The top 10 hand gestures you'd better get right | Language Trainers UK Blog
The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right
September 24, 2007 at 10:30 am · Filed under Cultural differences, Unspoken · Posted by Dave
Anybody remember when George H W Bush tried to signal ‘peace’ during a visit to Australia in the 90s by giving a large crowd the time-honoured two-fingered salute? Though he didn’t know it at the time, he was actually telling the whole crowd to go screw themselves - and all because he made the seemingly innocuous error that his palm was facing inwards instead of outwards.
Nacho highlighted the danger of using certain hand gestures when travelling in an earlier post, as some have very different meanings in some countries from what we as Westerners believe them to stand for. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. The “Wanker”
This one actually has a universal meaning; it was just too good not to include in any compilation of hand gestures. There aren’t many places on earth where you could get away with frantically fist-pumping at somebody - I’d imagine because masturbating’s the same wherever you go. Even in Japan.
 | Particularly popular with fans at football matches to taunt opposition players, Tony Blair famously copped a bit of embarrassment when the uncensored version of a photograph of him during his Oxford University days was shown on BBC2’s Newsnight: a photo that had later been photoshopped by the supplying press agency to cover up Blair’s rude – and delightfully unambiguous – hand gesture. Yes, Tony. You are. |
Interestingly, in Greece and Portugal the gesture is made with the palm facing the ground, implying that the person is rather fonder of wanking other men as opposed to himself.
2. The “Thumbs-Up”
First of all, let’s quash the urban legend of the ‘thumbs-up/thumbs-down’ being used by the audience in the Roman coliseum to vote on the life or death of a defeated gladiator, as furthered by such movies as Gladiator and Spartacus. There’s no evidence for this, and it’s just massively unlikely. Sorry.
While Western culture has become used to the thumbs-up as a positive, informal signal, generally indicating a job well done (probably stemming from World War II pilots using the signal to communicate that they were “good to go” with ground crews), there are cultures where a thumbs-up may land you in trouble. In most of Latin America and West Africa, as well as Greece, Russia, Sardinia and the south of Italy, the thumbs-up basically means the same as the middle finger: “sit on it and swivel”. Also, it’s generally not recommended to use the thumbs-up around the Middle East as it’s pretty much the biggest insult out there – and even worse if you pull off the emphatic version with both hands - so no Fonzie impressions, please.
Rather more charming is a thumbs-up in Germany and in the less-Westernised areas of Japan – they just see it as the hand signal for the number one. Bless.
3. The “Moutza”
Opening your palm to your target and stretching out your fingers seems harmless enough to most Westerners. Most of us would think you’re waving. In Greece, however, the gesture is known as a moutza, and is one of their most traditional manual insults. With fingers slightly apart, you thrust your hand into your target’s face, usually coupling the gesture with a brash “na!”, meaning “here you go!”. The basic suggestion is something like “eat shit”, implying that you’re not particularly impressed and would rather the target of the moutza leave you alone – comparable to the American interpretation of the same signal as “talk to the hand, because the face isn’t listening”.
The gesture is also an insulting one in Pakistan and many parts of Africa. The Japanese use a very similar sign to insult their old enemies, the Koreans. Roughly translating as ‘animal’, the signal is similar to the moutza in every way except they tuck the thumb into the palm.
Amusingly, Microsoft used to use a very similar-looking hand signal as an icon for warning dialogs in previous versions of Windows – what Greek users must have thought of that, I don’t know… “This application has performed an illegal operation - now, eat shit!”.
4. The “Dog Call”
Curling your index finger towards you in a summoning motion is a gesture generally linked with seductive temptresses in Hollywood movies, beckoning for their targeted men to follow them into another room.
Beware, however, of using this gesture in the Philippines – it’s a method of communication considered worthy only to use on dogs, and is actually punishable by arrest. Worst of all, they’ll break your index finger in order to prevent you from committing the same crime again!
5. The “A-OK”
Mainly used by scuba divers to mean “OK” (to prevent ambiguity with the thumbs-up sign, which means “ascend”), this hand gesture is generally called ‘A-OK’, and in America and the UK is often used to tell somebody that they’ve made a great meal, as talking with your mouth would just be impolite. Essentially the meaning comes out as “great”, or “absolutely fine”.
