Page:The-sign-language-a-manual-of-signs-2nd-ed.djvu/62

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THE SIGN LANGUAGE

Food, Eat.—Throw the "&" hand lightly against mouth and repeat several times.

Feed (act of feeding).—Make sign for "eat" and then make motion of giving food.

Drink.—Make motion of lifting a cup to the mouth, and tilting it as in act of drinking. To drink, in sense of habitual use of intoxicating liquor, throw the end of the thumb of the "Y" hand up against the mouth and repeat several times. The hand thus represents the bottle.

Send.—Place end of right open hand on back of left and then throw it off, motioning outward, with "G" hand. VIII, 160.

Progress, Motion forward.—Place bent hands in front of you, the fingers pointing toward each other; move the hands forward with a steady motion. To express the idea that the progress is made in successive stages, lift the hands and move forward a space, and repeat. VIII, 161.

Improve, Gradual progress upward.—Hold out left "B" hand, forefinger edge up; place the little-finger edge of "B" right hand crosswise near end of left forefinger; raise it and drop it again on left hand a little farther up, and continue motion the length of the hand, and beyond, thus measuring off spaces of advancement. VIII, 162.

Deterioration, Decline, A falling off, etc.—Make similar motion to above, but begin at about the elbow, arm inclined down, and move hand in opposite direction (down).

Advanced, Higher up.—Place bent hands in front, palms down, fingers pointing toward each other; raise the hands; if the progress upward is by stages, indicate by lifting the hands a small space at a time. VIII, 163.

Travel.—Pointing the forefinger of the "G" hand out, push it outward with a winding or slightly zig-zag motion. Or,

(2) Move the "G" hand, with the forefinger pointing down, in a semi-circle, giving the finger a circular twirling motion.

Cars.—Hold out the left "H" hand, back up; place the right "H" flatwise on the knuckle of the middle and forefinger of left, then push the right "H" along the other as on a track; repeat the last motion, drawing the right hand back and forth several times. VIII, 164.

Railroad track.—Make sign for "cars," then with hand on either side of you indicate width of a rail by opening thumb