Nadel.

Neighbor. Sign Close and Dwell, or Sit, Close.

Fr. le voisin; Ger. der Nachbar.

Nephew. Sign Brother’s (or Sister’s) Son. (C)

Fr. le neveu; Ger. der Neffe.

Never (Ever and Not). Right elbow fixed at side and with right G hand out straight, describe a complete upright circle, left to right; then throw the hand down to right in Not. (Sheeaka; probably borrowed from Deaf.)

Fr. jamais; Ger. niemals.

Never mind. See Rub it out.

New. Sign Little time, Traded. Or, Little while, Made, Good.

Fr. neuf; Ger. neu.

News. With right G struck down to right and left (for this and that) and Hear.

Fr. les nouvelles; Ger. die Nachrichten.

Newspaper. Sign Writing and Tell (i.e., Talk) to right and left.

Fr. le journal; Ger. die Zeitung.

Next. See Neighbor.

Next or Second. Hold out the flat 4 left hand, palm down; with right G draw the left index toward the right; then tap the middle finger of left with right index. Or sign Close.

Fr. prochain; Ger. nächst.

Night (Earth covered up). Bring the flat hands, backs up, well apart, out in front of body, breast high; move them together in outline of a dome, finally resting right wrist on left. Compare Hide.

Fr. la nuit; Ger. die Nacht.

No. Hold flat right hand, back up, in front of body, fingers pointing level and nearly forward. Swing the hand in a graceful curve to right and front, at the same time turning it thumb up, finishing with the back of hand to right and downward; the hand is swept into its

position on a curve. Usually abbreviated into a short jerk of the flat hand to right, its palm kept facing left. Compare Bad and Different.

For short range, shake the head; this is simple and universal. It is so natural that babies and animals do it when offered bitter medicine, for example. (Popular and Indian generally.)

Fr. non; Ger. nein.

No, I won’t listen; or Go away, the matter is ended. Right G hand upraised to level of face, palm out, index upright; wave the finger hand from side to side by wrist action. Chiefly used by Cheyennes when joking. It is general in Latin countries. Compare White-tailed Deer.

Fr. non, allez! Ger. Punktum! Schlusz!

None, Nothing, I have no money. Turn the flat palms forward, one near each trouser pocket. (Pop.)

Fr. il n’y a rien; Ger. nichts.

Noon. See Midday.

Notify. See Tell.

Now (Emphatic “right now”). Hold up right G, back to right and pointing upward about eight inches in front of the face; and, without stopping, carry it a little to front; then stop and give a slight rebound. Sometimes look up to make it clear that it relates to time of day, that is, the sun’s course. Often it means this as in this day; this moment; this night.

Fr. maintenant; Ger. jetzt.

Numbers and Counting. Up to ten as shown on the fingers at the foot of previous page and this.

For 20—Sign 10, close the hands, then repeat it.

For 25—Sign 20, then drop left, close right, and sign 5.

For 30—Sign 10 three times; or else as below.

For 20, etc., sign 10, then hold out left 5 hand pointing forward and draw right G along each finger from base to tip; each finger so pointed stands for 10.

If over 50, do same with right hand and left index till enough tens are shown.

For 100—Both 5 hands held up, palm forward, thumb tips touching, low, opposite right shoulder; swing in a vertical arch to low opposite left shoulder. This mode of multiplying by ten may be applied to other numbers.

For 1,000—Sign 100 and on flat hands spread and pointing forward, palm down, with index of other hand show number of hundreds as above.

Numbers or Counting. Or, with the thumb of the same hand, touch each of the finger tips in succession. (Popular and sometimes used by Cheyennes.)

Fr. les nombres, les numéros, compter; Ger. die Zahlen, zählen.

Numbers ordinal. Point at or indicate the person or thing; then turn down the first finger for 1st and the second finger for 2d and so on. Also see First, Next, and Last.

Numeral Sign, Arithmetic, or Counting. Hold the left 5 hand, palm up, fingers a little bent; with right G turn one or two left fingers down on left palm.

The Deaf mode is the figure-sign, then, without changing position of arm or hand, give the hand a twisting jerk from the wrist, which swings it in a small circle.

Fr. les nombres ordinaux; Ger. die Ordinalzahlen.

Nun. Sign Woman, Black, Hat.

Fr. la religieuse; Ger. die Nonne.