Final answer:
The "Don't Walk" or "Raised Hand" sign signals pedestrians to stop and not cross the street. The raised hand has been a means of non-verbal communication for centuries, indicating various commands or desires, such as the wish to speak up or to vote.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrases "Don't Walk" or "Raised Hand" are commonly seen on pedestrian crossing signs and they indicate that pedestrians should not cross the street at that time. The raised hand symbol is used to signal stop, and it is a universal non-verbal communication used to grab attention or indicate a command. This usage of the raised hand can trace its importance back through history, as seen in the provided excerpt from Quintilian's Institutes of Oratory, where the gesture of raising hands had significance in public speaking and, by extension, in social communication.
The concept of raising one's hand to communicate various messages has been part of human interactions for centuries. In modern contexts, raising a hand can signal a desire to speak, ask for help, or vote. It is a gestural language understood across different cultures, used in classrooms for students to indicate they want to answer a question or participate in a discussion.