Take up a bunch of grass or a clod of earth; place it in the hand of
the person addressed, who looks down upon it. (_Omaha_ I.) "Represents
as many or more than the particles contained in the mass."
---- MUCH.
Move both hands toward one another and slightly upward. (_Wied_.) I
have seen this sign, but I think it is used only for articles that may
be piled on the ground or formed into a heap. The sign most in use for
the general idea of _much_ or _many_ I have given. (_Matthews_.)
Bring the hands up in front of the body with the fingers carefully
kept distinct. (_Cheyenne_ I.)
Both hands closed, brought up in a curved motion toward each other to
the level of the neck or chin, (_Cheyenne_ II.)
Both hands and arms are partly extended; each hand is then made to
describe, simultaneously with the other, from the head downward, the
arc of a circle curving outward. This is used for _large_ in some
senses. (_Ojibwa_ V; _Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.)
Both hands flat and extended, placed before the breast, finger tips
touching, palms down; then separate them by passing outward and
downward as if smoothing the outer surface of a globe. (_Absaroka_
I; _Shoshoni and Banack_ I; _Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II;
_Wichita_ II.) "A heap."
_Much_ is included in _many_ or _big_, as the case may require.
(_Dakota_ I.)
The hands, with fingers widely separated, slightly bent, pointing
forward, and backs outward, are to be rapidly approximated through
downward curves, from positions twelve to thirty-six inches apart, at
the height of the navel, and quickly closed. Or the hands may be moved
until the right is above the left. So much that it has to be gathered
with both hands. (_Dakota_ IV.)
Hands open, palms turned in, held about three feet apart and about two
feet from the ground. Raise them about a foot, then bring in an upward
curve toward each other. As they pass each other, palms down, the
right hand is about three inches above the left. (_Omaha_ I.)
Place both hands flat and extended, thumbs touching, palms downward,
in front of and as high as the face; then move them outward and
downward a short distance toward their respective sides, thus
describing the upper half of a circle. (_Wyandot_ I.) "A heap."
Both hands clinched, placed as high as and in front of the hips, palms
facing opposite sides and about a foot apart, then bring them upward
and inward, describing an arc, until the thumbs touch. (_Apache_ I.)
Fig. 274.
[Illustration: Fig. 274.]
Sweep out both hands as if inclosing a large object; wave the hands
forward and somewhat upward. (_Apache_ III.) "Suggesting immensity."
_Deaf-mute sign_:
The French deaf-mutes place the two hands, with fingers united and
extended in a slight curve, nearly together, left above right, in
front of the body, and then raise the left in a direct line above the
right, thus suggesting the idea of a large and slightly-rounded object
being held between the two palms.
---- And heavy.
Hands open, palms turned in, held about three feet apart, and about
two feet from the ground, raise them about a foot; close the fists,
backs of hands down, as if lifting something heavy; then move a short
distance up and down several times. (_Omaha_ I.)
Remarks connected with the signs for _quantity_ appear on pages 291,
359, and 382, _supra_.