Not so, however, in a few countries in Europe, where the numerical interpretation gives the signal an insulting overtone – essentially you’re telling them that you think they’re a ‘zero’.
Far worse, however, is the meaning in Brazil, Germany and a few Mediterranean countries: the circular shape of the gesture gives it the meaning of “anus”, and is therefore used to call somebody an “asshole”, or, by extension, a homosexual. You probably wouldn’t learn that in most of the German courses London has to offer.
6. The “Cutis”
While there isn’t really an equivalent in Western culture, the cutis in Indian and Pakistani culture is basically a thumbs-up, except you push the nail on your thumb against your front teeth and flick, while saying “cutta!”. It basically amounts to “screw you”, and famously appeared in the media when Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar made the gesture in Melbourne as he left the field for a rain delay during the 2004 test series against Australia.
7. The “V Sign”
The age-old ‘V sign’ comes in two formats: one with the palm faced outwards, and one with the palm inwards. In America the two hand signals mean the same thing – ‘victory’, as popularised by Richard Nixon, or ‘peace and love’, which seemed to become the primary meaning after anti-Vietnam protesters used it during the 60s.
However, if the outside of your hand is facing your target, you’re giving somebody a long-established insult in Great Britain and many English-speaking countries such as Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Winston Churchill famously used the ‘incorrect’ version of the V sign during the early years of the war, switching round later when he’d been told by his advisors that he wasn’t exactly giving the lower social orders a positive message. The V sign is also considered rude in Italy, especially if you place your nose between the two fingers, making the gesture resemble a crude vagina.
I myself have almost seen a fight start as a result of an American tourist ordering drinks in an English pub: when asked how many pints he wanted, he simply stuck two fingers up and looked straight into the eyes of the barman – perfectly normal on the other side of the Atlantic (it’s actually the signal for the number 2 in American Sign Language), but it’s fighting talk to the British.
8. The “Fig”
Nothing more than a fist with the thumb poking out from between the index and middle fingers, the mano fico (literally ‘fig hand’) is a gesture of Roman origin, used as a positive gesture to encourage good luck and fertility, and ward away the ‘evil eye’. The sexual nuance comes from from the hand’s resemblance to the female private parts (fica is actually Italian slang for “vulva”), with the nub of the thumb representing the clitoris.
There seems to be a lack of positive meaning to this sign these days, however. If you’re doing the ‘fig’, it probably means you’re denoting a letter T in American Sign Language. But if somebody else is giving you the same gesture (especially if they are of the Asian persuasion), they’re probably giving you a rather disparaging insult, roughly equivalent to “fuck you!”. This hand sign is also highly disparaging to Italians and Turks, and in India would be taken as a threatening gesture. Most non-deaf Americans or Brits, however, would simply see the mano fico as a bizarre-looking fist.
9. The “Corna”
Consisting of a clenched fist with the second and fifth fingers straightened out, the corna (‘horns’) hand gesture has most recently been adopted by fans of rock and heavy metal music, first used by Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio. The gesture carries only a vague meaning, implying the presence of Satan, malevolence and loud guitar music, and is used in much the same way as headbanging. The gesture was actually popularised as a Satanic salute during the 1960s, appearing in many editions of the Satanic Bible. Nowadays many Americans use the gesture simply to mean “rock on”, or in support of the University of Texas in Austin (known as the “Hook ‘em Horns”).
Occasionally used by baseball players to indicate “two outs”, the corna is actually a positive hand gesture in Buddhism and Hinduism, known as the Karana Mudra in such circles, and is used to dispel evil – an interestingly opposite meaning to its contemporary significance.
