EXCERPTS FROM A DICTIONARY OF
GESTURES (FROM CALBRIS 1984)

Appendix 1: Curved, detached movements

3 Detached gestures

) In curved movements, optionally symmetric

) 1 Non-repeated arc

1.1 Forward

.1 In a horizontal plane

1. Configuration: U-shaped table. Horseshoe.

2. Movement: (1. Progressive: Bypass. Surround; 2. Regressive: U-turn. Come back.)

3. Symbol: Tour de main (lit. turn of hand = knack). Deftness. Skill. Experience.

.2 In a frontal plane

1. Oscillograph; 2. Range. Collection; 3. Spectrum; 4. Panorama: (1. Overall tableau; 2. Admiration.)

.3 In a sagittal or frontal plane

1. Shape: (1. Arc. 2. Curved line or surface.)

2. Movement: (1. Add; 2. Predominate; 3. Surmount.)

3. Leap in time: (1. Repetition; 2. Posteriority. Postponement; 3. Progress. Bound.)

1.2 Backward

.1 Inward

1. Interiority; 2. Assimilation; 3. Going inward (introversion); 4. Come back to mind; 5. Put back. Go back in.

.2 Going back

1. In time: Anteriority; 2. On or to something; 3. To continue: Argumentation.

.3 Opposite direction: Logical opposition. Restriction.

) 2 Repeated arc

2.1 Without translation in space

.1 Simple movement

1. Leaf through; 2. Presser quelqu’un comme un citron (lit. squeeze someone like a lemon = bleed someone white); 3. Turn screw; 4. Corkscrew; 5. Key. Fermer à double tour (to double lock = to close securely); 6. Twisting: Wringing out. Wring someone’s neck.

.2 Alternating, oscillatory movement

1. Movement of pendulum; 2. See-saw. Swing. Censer; 3. Windshield-wipers; 4. Rocking; 5. Approximation. Mediocrity. Couci-couça.

2.2 With translation in space

.1 Progressive

1. Arcades; 2. Festoons. Garlands.

.2 Alternating

1. Sinuous line and movement

1. About a longitudinal (front-back) line: Something that snakes, meanders.

2. About a transverse (left-right) line: Sinusoidal movement

3. About a vertical line: Scoliosis.

2. Sinuous surface and movement

1. Forward: Pitching of a boat.

2. Transverse movement: (1. Undulating surface: Valleys. Waves; 2. Wavering, hesitant aspect.)

) 3 Curved surface

3.1 Reference to part of a sphere

.1 Surface curved

1. With respect to a horizontal plane

1. Concave surface: Trough. Au creux de la vague (lit. in the trough of the wave = at the low point); 2. Convex surface: Arch. Arbour.

2. With respect to a vertical plane: Rotunda.

3. With respect to either plane: Bulge. Hem.

.2 Hemisphere

1. Concave: Bowl. Dish; 2. Convex: Sous cloche (under a bell jar). Greenhouse. Dome.

3.2 Reference to a sphere

.1 Shape: Ball.

.2 Symbol: Totality. Generality. Whole. Compact block.

) 4 Rotary movement

4.1 Horizontal axis

.1 Supination: Open, lift cover.

.2 Pronation: Close, replace cover. Shutting.

.3 Supination or pronation

1. Turning around. Overturning; 2. Flip over. Bowl over.

4.2 Vertical axis

.1 Hinge. Double door.

.2 ‘To turn one’s coat.’ Weather vane. Pirouette. About-face.

4.3 In any direction

Front and back. ‘Other side of the coin.’

) 5 Circle

5.1 Horizontal plane

.1 Fingers pointing down

1. Circular shape: Disk, traffic circle, etc.

2. Circular movement: Turn. Go around. Surround.

3. Internal character: Action closed on itself.

.2 Fingers pointing up

Totality.

5.2 Vertical plane

.1 Shape: Wheel. Hoop. Halo.

.2 Movement

1. Revolve around.

2. Move around within.

.3 Symbol

1. Mediation. Means of transmission.

2. Repetition.

5.3 Arbitrary plane

.1 Shape: Ping-pong ball. Hole.

