Chapter L: =Labor.= See Work

=Lake.= Sign _Water_ and with both L hands make an incomplete horizontal circle, then bring wrists together and swing finger tips apart. The last gesture is to suggest _Wide_. Compare _Island_.

Fr. _le lac_; Ger. _der See_.

=Lame= (Bobbing of horse’s head). Right A hand out in front, _back up_, moved forward a little and at the same time jerked down by wrist action and to left; repeat. Compare _Old_ and _Kill_.

Fr. _boiteux_; Ger. _lahm_.

=Land=, =Country=, =Ground=, or =Earth= (Flat and extended). Pat toward ground with one or both flat hands; then swing them apart, flat, palms down, on a broad upward sweep left and right.

Fr. _la campagne_, _la terre_; Ger. _das Land_, _die Erde_.

=Lantern.= Sign _Enclosure_, but make it perpendicular; then in the same space sign _Fire_ twice.

Fr. _la lanterne_; Ger. _die Laterne_.

=Large.= See _Big_ and _High_.

=Lasso.= Sign _Rope_, then hold right L hand over right shoulder, back nearly to right, index pointing up; throw it forward, upward, and down, close index and thumb and jerk the hand back. Often omit _Rope_.

Fr. _le lasso_; Ger. _die Wurfschlinge_.

=Last.= Hold up the left 5 hand, thumb nearest you; push it straight away, then tap the thumb with the G of the other hand. (Sheeaka.)

=Last= (One, After). Hold up 5 left hand and, away behind it, the G right. (Blackfoot.) Compare _First_ and _Guide_.

Fr. _le dernier_; Ger. _der Letzte_.

=Last year.= Sign _Winter_, _Beyond_.

Fr. _l’année passée_; Ger. _voriges Jahr_.

=Late.= See _After_.

=Laugh.= Hold both curved 5 hands, palms up, near the sides, a foot apart; then shake them up and down. Compare _Play_.

Fr. _rire_; Ger. _lachen_.

=Law= (Written road). Sign _Write_, then _Across_ two or three times. Compare _Council_ (No. 2.)

Fr. _la loi_; Ger. _das Gesetz_.

=Lawyer.= _Whiteman_, _Law_, and _Know_.

Fr. _l’avocat_; Ger. _der Advokat_.

=Lazy= or =Tired=. Shake the head, throw it back, then drop both nearly open, hands limply, one held out at each side motionless. Compare _Weak_ and _Tired_.

Fr. _paresseux_, _fatigué_; Ger. _faul_, _träge_, _müde_.

=Lead.= With right hand fingers grasp the flat left hand and drag it forward. (Sheeaka; borrowed from the Deaf.) Sometimes used also for _Teacher_.

=Lead.= Hold right A hand high in front of right shoulder, back to right; move it forward by gentle jerks, as though leading a pony. See _Guide_.

Fr. _conduire_; Ger. _führen_.

=Leaf.= Sign _Tree_, then shake right hand shoulder high, with thumb and index pointed nearly up, forming an incomplete circle, others closed. Compare _Money_ and _Fruit_.

Fr. _la feuille_; Ger. _das Blatt_.

=Learn.= Sign _Book_, then follow the lines with the right G finger and last draw it to _Me_. Or sign _Book_, _Look_, _Know_, making the last sign once or twice toward the _Book_. See _Lesson_.

Fr. _apprendre_; Ger. _lernen_.

=Leggings.= Draw the L hands, backs out, one on each leg from well down to near hips.

Fr. _les grandes guêtres_; Ger. _die ledernen Gamaschen_.

=Lend=, =Loan=, or =Borrow=. Sign _Give you_ (or me) and _By and By_, _Give me_ (or you). Or, _Give_, _Little while_.

Fr. _prêter_, _emprunter_; Ger. _leihen_, _borgen_.

=Less= (Compressed). Hold the open flat hands a foot or two apart, palm to palm, one above the other. Hold the lower hand stationary and then draw the upper in jerks down toward the lower. See _Decrease_.

Fr. _moins_; Ger. _weniger_.

=Let it alone.= See _Abandon_.

=Letter= (Sticking on the stamp). Indicate size of letter, then close right hand, thumb extended; wet thumb end on lips and press on open left palm.

Fr. _la lettre_; Ger. _der Brief_.

=Level=, =All right=. See _Good_, also _Prairie_.

=Liar.= Make sign for _Lie_; then indicate the person. To add the intensive _Very much_ makes it equivalent to the strong and unprintable English expression that is used in extreme cases.

Fr. _le menteur_; Ger. _der Lügner_.

=Liberal.= See _Generous_.

=Liberate.= Sign _Prisoner_, throw the hands up and apart, then add _Go_. (C) See _Pardon_.

Fr. _délivrer_; Ger. _befreien_.

=Lie= or =False= (Two tongues or forked tongue). Hold the right V hand, back out, a little in front and to the right of mouth, and pointing to left; move the hand to left, past mouth, and downward.

Fr. _le mensonge_; Ger. _die Lüge_.

=Life.= See _Alive_.

=Light= (Not dark). See _Day_.

=Light= (Not heavy). Hold out both flat hands, palms up; raise briskly together in one or two jerks. Compare _Heavy_, which is the same in pose, but in which the hands drop briskly. See _Hurry_, which is similar but much faster and raised each time in one movement.

Fr. _léger_; Ger. _leicht_.

