The body
Ten body parts, almost all of them pointing — and why that's still worth a lesson.
Focus
Pointing is a sign
Body-part signs are mostly indexical: you point at or touch the part. That makes them easy, and it makes the face a map you'll reuse — SEE and LOOK leave from the eyes, HEAR and LISTEN sit at the ear, TALK circles from the mouth.
Location carries meaning
HURT signed at the head is a headache; at the stomach, a stomach ache. Once you know the body map, moving a sign onto it changes what it says.
Signs in this lesson
Open any sign for its full history, sources and minimal pairs.
Touch the fingertips of a bent flat hand to your temple, then to your jaw.
Trace a circle around your face with your index finger.
Point your index finger to the corner of your eye. For EYES, point to each in turn.
Touch the tip of your index finger to the tip of your nose.
Circle your index finger around your lips, or point to them.
Pinch or touch your earlobe.
Take a strand of hair between your thumb and index finger and tug it gently.
Tap the tip of your index finger against a front tooth.
Slide a flat hand along your other forearm from elbow to wrist.
Point down toward one foot, then the other.