Indigenous signs for cities in Australia (Australia)

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Flags: World flag database.
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For a quick, interesting resource for facts about this and other countries,
try Mystic Planet - The New Age directory of Planet Earth.

Explanation of glossing system used
(to understand how I describe the signs in this dictionary)

Adelaide
(1) DH [1], PO down, FO > NDS, strokes down on thumbtip of NDH [A dot], PO > DS.1 (< modification of the Auslan letter "A".) (2) Tap the slightly curved index and middle fingers of one hand on the chin.1

Brisbane
(2h)[O] knock FTs together 2x.2 (< Auslan B-B.)

Hobart
(2h)[B], DH brushes its palm against the palm of the NDH from wrist to FTs, like the ASL sign NICE, then DH [1] points downwards.2 [< "H (Auslan FS) here".]

Launceston
NDH [S], PO > DS held in place; DH [squashed C], PO > signer, brushes chin while moving from side to side, then land on NDH with a slap.2 (< the local geography: Launceston is on the north coast of the island state of Tasmania, which is south of Melbourne. The fist represents Tasmania, and the other hand in effect says "Melbourne up there, us down here on top of Tasmania".)

Melbourne
(1) [4], FO points to neck, wg while moving lf and rt 2x.1 (2) [squashed C], PO > signer, brushes chin while moving from side to side.2

Sydney
(2h)[H dot], PO ><, FO up, start close together at forehead and descend while separating and closing into the final handshape for NO.1 (< imitation of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.)

List of sources cited

1. Signs around the world: Cities [Videotape]. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media.
2. J. Sutton, personal communication, 1998.

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