Historically, however, the symbol basically means “cuckold” (or rather, “your wife is cheating on you”), and its origins are Mediterranean, possibly dating back to Ancient Greece. The corna is still popular in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Colombia, Brazil, Albania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and seems to be used most often to disagree with football referees - perhaps their wives are taking advantage of their husband’s occupation to score with hunky football players - though only when the referee make an incorrect decision, of course…
Of course, if you’re thinking of learning that in a Spanish course London is probably the best place to start…
10. “The Finger”
Most likely derived from Ancient Greece, ‘the finger’ is one of the most widespread obscene gestures throughout the Western world. In a handful of Mediterranean and Arab countries the index finger is preferred to the middle, but the meaning remains crystal clear. There are a myriad of different stories for the origin of the finger (going back as far as 2500 years), making mention of Greek tragedies, phallic representation, perverse Roman emperors, English longbowmen, and annoyed deaf people - but we just don’t know.
Also known as the ‘flip-off’, the ‘bird’, the ‘highway salute’, ‘digitus impudicus’ and the ‘One-Fingered Victory Salute’ (thanks to President Bush’s famous TV blooper), the middle finger is probably the most universally-understood hand gesture in the world. This is owed mostly to its age, the sheer simplicity of the gesture, as well as the human preoccupation with somehow relating everything back to sexual organs.
Of course there are regional differences, from half-extending the second and fourth fingers (no doubt to represent the ‘balls’ either side of the middle finger ‘dick’) or combining the finger with another rude gesture, to being as creative as holding up your middle three fingers and telling your target to “read between the lines”.
What have we learned here? Well, perhaps that endless French lessons aren’t necessarily going to make you immune to insulting French people.
So, there you have it - ten of the most popular (and most globally misunderstood) hand gestures, in all their glory. I’ll end this post by offering the same advice Nacho did in his post - the best idea when travelling abroad is probably to keep both hands pinned to your sides.
Permanently.
Do you think they should cover British slang and our most popular hand gestures as part of the English courses London has to offer?
171 Comments »
romney said,
September 25, 2007 @ 9:55 am
You left off the shocker:
http://www.rotten.com/library/language/the-finger/shocker/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shocker_(hand_gesture)snatchertas said,
September 25, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Correction:
#1 and #2 in Greece are no different than in the USA or the UK. For #3 the origin of the gesture is said to be the age-old stone-throwing. In modern Greece you will find both young drivers saluting each others with the “moutza” (expressing extreme disaproval for the stupidity of the other driver) and old women in villages using it like a curse which is probably a more accurate use.blah said,
September 25, 2007 @ 11:02 am
“Interestingly, in Greece and Portugal the gesture is made with the palm facing the ground, implying that the person is rather fonder of wanking other men as opposed to himself.”
Are you sure what are you talking about???
Living in Portugal and traveling to Greece frequently i never saw it like you say. The gesture is different but it means the same and does not imply wanking other mens!Bob said,
September 25, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
The caption for Jenna Bush is incorrect. It does not mean “Rock On” in this case, rather it is the hand signal for The University of Texas at Austin, which means “Hook’em Horns” and yes she did attend The University of Texas at Austin.
Anon said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
The ‘A-OK’ sign is also used in Finland to show that you have zero days left to serve in the army (which is compulsory). Some even blow air through the hole to figuratively express their satisfaction of never having to go back to those days. I enjoyed the time so I never understood or granted them this pleasure when I was serving (being served =P).
Paul Logasa Bogen II said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
More likely Jenna Bush was doing the “hook ‘em horns” sign. Which is the hand gesture associated with the University of Texas, her alma mater, since their mascot is a longhorn steer.
Longhorns_Fan said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Jena B and Big Daddy Dubya were at the University of Texas and were using the “Longhorns Salute”. Not rock on or bow to the devil or any other nonsense the media, as all ways (and so many other things), gets wrong.
Ian said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
in #10 you mention that the English Longbowman as a possible origin.
Infact The longbowman is more likly to be a reason for the V sign (#7) as you need two fingers to pull the string.
The common explanation for this in the UK is that when English bowmen were caugth by Norman’s/French, these two fingers were cut off. The sign could then be interprited as “i’ve got both my fingers, Now eat my arrows!”Sven said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
The ‘Cutis’ was origanlally an old british signal that was exported to the southern asian states during the time of the british empire. It actually means ‘I’ve tasted your wife!’
