Sign talk — Themes and Context

This is a very ancient sign and seems to refer to the right of sanctuary. The name “King’s cross,” used occasionally in England, means probably the sanctuary in the King’s palace.

In general I found about 150 gesture signals in established use among American school children, namely:

Me (Tap one’s own chest).

You (Pointing to you).

Good (Nod and clap hands).

Bad (Shake head and grimace).

Go (Pushing flat hand forward, palm forward).

Come (Drawing in flat hand, palm toward one).

Hurry (The same repeated vigorously several times).

Come for a moment (Beckon with forefinger, hand unmoved).

Stop (Flat hand held up, palm forward).

Gently (Flat hand held low, palm down, gently waved).

Good-bye (Flat hand held high, palm down and forward, fingers quickly waved up and down).

High (Flat hand, palm down, held up at arm’s length).

Deep (Left flat hand palm down at level of mouth, right palm up, as low as possible).

Heaven (Point up very high and look up).

Forward (Swing index forward and down in a curve).

Backward (Jerk thumb over shoulder).

Across (Hold left hand out flat, palm down, run right index across it).

Over or Above (Hold out flat left, palm down, and above it hold ditto right).

Under (Reverse of foregoing).

Hush (Index finger on lips).

Listen (Curved hand behind ear).

Look (Flat hand over eyes).

Look there (Point and look in same direction).

Touch (Reach out and touch with index).

Taste (Lay finger on tongue).

Smell (Hold palm to nose).

Friendship (Hand shake).

Warning (Index finger held up).

Threatening (Fist held up).

Weeping (With index finger at each eye, trace course of tears).

Shame on you (Point one index at the person and draw the other along it several times in same direction).

You make me ashamed (Cover eyes and face with hands).

Mockery (Stick tongue out at person).

Disdain (Snap fingers toward person).

Scorn (Throw an imaginary pinch of sand at person).

Insolent defiance (Thumb to nose, hand spread).

Arrogant (Indicate swelled head).

Pompous (Indicate big chest).

Incredulity (Expose white of eye with finger, as though proving “No green there”).

I am no fool (Tap one side of the nose).

Joke (Rub side of nose with index).

Connivance (Winking one eye).

Puzzled (Scratch the head).

Crazy (Tap forehead with index then describe a circle with it).

Despair (Pulling the hair).

Sleepy (Put a fist in each eye).

Bellyache (Hands clasped across the belly).

Sick (A grimace and a limp dropping of the hands).

Applause (Clap hands).

Victory (Swing an imaginary flag over head).

Upon my honor (Draw a cross over heart or cross the hands over breast).

I am seeking (Looking about and pointing finger in same directions).

I am thinking (Lay index on brow, lower head and look out under brows).

I have my doubts (Slowly swing head from side to side).

I will not listen (Hold flat hands on ears).

I will not look (Cover eyes with hands).

I forget (Slowly shake head, and brush away something in air, near the forehead).

I claim exemption, or “Fins” or “Bar up” (Middle finger crossed on index).

I beg of you (Flat hand palm to palm, pointing to the person).

I pray (Clasped hands held up).

I am afraid, or surrender (Hold up both flat hands, palm forward).

I wind him around my finger (Make the action with right thumb and index around left index).

I have him under my thumb (Press firmly down with top of right thumb).

You surprise me (Flat hand on open mouth).

I send you a kiss (Kiss the finger tips of right hand and throw it forward).

Search me (Hold the coat flaps open, one in each hand).

Swim (Strike out with flat hands).

Dive (Flat hands together, moved in a curve, forward and down).

Will you come swimming? (Two fingers in V shape held up level).

Will you? or Is it so? (Look, nod and raise brows).

Fool or Ass (A thumb in each ear, flat hands up).

Cut-throat (Draw index across throat).

Indifference (A shoulder shrug).

Ignorance (A shrug and a head shake).

Pay (Hold out closed hand, palm up, rubbing thumb and index tips together).

Jew (Flat hands waved near shoulders, palms up).

Bribe (Hold hollow hand, palm up, behind one).

It is in my pocket (Slap pocket with flat hand).

Give me my bill (Beckon, then write on air).

Match (Make the sign of striking a match on the thigh).

Set it afire (Sign match, and then thrust it forward).

Pistol (Making barrel with left index, stock and hammer with right hooked on; snapping right index from thumb).

That tastes good (Smack the lips).

The food was good (Pat the stomach).

Bad taste (Grimace and spitting out).

Bad smell (Hold the nose).