Monastic Sign Language

Lexicon

Monasteries would have their own official lexicons (which is a science-y way of saying 'word lists') of the signs that their monks were allowed to use. These lexicons often existed of four categories:

• Food and drink: these signs were mostly used in the kitchens during food preparation
• Clothing and tools: among other things, these signs allowed higher-ups to alert novice monks when they weren't wearing their robes correctly, since they were quite peculiar about that
• Divine office: these were used to quietly guide everyone through complex religious rituals
• Miscellaneous: these include abstract concepts, personal names, adjectives, and other signs that do not fit the other three categories

The signs in these categories make up the original lists, but many monasteries also had their own unofficial signs