Someone said,
September 25, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
regarding the Cutis, word “cutta” mean dog in both Hindi and Urdu.
eric said,
September 25, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
living in germany i am pretty sure nobody thinks the #5 A-OK would be an insult here. it’s just a sign of something being good, possibly the food. i never even thought it could mean anus. who are your sources?
bill said,
September 25, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
#9 is also a symbol for the University of Texas Longhorns, which is why Jenna Bush is using the gesture.
Pasha_TX said,
September 25, 2007 @ 3:26 pm
Regarding The “Thumbs-Up” and Russia.
I would disagree that in Russia and in most former Soviet republics “Thumbs-Up” has negative connotation. it actually means all good, people use it the same way Arnold does.Fig in Russia also means nothing or is somebody asks all you show is fig meaning i can give you only this, so go get lost. it used to be big deal in Soviet Union, but it is now rather taken over by middle finger.
Fabio said,
September 26, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
In Argentina (south america, latin) The “Corna” has the same meaning like another latin countries, it means “cornudo”, with horns, and, of course, is when your wife is with another man
Steve said,
September 26, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
Nice article and good explainations of them. Think need to cut down on the thumbs up here.
Tamer said,
September 26, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
i have never new the name of #8, but i knew now
ork said,
September 26, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
#5 in Brazil is in fact A-OK. But with the palm turned to your own body, it means “you asshole”.
Rafael said,
September 26, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
Very interesting posting. Being an immigrant in the US, I always wonder about this. I got in a little bit of trouble once when at work somebody made a signal with his hand pointing his index finger up, that in America means “wait a minute”, I didn’t know what it ment so I kept walking, needless to say he got very mad at me. In Mexico there are many hand signs that people should be aware of when traveling. Also Italians are very animated with hand gestures while talking. I enjoyed this article. Thanks!
Daniel Hawkins said,
September 26, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
Number 9 - “The Corna”
This is also widely known to be the hand signal (Hook ‘em Horns) for the University of Texas Longhorns, which I’m pretty sure is what Jenna Bush was doing, as she is an alumnus.
Ol' Scratch said,
September 26, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
Check it out! These world leaders want you to ROCK ON!
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Wicca%20&%20Witchcraft/signs_of_satan.htm
Dave said,
September 26, 2007 @ 11:31 pm
In #9 Jenna Bush isn’t saying “rock on” she is saying “hook ‘em horns.” This is a hand gesture commonly used at the University of Texas, as seen here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_‘em_HornsHook ‘em!
FatJoe from Kokomo said,
September 26, 2007 @ 11:38 pm
Jenna’s ‘corna’ might, more likely, be what fans of the University of Texas Longhorns sports teams call the “Hook ‘Em Horns”, symbolizing the longhorn mascot. And yes indeed, it has its own wikipedia page.
Bud said,
September 27, 2007 @ 12:53 am
It does seem a bit odd that Jenna Bush would be doing the “rock on” signal on stage, in front of her dad. I’d say she’s showing school spirit. Hook ‘em Horns!
dave said,
September 27, 2007 @ 2:35 am
I agree. Jenna was probably just giving the “hook ‘em horns” sign that symbolizes she stayed drunk while studying at the University of Texas.
MorganLighter said,
September 27, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Dave - Thanks for all the information on this and that. To be safe, I think I’ll just keep my hands in my pockets.
Buddha said,
September 27, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
#3. I’m from the Philippines and it is a insulting to be summoned with the dog call. A better method would be having the palm facing the ground and using your four fingers (excluding the thumb) curling towards you repeatedly. I am not aware of any laws that would want to break your finger though. You might get into a fight if you do that but you will still have your index finger intact.
Ammon said,
September 27, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
You’re better off not keeping your hands in your pockets—just put them at your sides. In some countries, speaking with someone with your hands in your pockets is a big no-no.
Igz said,
September 27, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
Guys. We get it. Jenna Bush is doing the Hook ‘Em Horns. Why on earth do you think we need thirty different people telling him the same thing?
As for the article, it’s definitely an interesting read. And people telling commenting that the signals may not mean what you say they mean only makes me agree with MorganLighter more- these hands are staying hidden.
