OOathOathorSwear. Tap the chest with the tips of the flat right hand, then hold it at head height, palm forward. (Sheeaka.) Sometimes point to Heaven and Earth, then hold up flat right hand. (C) Neither is Cheyenne, but both are understood by them. SeePromise. With right G make a small cross over the heart. (Pop.)Fr.le serment,jurer; Ger.der Eid,schwören.Obey.Make sign forListen. For emphasis addYes.Disobeyis putting the flat hands over the ears.Fr.obéir; Ger.gehorchen.Obliged to.SeeHave to. (C)Ocean.SignWaterandVery broad. Some addSalt.Fr.l’océan; Ger.der Ozean.OfOf(That from that). Hold right G hand out straight from right side, palm up; rotate the hand so the index tip describes a small half-circle inward and finally the palm is down. (D) CompareLuck.Fr.de; Ger.von.OfferorPropose. Hold the flat hands, palms up, near you, then move forward as though offering something. (Blackfoot.) The Cheyennes signWantandGive.Fr.offrir,proposer; Ger.anbieten,vorschlagen.Office.SignWriting House.Officer.SignChief; or, if military, signChief,Soldier. Or indicate with the right index on the left shoulder or arm the insignia of the particular rank.Fr.l’officier; Ger.der Beamte,der Offizier.Offspring.SeeChild.Often.SeeMany times.OilOil(Blowing oil off surface in pot). With both L hands form a big level circle; then tilt it low on forward side and blow across it. (Blackfoot, but understood by Cheyennes.)Fr.l’huile; Ger.das Öl.OilOilorGrease. Hold out the flat left, thumb up; with right thumb on palm and right index on back (others closed); rub back and forth with short, quick jerks. CompareThick,Thin,Bacon.Fr.la graisse; Ger.das Fett.OldOld(Walking with a stick). Hold right A hand,back to right, about twelve inches in front of right shoulder, about height of breast; move the hand a little upward, to front, downward and back into its first position on small curve, repeating motion. CompareLame.Fr.vieux; Ger.alt.Old Man.Hold up the right index finger as inMan, then drop, crook, and swing it inOld. SeeDecrepit.Fr.le vieillard; Ger.der Greis.Old,How old are you?SignQuestion,Snows,You; orQuestion,Counting,Colds,You.Fr.quel âge avez-vous?Ger.wie alt sind Sie?OnOnorUpon. Lay the flat right hand, palm down, on back of the flat horizontal left, palm down. CompareAt.Fr.sur; Ger.auf.OnceOnce.Dip the finger ends of the right compressed hand down against the palm of the flat left hand, bringing it away quickly. ForTwice, do it twice, etc. (Sheeaka.) CompareThisandRepeat.Once(One go). SignOnewith right G index and push it forward low down. (So, also,TwiceisTwopushed forward, etc.)Fr.une fois; Ger.einmal.One who, orThe man that does. SeeDoer.Onion.SignPotatoandBad,Smell.Fr.l’oignon; Ger.die Zwiebel.Only.SeeAlone.OpenOpen.The flat hands together, palm to palm, opened out flat as a book. The same asBookwithWritingomitted. CompareDay,Book,Shell, andShut.Fr.ouvrir,ouvert; Ger.öffnen,offen.OpossumOpossum.Hold out the flat right, fingers doubled on palm, thumb straight up; move it forward level. The thumb represents the tail. This is an Australian sign given by E. C. Stirling. It is offered as a suggestion and as a reminder that the Sign Language is world-wide. The Cheyennes signTree,Climb,Hang by tail.Fr.l’opossum,le (la) sarigue; Ger.das Opossum.OppositeOppositeorAgainst. Hold the G fingers up opposite each other, pointing at each other. CompareAgainst.Fr.opposé,en face; Ger.gegenüber.Or.SeeEither. Sometimes useDifferent.OrderlyorPut in order. SeeReady.Ordinal Numbers.SeeNumbers Ordinal.Other.SeeAnother.Other side.SeeBeyond.OtterOtter(Wrapping the hair plait). With right thumb, index and middle fingers together, others closed, describe a small spiral from near the right ear down. Because the otter skin was the kind used in strips to wrap the plaits of the Indians’ hair.Fr.la loutre; Ger.der (die) Otter.Our.SignAll,My.Fr.notre; Ger.unser.Out of.SeeAbsent.OutsideorOut of. Make a semicircle of the left arm out level; drop the compressed right hand without and beyond the semicircle. CompareIn, which it resembles, except in the last movement.Fr.dehors,hors de; Ger.drauszen.OverorAbove. SeeAbove.Overcome.SeeKill.OvertakeOvertake.Hold out flat left hand at arm’s length, palm forward, fingers pointing up; hold the right G hand near the breast, palm out, pointing up; move it forward till it strikes the left hand. Use the left G if only one is pursued. CompareArrive there.Fr.atteindre; Ger.einholen.OweOweorDebt(Recorded and given). Write on the left palm and swing it fromyoutomeor otherwise, according to the case. (Sheeaka.)Owe.SignTrade,Time,Money,Give.Fr.devoir; Ger.schuldig sein.OwlOwl.SignBirdandBig-eyes; the latter by putting around each eye a half-circle of thumb and index. (ForHorned Owlindicate the horns with G hands.) ForBurrowing Owl, signOwl,Hole, andDancing.Fr.la chouette,le hibou; Ger.die Eule.Own.SeePossession.