.2 Symbol

1. ‘A zero.’ ‘A nothing.’

2. Positive judgment: (1. Perfection; 2. Gourmand admiration.)

) 6 Circle about a particular axis

6.1 Vertical cylinder

.1 Shape: Slender vase. Pipette.

.2 Movement: Turning a spit. Steamroller.

6.2 Horizontal cylinder

.1 Shape: Rolling pin.

.2 Movement: Turning a spit.

) 7 Circle repeated with one hand

7.1 Without translation in space

.1 In a horizontal plane

1. Fingers pointing down

1. Manipulating: Potato-masher. Old coffee grinder.

2. Functioning.

3. Movement: ‘Go in circles.’ ‘Vicious circle.’

2. Fingers pointing up

1. Manipulating: Slingshot. Lasso.

2. Functioning: Turnstile. Weather vane. Rotor.

.2 In a vertical plane

1. Manipulating. Functioning: Moulin à paroles (lit. word mill = chatterbox). Rewinding.

2. Symbol: (1. Uninterrupted repetition; 2. Animation.)

7.2 With translation in space

.1 About a particular axis

1. Equal circles

1. About a vertical axis

1. Rising spiral; 2. Descending spiral.

2. About a horizontal axis

1. Tie up. Bandage; 2. Wind up; 3. Wriggling. Snaking.

2. Diminishing circles

1. Spiral tapering downward: Whirlpool. Tornado. Waterspout.

2. Spiral tapering upward: Spiral sea-shell.

.2 In a particular plane

1. Forward loops

1. Movement: Roll. ‘Snowball.’

2. Explanatory development.

3. Sequence: (1. Subsequent development; 2. Repetitive enumeration. 3. Enumeration with implied ‘and so on,’ ‘etc.’).

4. Evolutive development: Process. Cycle. Recycling.

5. Rhythm. Repetition.

6. Habit. Tradition.

7. Depreciation.

8. Chain of events.

2. Backward loops

1. Evolution of thought (personal). Hypothesis. Conjecture. Suspicion.

2. Distant anteriority.

3. Origin: Provenance.

4. Return: Feedback.

) 8 Curved movements performed with two vehicles

8.1 Due to necessary symmetry

.1 Symmetric shape of referent (voluminous): (1. Goblet; 2. Vase; 3. Amphora; 4. Pumpkin; 5. Plump woman).

.2 Symmetric handling, use, or operation of referent

1. Single movement: Balloon.

2. Repeated movement: (1. Rowing; 2. Jump rope; 3. Breaststroke: Swimming or figurative nager [lit. to swim = to be at sea, to be unable to do]).

3. Alternating movement: (1. Bicycle. Pedal-boat; 2. Driving a car; 3. Moped; 4. Juggling).

8.2 Referring to two elements

.1 Substitution.

.2 Alternative. Dual relation.

.3 Joining. Connection.

8.3 Referring to ‘more’

.1 Abundance.

.2 Vastness.

.3 Development (Enlargement).

8.4 To bring together

.1 Gathering. Concentration.

.2 Union. Solidarity.

.3 Enclosing.

8.5 To spread out, deploy.

8.6 Interconnected movements

.1 Inactivity, ‘twiddling one’s thumbs.’

.2 Linked succession: (1. Sempiternal character; 2. Transformation; 3. Alternating succession; 4. Mechanism. Gears.)

.3 Overlapping. Mixing: (1. Mix up or get mixed up. 2. Untangle. Sort out.)

8.7 Reverse movement, turning backward and inward: Recovery.

Appendix 2: Straight-line movements of a body segment: Flat or bent hand in configuration A.

Hand(s) A-3 One or two hands, detached gesture

3.1 Repeated movement

3.1.1 Simple (repeated in same direction)

/1 Along a vertical axis

1. Upward: 1. Superposition; 2. Level. Degree.

2. Downward: 1. Espalier; 2. Chopping.

/2 Along a lateral axis

1. Testing the ground; 2. Classification. Division in time; 3. Request to hurry up.

3.1.2 Alternated

/1 Up-Down

1. Prone hand: 1. ‘Go easy’; 2. Rattletrap. Boneshaker.

2. Supine hand: Weighing something.

3. Pivoting hand: Equilibrium. Balance.

/2 Right-Left

1. Hesitation; 2. Fishtailing.

/3 Front-Back: Ebb and flow. Come and go.

