Pinky Extension as a Phonestheme in Mongolian Sign Language

In Mongolian Sign Language, many signs with negative connotations are produced with a hand configuration in which the pinky is extended while the other fingers are flexed. This article describes the lexemes articulated with this hand configuration and gives their meanings, reviews morphological processes and phonetic symbolism, and argues that the hand configuration is a strong phonestheme. A less frequent tendency in the language is described, wherein the thumb appears to be associated with positive meaning as a weak phonestheme. Reviews of international perspectives on these two hand configurations indicate they are not universal. A possible origin of the evaluative implications is suggested by a hand game commonly played in Mongolia, in which each finger beats another finger, which may imply power or prestige toward the thumb and away from the pinky.