245 



Speak ; speech. 



The motion is like sprinkling water from the mouth by springing the 

 forefinger from the thumb, the hand following a short distance from the 

 mouth at each resilience, to show the direction of the word, or to whom 

 it is addressed ; this motion is repeated three or four times. {Long.) 



Place the flat hand, back downward, before the mouth, and move it 

 forward two or three times. (Wied.) My description is the same as 

 this, but more precise. I believe I said the thumb is held forward. A 

 knowledge of this fact would be essential to one who wished to imitate 

 the sign correctly. {Matthews) There is sufficient similarity to Wied's 

 sign in the position of the hand and forward movement to justify a sup- 

 position of former identity between that and {Oto and Missouri I.) The 

 curved position of the fingers in the latter sign is not invariable. {Bote- 

 Icr.) 



Extend the open hand from the mouth. {Burton.) 



Fingers used as if picking something from the mouth. {Macgowan.) 



Point the extended forefinger as from the mouth. {Arapaho I.) 



Forefingers of both hands crooked inward, as in making the sign for 

 ITIoi'iiing;; motion backward and forward from mouth. {Cheyenne I.) 



The gestures by which "speaking" is described are made close to the 

 mouth. If the hand is passed several times across the lips it means 

 addressing the people. Harangue. If the fingers of both hands are 

 crossed before the mouth like a pair of scissors, it means a Dialogue. 

 [Ojihu-a I.) 



Same as the sign for Sing", excepting the hand is carried farther out- 

 ward from the mouth. {D((Jcuta I.) "Carrying the words out of the 

 mouth." 



Place the right hand just in front of the mouth, palm forward, index 

 half flexed, other fingers closed, thumb against middle finger ; move the 

 hand at the wrist forward two or three times through an arc of about 

 six inches, each time bringing the end of the index against the end of 

 the thumb. {Dakota IV .) "Opening and closing the mouth, and the 

 sounds coming forth." 



Pass the tips of the fingers of the right hand forward from the mouth. 

 (Pai-Utel.) 



Place the knuckles of the right hand against the lips, and make the 

 motion of flipping water from the index, each flip casting the hand and 

 arm from the mouth a foot or so, then bringing it back in the same posi- 

 tion. ( Wichita I.) 