3.1.3 Shaking

/1 Vertical: 1. Aïe aïe aïe; 2. Oh là là!

/2 Transverse: 1. Negation; 2. Airing. Fanning.

/3 Diagonal: Threat. Warning.

/4 Trembling: 1. Fear; 2. Cold; 3. Fever; 4. Alcoholism; 5. Parkinson’s disease.

3.2 In a single movement

/1 Upward

1.1 Horizontal hand

1. Simple movement

1. Stopped: 1. Absolution; 2. Oath-taking: en mettre la main au feu (lit. put one’s hand in the fire = swear to something); 3. Indication of size, height.

2. Continuous: Accumulation.

3. In steps: Echelon. Higher degree.

4. Palms upward: Raise. Lift up.

2. Compound movement

1. Upward and backward: Rear up.

2. Upward and forward: Inclined plane. Slope.

3. Same but continuous: Climbing the slope. Flight. Expansion. Growth. Progression. Hope.

1.2 Hand raised obliquely or vertically

1. As if to throw: Threat. Warning.

2. Against the outside: (1. Repulsion; 2. Stopping: [1. End; 2. Requesting that someone stop, wait. Urging calm]; 3. Restriction; 4. Polite refusal. Opposition. Objection. Negation; 5. Implied Negative Ça . . . ! 6. Self-protection; 7. Reassuring. Calming; 8. Implicit negation: [1. Agreement; 2. Certainty; 3. Perfection]).

3. Alluding to a higher level.

4. Referring to heaven: (1. Calamity. Denigration; 2. Wish. Admiration; 3. Augmentative exclamation).

5. Other: (1. Taking an oath; 2. Any vertical configuration).

/2 Downward

2.1 Horizontal hand

1. Reducing the distance to the ground: (1. Diminish. Lower; 2. Cover. Smother).

2. Eliminating the distance to the ground.

3. Designating the ground to indicate the present.

2.2 Oblique hand

1. Referring to a state: Side. Slope.

2. Referring to a movement: Slip. Go adrift.

2.3 Vertical hand

1. Link from high to low.

2. Drop: (1. Dive. Sink; 2. Striking a blow; 3. Drop of a panel).

3. Cutting. Division: (1. Partition [Panel. Cliff. Fault. Border]; 2. Cutting in two; 3. Rupture. Dichotomy; 4. Trenchant, breaking, sharp, rigid nature of something.)

4. Obstacle. Limit.

2.4 Hand raised to be dropped

1. Capitulation in disgust, ‘drop it’; 2. Rejection.

/3 Upward-Downward

3.1 In an up-down movement at the same spot

1. Powerlessness. (Ignorance); 2. Excusing oneself. Apology; 3. Fatalism.

3.2 In an up-down movement along a line: ‘Ups and downs.’

/4 Forward

4.1 Plane of hand sagittal

1. Single movement: 1. Straight ahead; 2. In the distance; 3. Continuation in space or time; 4. Miming a forward movement.

2. Compound movement: forward and to the side—Bias.

4.2 Plane of hand frontal

1. Limit in space or time (stage, end).

2. Impulse.

/5 Backward

5.1 Pulled back, hand in a frontal plane

1. Backing up. Retreat; 2. Slowing. Braking.

5.2 Fingers folded back on upturned palm

1. Dismissal. Offhandedness; 2. Failure; 3. Departure.

5.3 Raised or thrown back over shoulder.

1. Ancientness, ‘As old as the hills’; 2. Incomplete enumeration, ‘And that’s not all!’ 3. Rejection. Offhand refusal. Disinterest; 4. Failure due to refusal or impossibility.