=Lightning= or =Thunderbolt=. With right G index held high, make a quick zigzag downward.

Fr. _l’éclair_; Ger. _der Blitz_.

=Like= (To be partial to). Sign _Want_.

=Like= or =Alike=. See _Equal_.

=Listen, I will not.= Cover both ears with the hands and shake head. (Pop. and Blackfoot.)

Fr. _je n’écouterai pas_; Ger. _ich will nicht zuhören_.

=Listen.= Hold right L hand back to right near and around right ear; rotate the hand by wrist action (Cheyenne). Or hold hollowed right hand behind the right ear. (Popular sign understood by Cheyennes.) Compare _Hear_.

Fr. _écouter_; Ger. _horchen_.

=Little of=, =Small=, =Piece of=, =Part=. Hold right hand in front of body, shoulder high, back to right, end of thumb pressing against under side of index so that only about half an inch of index is seen beyond the thumb, other fingers closed. For emphasis, point at right with left G.

=Little= or =Small of Stature=. For small animal, person, etc., indicate the stature by holding out flat right, palm down, above the ground or above the flat left, palm up. See _Boy_.

=Little= or =Small degree or matter=, =Weak=. Hold the right fist above the left as though both were grasping a thin stick, backs out. Twist the right hand and draw it in a little to the breast, turning it so the palm is a little upward instead of a little downward. Compare _Few_. Note _Strong_ is its analogue.

Fr. _petit_, _peu_; Ger. _klein_, _wenig_.

=Live.= See _Alive_.

=Live in.= See _Dwell_.

=Liver.= Compress the right hand, bend it much at the wrist, hold it so the back is forward and down, fingers level and pointing back; lay it on the right side under the ribs, draw it to the middle of the body following under side of ribs.

Fr. _le foie_; Ger. _die Leber_.

=Lock.= Against flat left palm turn thumb and index of right as a key.

Fr. _fermer à clef_, _la serrure_; Ger. _schlieszen_, _das Schlosz_.

=Long.= Fully extend the left arm forward and downward, hand flat, palm down; lay right G finger on the left wrist; then draw it up to the shoulder. Often use _Big_.

Fr. _long_; Ger. _lang_.

=Longing.= Sign _Heart_ and _Want_; or _Heart_, _Want_, and _See_.

Fr. _le désir ardent_; Ger. _das Verlangen_.

=Long time= (Drawn out). Slowly draw the hands very far apart as though pulling out a piece of gum or elastic. See _Time_.

Fr. _longtemps_; Ger. _lange_.

=Look.= Make V hand and point with fingers in line of sight. Compare _Hunting_ and _See_.

Fr. _regarder_; Ger. _ansehen_, _hinsehen_.

=Look at that.= Point with forefinger at object and add _See_. Compare _There_.

Fr. _regardez cela_, _voyez_; Ger. _sehen Sie das an_.

=Look out.= See _Warning_.

=Loose= or =Set Free=. See _Liberate_.

=Lose=, =Lost=, or =Astray= (Hid, find, and not; apparently referring to the game of hide in the hand). Hold out both fists together, palms up, for _Hid_; then look about and point with right G hand behind here and there and to one side; add _Not_. (Sheeaka.)

=Lose.= The Cheyennes use _Hide_, which see. Compare _Night_.

=Lost=, =I am lost=. Sign _Look_, _Way_, _See_, _Not_. (Blackfoot.)

Fr. _perdre_, _perdu_; Ger. _verlieren_, _verloren_.

=Love.= See _Fond_.

=Low.= Hold flat right hand low, back up.

Fr. _bas_; Ger. _niedrig_.

=Luck=, =Happen=, =Chance=, or =Accident= (What turns up). Extend both G hands in front, palm side up; turn them in toward each other till the backs are up; forefingers still extended. Then add _Good_ or _Bad_. (D) This suggests the gambling sticks in the Indian game. See _Of_.

=Luck= (Whatever befalls me). Sign _Medicine_, or shake the head and the flat hand in front of the neck, then swing right G in a curve till it strikes the breast. (Sheeaka. A doubtful Sioux sign.)

Fr. _la chance_, _l’accident_; Ger. _der Zufall_.

=Lump= (Apparently “hill” that can be held in the hand). Hold up the right A hand, waist high, palm to you, thumb pointing up, wrist bent so arm is nearly level. Compare _Hill_.

Fr. _la petite masse_; Ger. _der Klumpen_, _die kleine Masse_.

=Lunch= or =Luncheon=. Sign _Noon_ and _Eat_.

Fr. _le déjeuner_; Ger. _das Mittagessen_.

=Lungs.= Hold the 5 hands on the breast, one at each side, and indicate slow heaving. Compare _Sick_.

Fr. _les poumons_; Ger. _die Lungen_.

=Lynx.= With the C hand at each side of the face indicate ruffs; with rings of index fingers and thumbs, show the eyes; then on the G right with the G left show the bob tail. (Sheeaka.) This is a description rather than a name.

Fr. _le lynx_; Ger. _der Luchs_.

=Lynx=, =Bay=, or =Bob-cat.= Sign _Cat_ and _Short tail_. (Scott.) The Cheyennes, who do not know the true Lynx, sign _Animal_ and _Short tail_.

Fr. _le lynx rouge_; Ger. _der Rotluchs_, _die amerikanische
Wildkatze_.