in Numerals in Three Indigenous Nigerian Signed language studies have witnessed a cycle over the years, as scholars have invested an increased interest in finding the relationship between and signed language. The quest to establish the relationship between gesture and signed language has been in the front stage of signed language studies from the onset. Signed languages were earlier considered gestures Scholars such as Okrent (2002), Kendon (2004), Baker & Wollf (2008), McNeil (2015), Golden-Meadow (2017), all have investigated the relationship between gestures and signed (and spoken) languages. Two signed language varieties exist in The Conventional (School or Foreign- Based Sign Language) is largely a product of Deaf in Nigeria introduced by Rev. Andrew Foster constituting of:

This is the signed languag e variety used in urban areas and largely by most deaf individuals with basic formal education Several views exist among Nigerian Deaf signers on the status of this signed language

[Signed] Lang uag e scholars (for instance, Nyst, 2010) have referred to this variety as “a dialect of American Sign Lang uag e” The INSLs are organically developed signed languages in Deaf communities, largely used by Deaf in rural areas, with little or no formal education. Many INSLs: There is a continuum from gesture to sign in the development of signed languages, in both historical and ontogenetic time frames; historically, gesture is considered to develop into signs in signed languages as lexicon develops into grammar in spoken language (Hoiting and Slobin, 2007). We want to name the Deaf community that Orie (2013) studied as Akure Deaf community, as we use the community as a check to the analysis of gesture in the other two communities - Ibokun and Magajin Gari IBOKUN Sign Language is signed in Ibokun village in Obokun Local Govt., Osun State, Nigeria. The village has an estimated population of over 200 Deaf signers, some of whom are bilingual. Magajin Gari sign language is an indigenous sign language of the Deaf people of Kaduna occupying the Magajin gari region in , Nigeria. Magajin Gari is a region in the northern part of Kaduna where Magajin Gari Sign language was documented.

The video (you watched) shows a signer signing the words [alligator], [vulture], [frog] demonstratively and iconically. Orie (2013) is the first work on gesture in indigenous Nigerian sign language numerals known to us.

Conventional Counting and Signing Numerals

Fing er-counting

• The fingers appear to be the oldest numerical symbols in most African languages and cultures. • However, finger-counting varies with different cultures and languages. • Many Nigerian cultures count figures and numerals on the fingers and toes - a convention that may be as old as the languages themselves. • From observation, counting often begins with either of the two fingers - the index or the pinky finger. • Counting usually revolves around all the fingers and sometimes extended to the toes. Conventional Counting and Signing Numerals

Fing er-counting

• This current study supports Orie's (2013) view that indigenous signed languages adopt the counting conventions of their immediate community and allow for possible modification over a period of use. • Factors that bring modifications may include possible contacts with other signed or spoken languages of the neighboring communities. • How the modifications are done over time has hardly been investigated. Distinctive Features in Signing Numerals

Four major features have been identified in numeral counting in INSLs in this study

• Dominant Fingers • • Palm Orientation • Palms Vs. Fingers Dominant Fingers

We earlier mentioned the use of the index and pinky fingers as initializers of the numerical count.

• From the video and other data we have collected, the index finger and the pinky finger are dominant in signing numerals in Magajin Gari Sign Language (MgSL) and other varieties of Hausa Sign Language (HSL). • While the index finger begins the counting from the number 1 on one hand, the pinky finger, begins the counting on the other hand for the number 6, and after every five on either hand. • While the numbers 6, 16, 26, etc., are counted on the pinky finger, the numbers 1, 11, 21, 31, etc., are counted on the index finger. • However, the use of the dominant fingers seems to vary among different signers. Dominant Fingers

Unlike the Akure Sign Language, Ibokun Sign Language appears to interchang e the index and pinky fingers.

• Pinky finger for 6; pinky finger plus big toe for 16, etc., index finger for 1, 11, etc. • In Akure Sign Language, Orie (2013) distinguishes between the use of pinky in signed numerals and in conventional gestured numerals. • While the pinky is bent for the numbers 1, 6.etc., in gestured numerals, it stands while other fingers are bent in the signed numerals. • Gestured Numerals - [+PIN KY] [+BEN T] • Signed Numerals - [+PIN KY] [-BEN T] Handshapes and Palm Orientation

Handshapes and palm orientation are prominent distinctive features in numerals in the three signed languag es.

• In the three signed language varieties, the counting of fives and tens are outstanding and distinctive in and palm orientation. • The grappolo or zero handshape (Kendon, 2004) and the B-handshapes and the closed fist hand (for gestured numerals) are the distinctive hands for fives and tens. • Akure Sign Language (AkSL, Orie, 2013) - [+B- HAND] [+OPEN PALM] [+SPREAD] [+FRO N T] • Ibokun Sign Language (IbSL) - [+B-HAND] [+OPEN] [+FRONT] • Magajin Gari Sign Language (MgSL) - [+GRAPPOLO] [+CLOSED] [-FRONT] 5 and 10 in AkSL 5 in IbSL 10 in MgSL 5 and 10 in Gestured Numeral in Akure

Notice the dynamics in the signing varieties Palm Vs. Fingers

Usually, the fingers are used for counting across cultures and lang uag es, spoken and signed.

• However, in these three signing systems, the palm seems to play a significant role in counting, also especially the fives and tens. • While the fingers actively involved in counting the fives and tens in MgSL and related signed languages used in Northern Nigeria, • The palms are actively involved in signing same numbers in IbSL and AkSL. • In IbSL, the palms join with the toes to count from 15 up, while, • In MgSL all counting is signed on the fingers. Documentations of indigenous Gestures are well accounted for signed languages should take in numerals and by extension an this gesture significance into integral part of the indigenous consideration and ensure to signed languages. accommodate them. Conclusion

Despite the existing scholarly Deaf signers should recognize works on gestures in signed that gestures enrich their languages, the significance of indigenous signed languages gestures in indigenous signed like they do in spoken languages have been scarcely languages, they don't make the studied. languages “local”. References

1 Asonye, E., Emma-A sonye, E. & Edward, M. (2018).

2 Asonye, E. (2019).

3 Asonye, E., Edward, M., & Emma- Asonye, E. (2020).

4 Chinatown

5 Ang el Island Acknowledgements

1 Rebekah Akinpelumi and Tope Olaniyi for collecting data from Ibokun Deaf Community

2 Ibokun Deaf Community

3 Team S-DELI for documenting Magajin Gari Sign Language

4 Magajin Gari Deaf Community

5 Naija SignApp Project Team