/6 Forward-Backward

6.1 Forward-Backward: 1. Going away and coming back. Roundtrip; 2. ‘One step forward, two steps back.’

6.2 Backward-Forward: Reculer pour mieux sauter (lit. to back up to jump better = to get a running start).

/7 Outward

7.1 Fingers thrown outward: 1. Exit. Dismissal. Disposal; 2. Let alone, let go.

7.2 Hand pushed: To make something back up.

7.3 Hand splayed: 1. Contribution; 2. Delivery. Distribution. Diffusion; 3. Extroversion: (1. Open up oneself; 2. Reach out to others.)

7.4 Hand stretched toward someone or something

1. Horizontal, palm down: Stop. Request that someone wait. Insertion. Restriction.

2. Horizontal, palm up: 1. Request; 2. Excuse. Innocence.

3. Along various axes, palm up: Concrete designation.

4. Splayed open to the side: 1. Explanation. Example; 2. Conclusive consequence. Conclusion; 3. Obviousness. Evidence.

5. Stretched toward someone, palm up: 1. Abstract designation and reference to someone; 2. Agreement, ‘That’s it. On the nose’; 3. Request for confirmation; 4. Interpolation (remark).

/8 Inward

8.1 Oneself: Designating oneself

8.2 To oneself: Calling others to oneself: (1. ‘Follow me’; 2. ‘Come closer).

8.3 In oneself: Make one’s own: (1. Take in, assimilate; 2. Go within oneself, interiorize).

8.4 For oneself: Gathering for keeps.

8.5 Importing.

/9 Outward-Inward

9.1 Vice versa. Inversely.

9.2 Extroversion-Introversion.

/10 To one side

10.1 To either side

1. In a sweeping or pushing movement: Leave or put aside.

2. Splaying the hand to the side: 1. Indicating the other side; 2. Insertion. Parenthesis; 3. Illustration of passing.

10.2 To the right

10.3 To the left

/11 To each side

Wavering in discourse. Opposition.

/12 Transverse axis

12.1 Horizontal hand

1. Palm down: 1. Totality: (1. Physical totality: End; 2. Totality as a [moral] value: Perfection); 2. Quantity: (1. Physical quantity; 2. Quantity as a (moral) value: Superlative); 3. Directness: (1. Moral directness; 2. Directly following: temporal or logical consequence; 3. Determinism; 4. Certitude); 4. Negation. Refusal. End; 5. Cutoff.

2. Palm up: Cut (reap, undermine).

12.2 Vertical hand

1. In a frontal plane: 1. Palm outward: Negation. End; 2. Palm inward: Barrier or blockade.

2. In a sagittal plane: 1. Chase away. Clear out; 2. Slap.

12.3 Hand in arbitrary configuration

1. Tracing a line: 1. Spatial line or path, literally and figuratively; 2. Path in time.

2. Transfer: 1. Spatial transfer, literally and figuratively; 2. Transfer in time.

/13 Compound movements

13.1 In a frontal plane: 1. Benediction. 2. Faire une croix dessus (lit. make a cross over = say goodbye to it).

13.2 In a horizontal plane: Sharing. Division. Crossroads.

13.3 Drawing straight lines which cross.

-3.3 In a movement tied to a planar surface

/1 Movement parallel to the imagined surface

1.1 Horizontal surface

1. Supine hand: ‘On a platter.’

2. Prone hand: 1. Planar surface; 2. Second planar surface; 3. Laying flat; 4. On the same plane; 5. Planar movement.

1.2 Vertical surface

1. Frontal hand: Fresco. Screen.

2. Sagittal hand: 1. Wall; 2. Cascade.

1.3 Oblique surface or arbitrary plane: 1. Mirror; 2. Note. Proof.

/2 Movement perpendicular to the imagined surface

2.1 Against a horizontal surface: 1. Sticking on. Gluing; 2. Lean on, figuratively. Something acquired, accepted; 3. Weigh down on.

