the expression of emotion in man and animals-第59章
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he may possibly fold his arms across his breast。
_Signs of affirmation or approval； and of negation or disapproval： nodding and shaking the head_。I was curious to ascertain how far the common signs used by us in affirmation and negation were general throughout the world。 These signs are indeed to a certain extent expressive of our feelings； as we give a vertical nod of approval with a smile to our children； when we approve of their conduct； and shake our heads laterally with a frown； when we disapprove。 With infants； the first act of denial consists in refusing food； and I repeatedly noticed with my own infants； that they did so by withdrawing their heads laterally from the breast； or from anything offered them in a spoon。 In accepting food and taking it into their mouths； they incline their heads forwards。 Since making these observations I have been informed that the same idea had occurred to Charma。＇17＇ It deserves notice that in accepting or taking food； there is only a single movement forward； and a single nod implies an affirmation。 On the other hand； in refusing food； especially if it be pressed on them； children frequently move their heads several times from side to side； as we do in shaking our heads in negation。 Moreover； in the case of refusal； the head is not rarely thrown backwards； or the mouth is closed； so that these movements might likewise come to serve as signs of negation。 Mr。 Wedgwood remarks on this subject；＇18＇ that 〃when the voice is exerted with closed teeth or lips； it produces the sound of the letter _n_ or _m_。 Hence we may account for the use of the particle _ne_ to signify negation； and possibly also of the Greek mh in the same sense。〃
＇17＇ ‘Essai sur le Langage；' 2nd edit。 1846。 I am much indebted to Miss Wedgwood for having given me this information； with an extract from the work。
That these signs are innate or instinctive； at least with Anglo…Saxons； is rendered highly probable by the blind and deaf Laura Bridgman 〃constantly accompanying her _yes_ with the common affirmative nod； and her _no_ with our negative shake of the head。〃 Had not Mr。 Lieber stated to the contrary；＇19＇ I should have imagined that these gestures might have been acquired or learnt by her； considering her wonderful sense of touch and appreciation of the movements of others。 With microcephalous idiots； who are so degraded that they never learn to speak； one of them is described by Vogt；＇20＇ as answering； when asked whether he wished for more food or drink； by inclining or shaking his head。 Schmalz； in his remarkable dissertation on the education of the deaf and dumb； as well as of children raised only one degree above idiotcy； assumes that they can always both make and understand the common signs of affirmation and negation。〃
Nevertheless if we look to the various races of man； these signs are not so universally employed as I should have expected； yet they seem too general to be ranked as altogether conventional or artificial。 My informants assert that both signs are used by the Malays； by the natives of Ceylon； the Chinese； the negroes of the Guinea coast； and； according to Gaika； by the Kafirs of South Africa； though with these latter people Mrs。 Barber has never seen a lateral shake used as a negative。 With respect to the Australians； seven observers agree that a nod is given in affirmation； five agree about a lateral shake in negation； accompanied or not by some word； but Mr。 Dyson Lacy has never seen this latter sign in Queensland； and Mr。 Bulmer says that in Gipps' Land a negative is expressed by throwing the head a little backwards and putting out the tongue。 At the northern extremity of the continent； near Torres Straits； the natives when uttering a negative 〃don't shake the head with it； but holding up the right hand； shake it by turning it half round and back again two or three times。〃＇22＇ The throwing back of the head with a cluck of the tongue is said to be used as a negative by the modern Greeks and Turks； the latter people expressing _yes_ by a movement like that made by us when we shake our heads。＇23＇ The Abyssinians； as I am informed by Captain Speedy； express a negative by jerking the head to the right shoulder； together with a slight cluck； the mouth being closed； an affirmation is expressed by the head being thrown backwards and the eyebrows raised for an instant。 The Tagals of Luzon； in the Philippine Archipelago； as I hear from Dr。 Adolf Meyer； when they say 〃yes；〃 also throw the head backwards。 According to the Rajah Brooke； the Dyaks of Borneo express an affirmation by raising the eyebrows； and a negation by slightly contracting them； together with a peculiar look from the eyes。 With the Arabs on the Nile； Professor and Mrs。 Asa Gray concluded that nodding in affirmation was rare； whilst shaking the head in negation was never used； and was not even understood by them。 With the Esquimaux＇24＇ a nod means _yes_ and a wink _no_。 The New Zealanders 〃elevate the head and chin in place of nodding acquiescence。〃＇25＇
＇18＇ ‘On the Origin of Language；' 1866； p。 91。
＇19＇ ‘On the Vocal Sounds of L。 Bridgman；' Smithsonian Contributions； 1851； vol。 ii。 p。 11。
＇20＇ ‘Memoire sur les Microcephales；' 1867； p。 27。
＇21＇ Quoted by Tylor； ‘Early History of Mankind；' 2nd edit。 1870； p。 38。
＇22＇ Mr。 J。 B。 Jukes； ‘Letters and Extracts；' &c。 1871； p。 248。
＇23＇ F。 Lieber； ‘On the Vocal Sounds；' &c。 p。 11。 Tylor； ibid。 p。 53。
With the Hindoos Mr。 H。 Erskine concludes from inquiries made from experienced Europeans； and from native gentlemen； that the signs of affirmation and negation varya nod and a lateral shake being sometimes used as we do； but a negative is more commonly expressed by the head being thrown suddenly backwards and a little to one side； with a cluck of the tongue。 What the meaning may be of this cluck of the tongue； which has been observed with various people； I cannot imagine。 A native gentleman stated that affirmation is frequently shown by the head being thrown to the left。 I asked Mr。 Scott to attend particularly to this point； and； after repeated observations； he believes that a vertical nod is not commonly used by the natives in affirmation； but that the head is first thrown backwards either to the left or right； and then jerked obliquely forwards only once。 This movement would perhaps have been described by a less careful observer as a lateral shake。 He also states that in negation the head is usually held nearly upright； and shaken several times。
Mr。 Bridges informs me that the Fuegians nod their heads vertically in affirmation； and shake them laterally in denial。 With the wild Indians of North America； according to Mr。 Washington Matthews； nodding and shaking the head have been learnt from Europeans； and are not naturally employed。 They express affirmation by describing with the hand （all the fingers except the index being flexed） a curve downwards and outwards from the body； whilst negation is expressed by moving the open hand outwards； with the palm facing inwards。〃 Other observers state that the sign of affirmation with these Indians is the forefinger being raised； and then lowered and pointed to the ground； or the hand is waved straight forward from the face； and that the sign of negation is the finger or whole hand shaken from side to side。＇26＇ This latter movement probably represents in all cases the lateral shaking of the head。 The Italians are said in like manner to move the lifted finger from right to left in negation； as indeed we English sometimes do。
＇24＇ Dr。 King； Edinburgh Phil。 Journal； 1845； p。 313。
＇25＇ Tylor； ‘Early History of Mankind；' 2nd edit。 1870； p。 53。
On the whole we find considerable diversity in the signs of affirmation and negation in the different races of man。 With respect to negation； if we admit that the shaking of the finger or hand from side to side is symbolic of the lateral movement of the head； and if we admit that the sudden backward movement of the head represents one of the actions often practised by young children in refusing food； then there is much uniformity throughout the world in the signs of negation； and we can see how they originated。 The most marked exceptions are presented by the Arab
