While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
While it has been mentioned that there is no
inflection of signs to express tense, yet the conception of
present, past, and future is gestured without difficulty. A
common mode of indicating the present time is by the use of
signs for to-day, one of which is, "(1) both hands
extended, palms outward; (2) swept slowly forward and to
each side, to convey the idea of openness." (Cheyenne
II.) This may combine the idea of now with
openness, the first part of it resembling the general
deaf-mute sign for here or now.
Two signs nearly related together are also reported as
expressing the meaning now, at once, viz.:
"Forefinger of the right hand extended, upright, &c. (J), is
carried upward in front of the right side of the body and
above the head so that the extended finger points toward the
center of the heavens, and then carried downward in front of
the right breast, forefinger still pointing upright." (Dakota
I.) "Place the extended index, pointing upward, palm to the
left, as high as and before the top of the head; push the
hand up and down a slight distance several times, the eyes
being directed upward at the time." (Hidatsa I;
Kaiowa I; Arikara I; Comanche III;
Apache II; Wichita II.)
Time past is not only expressed, but some tribes give a
distinct modification to show a short or long time past. The
following are examples:
Lately, recently.—Hold the left hand at arm's length,
closed, with forefinger only extended and pointing in the
direction of the place where the event occurred; then hold
the right hand against the right shoulder, closed, but with
index extended and pointing in the direction of the left.
The hands may be exchanged, the right extended and the left
retained, as the case may require for ease in description. (Absaroka
I; Shoshoni and Banak I.)
Long ago.—Both hands closed, forefingers extended and
straight; pass one hand slowly at arm's length, pointing
horizontally, the other against the shoulder or near it,
pointing in the same direction as the opposite one.
Frequently the tips of the forefingers are placed together,
and the hands drawn apart, until they reach the positions
described. (Absaroka I; Shoshoni and Banak I.)
The Comanche, Wichita, and other Indians designate a
short time ago by placing the tips of the forefinger and
thumb of the left hand together, the remaining fingers
closed, and holding the hand before the body with forefinger
and thumb pointing toward the right shoulder; the index and
thumb of the right hand are then similarly held and placed
against those of the left, when the hands are slowly drawn
apart a short distance. For a long time ago the hands
are similarly held, but drawn farther apart. Either of these
signs may be and frequently is preceded by those for day,
month, or year, when it is desired to convey a
definite idea of the time past.
A sign is reported with the abstract idea of future,
as follows: "The arms are flexed and hands brought together
in front of the body as in type-position (W). The hands are
made to move in wave-like motions up and down together and
from side to side." (Oto I.) The authority gives the
poetical conception of "Floating on the tide of time."
The ordinary mode of expressing future time is, however, by
some figurative reference, as the following: Count off
fingers, then shut all the fingers of both hands several
times, and touch the hair and tent or other white object. (Apache
III.) "Many years; when I am old (whitehaired)."
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language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as
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Sign Language
Among North American Indians Compared with
that Among Other Peoples and Deaf-Mutes,
1881
