SIGN TALK

PREFACE

In offering this book to the public after having hadthe manuscript actually on my desk for more than nineyears, let me say frankly that no one realizes better thanmyself, now, the magnitude of the subject and the manyfaults of my attempt to handle it.

My attention was first directed to the Sign Languagein 1882 when I went to live in Western Manitoba.There I found it used among the various Indian tribesas a common language, whenever they were unableto understand each other’s speech. In later years Ifound it a daily necessity when traveling among thenatives of New Mexico and Montana, and in 1897, whileliving among the Crow Indians at their agency nearFort Custer, I met White Swan, who had served underGeneral George A. Custer as a Scout. He had been sentacross country with a message to Major Reno, so escapedthe fatal battle; but fell in with a party of Sioux, by whomhe was severely wounded, clubbed on the head, and leftfor dead. He recovered and escaped, but ever after wasdeaf and practically dumb. However, sign-talk wasfamiliar to his people and he was at little disadvantagein daytime. Always skilled in the gesture code, he nowbecame very expert; I was glad indeed to be his pupil,and thus in 1897 began seriously to study the SignLanguage.

In 1900 I included a chapter on Sign Language in myprojected Woodcraft Dictionary, and began by collectingall the literature. There was much more than I expected,for almost all early travellers in our WesternCountry have had something to say about this linguafranca of the Plains.

As the material continued to accumulate, the chaptergrew into a Dictionary, and the work, of course, turnedout manifold greater than was expected. The Deaf,our School children, and various European nations, aswell as the Indians, had large sign vocabularies needingconsideration. With all important print on thesubject I am fairly well conversant, besides which I havehad large opportunities in the field and have tried toavail myself of them to the fullest extent, carrying mymanuscript from one Indian tribe to another, seekingout always the best sign-talkers among them, collectingand revising, aiming to add all the best signs in use tothose already on record.

The following are the chief printed works on SignLanguage:

1823. The Indian Language of Signs by MajorStephen H. Long, published in his Expedition to theRocky Mts., 1823, Vol. I, pp. 378–394. Gives 104 signs.The earliest extensive vocabulary on record.

1880.