2.2 Against a vertical surface: Poster. Display.

2.3 Against an oblique surface: Accelerator to the floor, literally and figuratively.

Hands A-3 Detached gestures with two hands

3.1 In a repeated movement

3.1.1 Single movement

/1 Hands rubbed

1. Palm over back of other hand, turning movement: 1. Refusal of responsibility—‘I wash my hands of it,’ ‘He washes his hands . . .’; 2. Anguish; 3. Preparing for a dirty deed. Vengeance. Threat.

2. Palm against palm or back of other hand: 1. Warming one’s hands; 2. Preparation for action—‘Let’s get to work’; 3. Joy.

3. Palm against palm: N, i, ni, fini!—Finished!

/2 Hands clapped

1. Call to order; 2. Applause: (1. Admiration. Adherence; 2. Irony).

3.1.2 Alternated

/1 Upward, one over the other: Superposition.

/2 Up-Down

1. Crawl; 2. Swim like a duck; 3. Dog-paddle; 4. Flounder; 5. (Un)Balance.

/3 Frontward: Avancer à pas de loup (lit. move forward with wolf steps = move stealthily).

/4 Front-Back

1. Palms outward: Release the clutch, disengage, literally and figuratively

2. Palms folded toward oneself or in profile: 1. Hesitation; 2. Comparison; 3. Entre deux (neither one nor the other); 4. Fluctuation about: (1. Test; 2. Approximation); 5. One in front, the other behind: (1. Contrast; 2. Competition); 6. Circulation. Exchange.

/5 Lateral: Circulation. Exchange.

3.1.3 Mime-playing various musical instruments.

3.2 In a single movement.

3.2.1 One hand or two hands in a fixed relationship.

/1 Hands in parallel planes

1.1 Placed in parallel planes

1. Horizontal: Planar surface.

2. Sagittal: Face to face. Parallelism.

1.2 Spread apart in parallel planes

1. Horizontal: 1. Height. Thickness; 2. Smallness.

2. Sagittal: 1. Dimension: (1. Width. Length; 2. Narrowness. Smallness). 2. Limit, space or time separation: (1. Margin. Bracket. 2. Measure of time).

3. Frontal: Dimension. Size.

1.3 Lowered in parallel planes

1. Sagittal: Delimiting. Classifying. Framing.

2. Frontal: Limiting.

1.4 Moved forward in parallel planes: Putting on rails. Channeling.

/2 Upward

2.1 In a horizontal plane: 1. Superiority; 2. Increase in size.

2.2 In a frontal plane: Denial of responsibility.

2.3 In two oblique planes: 1. Roof; 2. Springing up

/3 Downward

3.1 In a horizontal plane: 1. Inferiority; 2. Stretching; 3. Reducing by half.

3.2 In a sagittal plane: Tronc commun (lit. common trunk = core curriculum).

3.3 In two oblique planes: 1. Crevasse; 2. Crater; 3. Collapse of a roof.

/4 Up-Down

Seesaw. Phenomena of unbalance.

/5 Forward

1. Go together. Go along with. Put on track; 2. Go past. Overtake; 3. Cut in front of; 4. Prow; 5. Insertion.

/6 From one side to the other

1. Parallelism; 2. Correlation.

/7 Transverse

7.1 One hand on top of the other (sectioning): 1. Scraping; 2. Eliminating half; 3. Amputation.

7.2 Two hands: Reaching equality. Tying the score.

3.2.2 Two hands moving with respect to each other

/1 Moving closer together, then farther apart

1.1 Parallel: Elasticity. Margin.

1.2 Parallel, in frontal planes: 1. Crossing. Cutting across; 2. Substitution; 3. Contradiction.

1.3 In a frontal plane: Attraction.

/2 Moving apart

2.1 In parallel

1. Moving vertically: Unrolling a poster.

2. Moving horizontally: 1. Opening. Unblocking; 2. Separating; 3. Setting back-to-back. Being poles apart; 4. Coming off. Cutting loose from.

