J. Schuyler Long

“ Its usefulness has gone far beyond this first purpose, and incomplete and imperfect though it may be, it is, in the hands of its masters, a most beautiful and expressive language, for which, in their intercourse with each other and as a means of easily and quickly reaching the minds of the deaf, neither nature nor art has given them a satisfactory substitute. ”

“ Invent.—With the "G" forefinger pointing upward, place the end against the middle of the forehead just above the nose so the finger almost rests on the length of the nose; push the finger upward till the length of it has crossed the forehead.
Learn.—Place the open palm of the left hand as if it were a book or printed page in front of self; with the other hand grasp imaginary knowledge from it with the fingers closing against the thumb and raise it to the forehead. ”

“ In colloquial use the fingers need not be so closely held nor so firmly flexed as represented in the cuts; but sprawling should be avoided. Each letter should be mastered before leaving it.
Certain letters, as c, d, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, q, u, v, w, and z, resemble written or printed forms. J is simply traced in the air with the little finger and z is in like manner traced with the index finger. H, u, and n differ only in the position of the hand and t is formed as in "taking off baby's nose." ”

“ Place the end of the forefinger on the end of the nose; bring it away partly to one side and throw down toward the ground.
Note: This is a rather objectionable slang sign but much used to designate lack of interest in, announcement that one will have nothing to do with, and to say that one does not want anything to do with.
Ambitious (anxious to put oneself forward) .—Place the back of the thumb of "A" hand against breast, and with a more or less strong motion bring the hand up and outward, giving the body a sympathetic motion to indicate pushing oneself forward. ”

“ Build.—Build up the hands by placing the palm of one on back of other, like laying bricks, repeating the motion with each hand alternately several times, raising them during the action.
Artist.—Sign for "draw;" using the hand as a rest and the little finger as a brush, make motion of drawing, then add "-er." Or,
(2) Using both little fingers as brushes, holding them opposite, make motion (in the air) of drawing, adding "-er." ”

“ Defend, Protect.—Hold the "S" hands out in front so the left shall be near the body with the thumb inside and the elbow elevated to the same level as the hand, the right in similar position but just beyond it on the outside; as soon as the hands are brought into position they are given a slight resisting motion outward. Sometimes the sign is completed by changing the right hand to open, and with palm out both hands, the right on outside, moved from left to right as if warding off danger. ”

“ For there are usually some essential movements of the hands or fingers in each sign and some that are not essential, and a one-armed man making the necessary part of the signs with one hand instead of two against his body or a near-by object is readily understood. ”

“ Consequently this very useful and valuable language of pantomime has not been acquired by the rising generation in that purity and perfection attained by the deaf and their instructors during the early decades of its use in this country. It is believed, therefore, that the adult deaf on leaving school will find the manual of assistance in acquiring a more certain and accurate command of their natural language. ”

“ The idea is the fingers represent legs keeping time together.
Hurry.—Push "H" hand rapidly forward, giving the "H" an up-and-down motion all the time.
Fast, Quick, Indicating rapidity of motion.—Place the thumb and forefinger as if ready to shoot off a marble; hold up the left "B" hand pointing upward; making motion of shooting a marble and pass the hand while doing so quickly against and across the palm of the other; sometimes merely the marble-shooting motion is made in the air. ”

“ The first finger alphabet adopted in teaching spoken and written language to the deaf was the Spanish one-hand alphabet which contain certain forms found in the Florentine plates of 1579. The idea of using it in this connection originated with a pious and learned monk, Pedro Ponce de Leon. ”

“ While in spiritual matters, signs enable the minister to reach thousands where any other method of communication would reach the few. Spiritual truths told and explained in the language of signs reach the understanding and the conscience of the deaf child as no other means can possibly do. ”

“ In describing the position assumed to make the sign it is given as it would be in making the sign by itself. When a number of signs are made in succession, as in a continued narrative, they fall into the next position from the last without any stop, the movement of the arms and hands being practically continuous. The sign is made, usually in front of the body in an easy position, the hands, unless otherwise specified, being held on a line with the elbows or a little above. ”

“ Whether they favor one or another of the methods of educating the deaf, they recognize the very great value of signs in social intercourse among the deaf, and its necessity in the pulpit and on the platform.
By means of the sign language the deaf child is enabled to comprehend subjects which his limited vocabulary would never enable him to do while dependent upon speech and reading alone. With the aid of an interpreter the deaf may enjoy lectures, sermons, plays, and all else while one of an audience, save, alone, music. ”

