Sign talk

by Ernest Thompson Seton

Hope. Sign Heart, Want.

Fr. l’espoir; Ger. die Hoffnung.

Horse. Hold the flat left hand, back to front, before face, fingers level; move it to right; and then, for a moment, place the first and second fingers of right astride it, as in Ride. Some omit the last gesture. The movements of the hand indicate the height, action, and speed of the horse.

Fr. le cheval; Ger. das Pferd.

Horseman. Sign Man and Ride. Or, place the V right astride of the flat left and push both to right.

Fr. le cavalier; Ger. der Reiter.

Hot or Heat (As water or iron). Hold the hand as in Feel; touch the middle right finger tip to tongue; reach it forward and down, as though touching a hot iron, quickly jerking it back. (A northern sign understood by Cheyennes.) The use of the middle finger is general, no doubt because it is longest.

Fr. chaud; Ger. heisz.