Oath
OathorSwear. Tap the chest with the tips of the flat right hand, then hold it at head height, palm forward. (Sheeaka.) Sometimes point to Heaven and Earth, then hold up flat right hand. (C) Neither is Cheyenne, but both are understood by them. SeePromise. With right G make a small cross over the heart. (Pop.)
Fr.le serment,jurer; Ger.der Eid,schwören.
Obey.Make sign forListen. For emphasis addYes.Disobeyis putting the flat hands over the ears.
Fr.obéir; Ger.gehorchen.
Obliged to.SeeHave to. (C)
Ocean.SignWaterandVery broad. Some addSalt.
Fr.l’océan; Ger.der Ozean.
Of
Of(That from that). Hold right G hand out straight from right side, palm up; rotate the hand so the index tip describes a small half-circle inward and finally the palm is down. (D) CompareLuck.
Fr.de; Ger.von.
OfferorPropose. Hold the flat hands, palms up, near you, then move forward as though offering something. (Blackfoot.) The Cheyennes signWantandGive.
Fr.offrir,proposer; Ger.anbieten,vorschlagen.
Office.SignWriting House.
Officer.SignChief; or, if military, signChief,Soldier. Or indicate with the right index on the left shoulder or arm the insignia of the particular rank.
Fr.l’officier; Ger.der Beamte,der Offizier.
Offspring.SeeChild.
Often.SeeMany times.
Oil
Oil(Blowing oil off surface in pot). With both L hands form a big level circle; then tilt it low on forward side and blow across it. (Blackfoot, but understood by Cheyennes.)
Fr.l’huile; Ger.das Öl.
Oil
OilorGrease. Hold out the flat left, thumb up; with right thumb on palm and right index on back (others closed); rub back and forth with short, quick jerks. CompareThick,Thin,Bacon.
Fr.la graisse; Ger.das Fett.
Old
Old(Walking with a stick). Hold right A hand,back to right, about twelve inches in front of right shoulder, about height of breast; move the hand a little upward, to front, downward and back into its first position on small curve, repeating motion. CompareLame.
Fr.vieux; Ger.alt.
Old Man.Hold up the right index finger as inMan, then drop, crook, and swing it inOld. SeeDecrepit.
Fr.le vieillard; Ger.der Greis.
Old,How old are you?SignQuestion,Snows,You; orQuestion,Counting,Colds,You.
Fr.quel âge avez-vous?Ger.wie alt sind Sie?
On
OnorUpon. Lay the flat right hand, palm down, on back of the flat horizontal left, palm down. CompareAt.
Fr.sur; Ger.auf.
Once
Once.Dip the finger ends of the right compressed hand down against the palm of the flat left hand, bringing it away quickly. ForTwice, do it twice, etc. (Sheeaka.) CompareThisandRepeat.
Once(One go). SignOnewith right G index and push it forward low down. (So, also,TwiceisTwopushed forward, etc.)
Fr.une fois; Ger.einmal.
One who, orThe man that does. SeeDoer.
Onion.SignPotatoandBad,Smell.
Fr.l’oignon; Ger.die Zwiebel.
Only.SeeAlone.
Open
Open.The flat hands together, palm to palm, opened out flat as a book. The same asBookwithWritingomitted. CompareDay,Book,Shell, andShut.
Fr.ouvrir,ouvert; Ger.öffnen,offen.
Opossum
Opossum.Hold out the flat right, fingers doubled on palm, thumb straight up; move it forward level. The thumb represents the tail. This is an Australian sign given by E. C. Stirling. It is offered as a suggestion and as a reminder that the Sign Language is world-wide. The Cheyennes signTree,Climb,Hang by tail.
Fr.l’opossum,le (la) sarigue; Ger.das Opossum.
Opposite
OppositeorAgainst. Hold the G fingers up opposite each other, pointing at each other. CompareAgainst.
Fr.opposé,en face; Ger.gegenüber.
Or.SeeEither. Sometimes useDifferent.
OrderlyorPut in order. SeeReady.
Ordinal Numbers.SeeNumbers Ordinal.
Other.SeeAnother.
Other side.SeeBeyond.
Otter
Otter(Wrapping the hair plait). With right thumb, index and middle fingers together, others closed, describe a small spiral from near the right ear down. Because the otter skin was the kind used in strips to wrap the plaits of the Indians’ hair.
Fr.la loutre; Ger.der (die) Otter.
Our.SignAll,My.
Fr.notre; Ger.unser.
Out of.SeeAbsent.
OutsideorOut of. Make a semicircle of the left arm out level; drop the compressed right hand without and beyond the semicircle. CompareIn, which it resembles, except in the last movement.
Fr.dehors,hors de; Ger.drauszen.
OverorAbove. SeeAbove.
Overcome.SeeKill.
Overtake
Overtake.Hold out flat left hand at arm’s length, palm forward, fingers pointing up; hold the right G hand near the breast, palm out, pointing up; move it forward till it strikes the left hand. Use the left G if only one is pursued. CompareArrive there.
Fr.atteindre; Ger.einholen.
Owe
OweorDebt(Recorded and given). Write on the left palm and swing it fromyoutomeor otherwise, according to the case. (Sheeaka.)
Owe.SignTrade,Time,Money,Give.
Fr.devoir; Ger.schuldig sein.
Owl
Owl.SignBirdandBig-eyes; the latter by putting around each eye a half-circle of thumb and index. (ForHorned Owlindicate the horns with G hands.) ForBurrowing Owl, signOwl,Hole, andDancing.
Fr.la chouette,le hibou; Ger.die Eule.
Own.SeePossession.