“ Thus the signs for "now," "past," and "will" are used with all verb signs to indicate time, and "finished" is used to designate the complete tenses. "One" and "many" are added or prefixed to mark the singular and plural, while "male" and "female" indicate "sex." Others of this class are the progressive sign and the auxiliary verbs.
In connection with its incompleteness and imperfection when compared with written or spoken language, it should be remembered that the sign language was originally designed as a means of educating young deaf children and the vocabulary was therefore limited. ”

“ The work is not presented with the idea that persons unfamiliar with the deaf or their language can take it up and therefrom master the art of communicating in the language of pantomine and understand its peculiarities. But it is believed that those who have had some experience with the deaf and have opportunities to see the signs made will find it easy to follow the instructions given. ”

“ Bury.—Make motion of digging, one hand as a spade; then bring the top edges of the hands together, with them forming the mound on a grave.
Destroy.—Hold out both "5" hands, one above the other in front, palms facing; bring the hands together, closing them as if grasping something, so when they come together they meet closed fingers against fingers; rub the top hand across the lower as if grinding or mashing whatever was between to atoms, bring hand back across and finally open both hands directly. ”

“ An improved form of this alphabet was learned by Gallaudet while in France and with a few slight changes was adopted by him when he opened the first permanent school for the deaf in America at Hartford.
In making the letters it is recommended that the arm be held in an easy position near the body with the forearm as indicated in the plates. It is not necessary to move the arm, but a short leverage is conducive to ease and permissible, provided the hand delivers the letters within an imaginary ring, of, say, ten inches in diameter. ”

“ To catch a ball, represent motion of catching.
Carry, Bear from one place to another.—Reach open hands, palms up, back beyond the right side, the right hand farther out than the left; imagine something having been put in the hands and carry it to the front of the body and beyond to the left side. ”

“ Father.—With fingers closed and thumb extended, place thumb at the right side of the forehead and at right angles to it; with a slightly twisting motion, bring hand away, opening fingers and turning palm upward; at the same time bring the left hand up similarly and place parallel to the right as if lifting up a babe. ”

“ Wait.—Extend the left arm out a little away from the side, palm up; bring the right hand in the same position "tandem"-wise, so the arm rests across the body; work the fingers as in playing a piano or a stringed instrument, only have the fingers pointing up. ”

“ Daughter.—Sign for "female;" then same as in "son."
Grandfather.—Sign for "father;" then with a slight twisting motion, raise both hands the second time and a little higher as if to represent a generation up. ”

“ Examination is sometimes expressed by making sign with both hands and all the fingers extended, and hands thrown forward as if "charging."
Call, Attract the attention of.—Hold open left hand out in front, palm down and back slightly toward self; strike the back with the open right hand and then beckon toward self. ”

“ Pain.—Place hands in front of you with only forefingers extended and pointing toward each other several inches apart, then throw them at each other without touching the ends together; pain in any part of the body in indicated by placing the hands over that part of the body and making the motion; for instance, in headache the fingers are thrown at each other across the forehead. ”

“ Disobey (defiance to authority) .—With elbow at side bend up the arm with the fist on a level with the shoulder; bring the elbow out and give a twist to the fist, slightly turning the head to indicate defiance. ”

“ Cross.—Place the hand, pointing upward before the face, palm to it; bend the fingers toward face like the talons of an eagle, repeating motion several times, and add meaning by expression of the face. IV, 57.
Angry.—With the fingers bent, talon-like, throw hand against the waist, partly at one side; give a tearing, upward motion against the body. Sometimes both hands are used. ”

“ Dressmaker.—Sign first for "female;" then rub the hands lightly downward against the body several times, indicating its covering, for "dress;" then add sign for "maker."
Merchant.—"Seller." Indicate the kind of merchant by sign for what he sells and add "seller." Thus, grocery-man is literally "sugar seller" or "seller of sugar, food, etc." ”

“ Enemy.—Draw the hands up, the right close to the body, forefinger extended and pointing away from you, and the other hand with forefinger in similar position but opposite and pointing toward the right finger ”

“ In common practice this is shortened and instead of making the full sign for 10 the forefinger is extended from under the thumb of "A" hand as if forcibly released for 11, and the same with the two fingers for 12; for 13 the two fingers and thumb are thrown out straight with the two fingers for 12; for 14 the fingers are thrown out and the thumb drawn quickly against the palm ”

“ Till.—Holding the forefinger of the left "G" hand in front, pointing upward, palm to self, push the forefinger of the right "G" hand outward to and touching it, but let the right hand move slowly, and describe an arch over from self to the forefinger. ”