FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS
AFFECTION: Make two fists and cross the arms against the chest.
AFRAID, COWARDLY: First point to the person in question. Then make the sign for "fright."
AFRAID OF NO ONE: Point
the right index finger in several directions. Then make the signs
for "to fear" and "not."
ANGER: Place the right
hand, closed, against the forehead, with the thumb touching the
forehead. Slowly bring
the hand forward, rotating the fist slightly clockwise and counterclockwise
in a twisting motion.
CALM DOWN: Hold the
hands open at shoulder level, palms turned towards the person
addressed. Then lower
the hands slowly with a downward movement of the forearms.
TO DESIRE, WANT: Hold
the right hand closed very near the chin. Then form an incomplete
circle with the thumb and
index finger at mouth level. With a slight wrist movement, bring
the
hand to the lips, thus making
the motion of drinking. the little finger should be at the same level
as the index finger.
ENEMY: The signs for
friend and not are most often used. Some tribes make the signs for
"handshake" and "not."
TO FORGET: Make the
sign for "night," followed by a vigorous forward movement of the right
hand. Then sweep the
right hand towards the left side, passing over the left hand.
TO FORGIVE: Raise both
hands, closed except for extended thumbs and index fingers, to
shoulder level, with palms
facing the person addressed. Then move the hands forward, each
describing a semi-circle.
Then make the sign for "to go."
FRIEND, FRIENDSHIP (or "brother"
and "people who live together"): Raise the right hand
to neck level, palm out,
index and middle fingers touching and extended. Then lift the hand
until
the fingertips reach the
level of the face.
GLOOM, MELANCHOLY, SADNESS: Make the signs for "heart" and "sick."
HAPPY, CONTENTED: Make the signs for "heart" and "day."
JEALOUSY: Close both
hands and place them against each side of the chest. Then move the
right elbow both to the
right and towards the rear. Then do the same with the left elbow.
Repeat
at least once.
TO LOVE: Make the sign for "friend."
QUIET: Thrust both
hands forward at chest level with palms down and fingers together.
Then
lower the hands very slowly
to the level of the waist.
SAD: Close the right
hand and place it against the forehead. Then with the same hand,
execute
a small circular movement,
keeping it in the same place, however. The head should be turned
to one side and the face
should have a serious expression. If the head is kept straight, the
sign
means "mad."
SHAME: With the fingers
held together and extended upwards, the rear edges of the hands are
placed against the cheeks.
Then the hands are crossed diagonally across the face.
SHY: Make the sign for "shame."
TO WORRY: Make the
signs for "heart." Then wave your hand in the direction of the heart.
QUALITIES AND FAULTS
BAD: Hold the right
hand clenched at the level of the left side of the chest. Then lower
it
towards the left side, opening
the fingers one by one.
BIG: Make the signs for "sizeable" and "high."
BITTER: Touch the tongue
with the tip of the right index finger and then make the sign for
"bad."
FAST, RAPID: Raise
the left hand to chest level and move it towards the left side of the body.
Do the same with the right
hand, keeping the hands about 6 inches apart. Then quickly pass the
right hand in front of the
left, describing a slight upwards curve first, then a downwards one.
FATIGUE: Hold both
hands at waist level with the index fingers pointing forward. Lower
the
hands in a weary manner
with the index fingers pointing at the ground, and the other fingers still
clenched.
GENEROUS: Make the signs for "big" and "heart."
GOOD: Place the hand
horizontally at the level of the heart, with the fingers extended towards
the left side of the body.
Then shift the hand, still in a horizontal position, towards the right
side
of the body.
HIGH: With fingers
together and palms turned towards the ground, hold the right hand a short
distance from the right
shoulder, then raise it to the desired height.
HONEST: Make the sign for "true."
HORRIBLE: With the fingers of the right hand spread, press the right thumb on the right cheek.
INTELLIGENCE, WIT: Touch the forehead with the right index and middle fingers.
LIAR, TO LIE: (to have
two tongues) Hold the right hand at the right side of the mouth,
with
fingers aimed to the let.
Move the hand forward in such a way that the fingers pass in front of
the mouth.
LITTLE (in the sense of not
much): Raise the half-closed hands to shoulder level, with the tips
of the fingers crooked and
facing the fingers of the other hand. The palm of the right hand
should be at the level of
the left index finger, about 10 inches away. Then raise the right
hand
above the left, then the
left above the right. Then raise the right above the left again.
LIVE, LIVING: Place
the right hand about a foot away from the chest, index finger extended;
then by wrist action make
three zigzags.
NEW: Make the signs for "old," "not" and "good."
OLD: See "old man."
POOR (in quality):
Half close your hands and bring them together as if you were rearranging
something in front of you.
Then separate them slightly, placing the right index finger on the base
of the left thumb.
POOR (opposite of rich):
Hold the right hand closed at chest level, thumb near the body.
Lower the arm quickly, moving
it forward at the same time, keeping the hand closed, and by a
wrist movement make the
thumb face forward.
SIZEABLE (big): Hold
the hands with the palms facing each other, fingers spread, at chest
level. Keep the hands
fairly close together at first, then spread them out, the right hand
stretching to the right
and the let hand stretching to the left.
SMALL: Hold the left
arm at shoulder level, palm up, the other fingers clenched in such a way
that the tip of the index
finger is below the thumbnail.
UGLY: Hold the right
hand against the face, the fingers touching the forehead. Then describe
a
faint circle on the front
of the face. Finish with the sign for "bad."
UNCERTAIN, UNDECIDED: Make the sign for "maybe."
THE FAMILY
BABY: Place the right
hand clenched against the left side of the chest, palm inwards. Clasp
the
right forearm with the left
hand as if holding a baby.
BROTHER: Touch the
tips of the index and middle fingers to the lips. Then make the sign
for
"man."
CHILD: Make the sign
for "man" or "girl," as the case may be. Hold the right hand closed
against the right side.
Then indicate the size of the child.
DIVORCE: Make the signs for "woman" and "to abandon."
FATHER: Cup your right
hand slightly, and tap the right side of your chest gently two of three
times. Then make the
sign for "man."
HUSBAND: Make the signs for "man" and "to marry."
MAN: Stretch out the
right index finger, keeping the fingers closed, palm facing the other
person. The same sign
means "male."
MARRY: Make the sign for "exchange," then hold both index fingers together pointing forward.
MOTHER: With the right
hand half closed, give two or three gentle taps on the left side of the
chest.
OLD MAN: Clench the
right hand and pretend to be leaning on a cane or stick, while bending
forward. Then make
the sign for "man."
SISTER: Make the sign
for "woman," then hold your index and middle fingers horizontally
with
their tips on your lips,
with the thumb and other fingers closed up.
WOMAN, WIFE: Make the signs for "girl" and "husband."
