The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-23
SIGN LANGUAGE.
The Way in Which Deaf and Dumb Peo-
pie Talk.

No one seeing the sign language can
help admiring its beauty and graceful
ness. This language is very simple, and
anyone taking the trouble to study II
with one OF the speaking employees at
the asylum who are acquainted with it,
could soon acquire it. 1t IS universal
among mutes, and is founded upon the
most natural and convenient way of i'm
itating the forms of objects spoken of,
or making some sign which suggests
some quality or trait of itwherever this
is possible. Here are a few examples
of the way different things are express
sed:
Dog Slap the right thigh just above
the knee with the right hand (as if in
viting dog to come to youD.
Girl-Close the right hand, leaving
thumb sticking out. Pass the thumb
over the cheek few times, downward
strokes Indicating perhaps, mo
beard'O.
Boy-Close and open the thumb of
the right hand against the fingers rap
.idiv several times near and in front of
the forehead. the back of the hand be-
ing upward
Man-Same sign, and Immediately
raise the hand high above the head On
dicating thigh boy').
House-Touch the points of the ex-
tended fingers and draw both hands OBJ
liquely down, the right toward the right,
and the left toward the left, as if de-
seribing the top of a roof.
Hat-Take off the hat and put it on
again. If you happen to have none on,
go through the motion with the empty
hand.
Boot Extend the second finger of
both hands and draw up the leg, rs if
pulling on q boot
Boo&-Press the fingers OF each hand
together, and the thumbs against the
first fingers, place the lower edges of the
hands together and open and shut as a
book.
Cat Move the hands as if pulling a
mustache on both sides.
Englishman -Grasp the edge of the
left hand back of little finger with the
right hand, the back of both being up
German-E Extend the fingers of both
hands and cross the edges of the wrists,
the ri ght one up; shake the fingers
slightly.
Columbus Crook the thumb and fin
gers of the right hand to form the letter
c, and shake the hand.
Deaf and Dumb the first fin
ger of the right hand to the lips and
then to the ear.
State House Place the first fingers OF
both hands TO the right and left temples
respectively, and make the sign of
house, described above.
Penitcntiary the opened fin
gers of both hands to make bars, and
pass the hands across the sides to indi-
cate stripes. -
These signs are, of course. much sim
pier than many others which must be
seen to be described but they serve to
show the manner in which the system
is formed Abstract ideas are quite as
easily and rapidly expressed, and it is
astonishing to note the few verbs and
adiectives it is necessary to spell out by
letters on fingers in a long converse
ton. For instance, clapping the fingers
of the right hand and the palm of the
left means school; placing the palms
and fingers OF both hands together,
prayer; waving the handkerchief in a
crowd where deaf mutes are invariably
collects them together; to point the tin
gers of the right hand at the open palm
OF the left and shake them commands
pupils to study; touching the left palm
with the fingers of the right hand and
rapidly passing them toward the head a
few times means to learn (that is taking
knowledge from book into the headJ:
passing the right palm over the upper
end of the left iist means enough, or
filled; pressing the first, second and
third fingers Of the right hand against
the chin, with the thumb and small
finger extended to the right and left
respectively means to make mistake
or be wrong, etc. Oa;o State Journal