Abi Handspeak
Summercamp Prompt Response for: A form of silent communication
Before the invention of radios, Khatoumani Handspeak (Bdar'rAbi -- Abi) was developed by Khatoumani wasters as a way to communicate while wearing sealed envirosuits.
Abi started as a series of hand signals used by guides and explorers—indicators of direction, movement, hazards, and points of interest—but during conflicts with Faur'ridar'ru Abi took on new life as a way for the border guard to communicate without alerting Malisyk of their presence.
After many of the guard went on to found the Survivalist's Guild at Faur'ricai, Abi became a widely used language and finally found civilian application for the deaf and disabled, and was even able to supplant Negenani Callsigning due to the complexity of its grammar and the concepts it can convey.
A Khirmagne
From Khatoum
A Translator
Are hard of hearing
The Most Vulgar Gesture
The Palm Hook, also known as The Hook is a rude gesture known almost to everyone in Ethnis, but it began with usage in Abi.
Like all words in Abi, it has many meanings depending handedness and hand position.
Handedness
The left hand is the hand of peace in Jhoutaioan culture, due to it being the nondominant hand for combat. A lefthanded gesture is intended to be friendly, while a right handed gesture is typically meant to be a directive or offensive.
Regardless of hand, a gesture made with your hand in front of your body is almost always a proposition. New speakers are advised to keep their hands out to the sides when signing.
Hand Elevation
As with Tone in Sazasharanare, the elevation of the signer's hand tends to convey more of a constructive or destructive meaning, with low gestures being seen more as aggressive and high gestures being seen more as playful.
I looove how important hand position is to all this, as well as what sign you're making. I know I would forget and accidentally proposition people whilst trying to ask where the toilet is. XD