2.2 Obliquely

1. Downward: (Opening a) Tripod.

2. Forward: Flaring. Opening. Diverging.

2.3 In a single frontal plane: Clearing. Opening.

2.4 In a single horizontal plane

1. Palms down: (Opening a) Hatch or trap door; 2. Palms up: Let escape, fly out of hands.

/3 Moving apart, but touching at a point

3.1 Wrists touching: (Opening the) Jaw. Valve.

3.2 Little fingers touching: Book or reading.

/4 Moving closer together

4.1 In horizontal planes: Compressing. Compacting. Reducing.

4.2 In sagittal planes: Contracting. Shrinking. Sandwiching. Enclosing.

4.3 In frontal planes: Reducing. Shortening.

4.4 In oblique planes: (1. Converging. 2. Concentrating.)

/5 Coming together and touching

5.1 In horizontal planes

1. Palm to palm: Crushing; 2. Palm to back: Sticking. Plating.

5.2 In sagittal planes

1. Palm to palm: 1. Joining. Welding. Fusion; 2. Crushing.

2. Back to palm: 1. Wallpapering. Covering. Lining. Sticking onto. 2. Smashing against.

5.3 In a single horizontal plane: (Closing a) Trap door.

5.4 In a single frontal plane: 1. Closing; 2. Junction; 3. Antagonism. Confrontation.

/6 Partly joined, closing

6.1 In a horizontal plane: Closing a jaw.

6.2 In a vertical plane: Closing a book.

/7 Joined

1. Prayer. Supplication. Asking for forgiveness; 2. Catastrophe feared; 3. Compunction. Meditation. Concentration.

/8 Clapped

8.1 For a noise: 1. Clash of cymbal; 2. Signalling a change.

8.2 To mark the abruptness of something

8.3 To represent a blow

1. Striking something: Collision; 2. Striking someone: Vengeance; 3. Striking oneself: Failure.

Appendix 3: Gestures targeting the body

Curved movement:)

) Optionally symmetric

0 Face

1. Round face; 2. Bump.

1 Skull

1. Bald spot; 2. Skullcap.

2 Hair

1. Diadem. Crown; 2. Halo; 3. Afro; 4. Wave hairstyle; 5. Ponytail; 6. Curled hair; 7. Bun.

3 Forehead

1. Ringlets; 2. Kiss curls; 3. Reverie. Imagination. Creation. Rumination.

4 Temple
Madness.

7 Eye

1. Glass eye; 2. Monocle; 3. Black eye.

8 Below eye

Rings under eyes.

9 Nose

1. Hook nose; 2. Turned-up nose; 3. Big nose; 4. Drunkenness: Avoir un verre dans le nez (lit. to have a glass—of something—in the nose)

11 Ear(s)

1. Earrings; 2. Hair coiled above the ears.

12 Cheek(s)

1. Swelling; 2. Puffiness; 3. Thick beard.

17 Chin

Double chin.

18 Neck

1. Polo neck; 2. Cowl collar; 3. Goiter; 4. Mumps; 5. Necklet. Cardigan. Round neck.

19 Shoulder(s)

Puff sleeves.

24 Wrist

Big bracelet.

27 Throat

Puff collar.

28 Chest

1. Big bust; 2. Breast-feeding.

30 Thorax

1. Bib. Necklace; 2. Low-cut dress; 3. Long chain. String of pearls; 4. Bomber le torse (lit. to stick the chest out = to swagger about).

31 Stomach

1. Nausea. Strong emotion; 2. Potbelly.

32 Waist

Loose-fitting garment.

34 Abdomen

Bloatedness. Obesity. Pregnancy,

x Anywhere

Bruise.

) Necessarily symmetric

0 Face

1. Motorcycle helmet. Diving helmet; 2. Headscarf; 3. Grosse tête (big head, literally and figuratively)

2 Hair

Hair curlers.

7 Eyes

1. Wide-open eyes. Round eyeglasses; 2. Binoculars; 3. Telescope.

11 Ears

Headphones.

28 Chest

Il y a du monde au balcon (lit. the balcony’s crowded = she’s stacked)

32 Waist

1. Wasp-waisted; 2. Waistcoat.

Straight-line movement: /

Hand(s) Α-1One or two hands held flat (A) touching one’s own body (-1)

Hands A-1Two hands held flat touching one’s own body

Appendix 4: Head movements

Head3.1Repeated movement