Agustin said,
September 27, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Hey, great article!!
I only have to disagree with one thing, here in Latin America (I’m from Argentina, but I think that in most countries from here it’s the same) the “thumbs-up” means the same that in the US.PS: Sorry for my english =P
Jack said,
September 27, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
3# The “Fig” in Poland means “I don’t give you anything” or Fuck off
Andrei said,
September 27, 2007 @ 10:26 pm
The Figa is the most common one in russia, not the thumbs-up.
Dave said,
September 28, 2007 @ 3:48 am
the second and third finger clenched with the first and fouth digit extended.whilst the thumb covers the clenched fingers is american sign language for ” i Love you”
come on guys
Dave Hardy said,
September 28, 2007 @ 4:31 am
With regard the corna, my late father in law, an expert on languages and cultures, I think told me that in some places it symbolized the horns of the goat, which essentially meant someone was trifling with the affections of your wife and you were too stupid to know or cowardly to interfere (”goat” I know is a fighting insult in Spanish).
matt said,
October 1, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
I might argue that the “cutis” may have been used in western society in the past but fallen out of favor. The reason I think this is in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” Act 1 Scene 1 where 2 of Capulet’s henchmen start a fight with some of the Montagues when one of them bites his thumb at them. The line I remembered is, “No, sir. I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.” There are several other lines which seem to indicate that it was considered a highly offensive gesture. So offensive in fact that the person making the gesture would not have been considered in the right if the gesture had started a fight. My URL links to a page with the scene.
Kate said,
October 1, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
I actually think that Jenna Bush is flashing the “hook ‘em horns”, the hand gesture meant to represent the mascot and informal slogan of the University of Texas (also Ms. Bush’s alma mater).
John said,
October 1, 2007 @ 11:33 pm
The thumbs-up in Latin America aren’t an insult, unless you move your hand up and down, as in “shove it up yours”.
Elizabeth said,
October 2, 2007 @ 1:39 am
#9 is also the sign for the University of Texas Longhorns where Bush’s daughter went to college.
t said,
October 2, 2007 @ 6:01 am
The “Moutza” does actually have historical reference in western culture… even shakespear used it. ‘do you bite your thumb at me sir?’
and the finger? english longbow men would taunt with both fingers which you put on here as The “V Sign”Joel said,
October 3, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
Just want to comment on the “corna” (horns), isnt that a symbol in sign-language meaning “I love you”? Pretty sure Im right here, please write back…
Armannd said,
October 3, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Funny ones! Had a good laugh, especially with #3 (Windows-Greeks…).
Nick said,
October 3, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
No. 9 in Texas also means “Hook ‘Em Horns”… Too bad it represents such a lousy school.
Zath said,
October 4, 2007 @ 7:36 am
This is a reallly interesting read, I’ve always wondered about the origins of these kind of things, thanks for providing some enlightenment to me!
NIMISUBO NIMIDEJAN said,
October 5, 2007 @ 3:18 am
FUCK YOU!
Palad said,
October 6, 2007 @ 8:17 am
Actually, Jenna Bush is showing the ‘Hook-em Horns’, a fan sign for the Texas Longhorns sports team.
vellocet said,
October 6, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
Jenna Bush was doing the “hook ‘em Horns” hand signal from the University of Texas. It’s meant to look like a longhorn steer, the school’s mascot. This usage dates back more than 100 years, far before heavy metal music.
Kendall said,
October 6, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
I’ve never really thought about gestures being rude, i loved this article proving that gestures can be a insult.
Derrick said,
October 7, 2007 @ 3:24 am
Jenna Bush was making the University of Texas hand sign. The schools mascot is a bull (Longhorn), and the hand sign is a reference to this.
Jay said,
October 7, 2007 @ 6:24 am
Jenna went to UT: that’s the Longhorn salute, not “Rock On”
dema said,
October 7, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Jenna Bush is most definitely giving the corna gesture to cheer for the University of Texas Longhorns, where she was a student and in the city where Bush was governor. In America, especially in Texas, every university has its own hand gesture you use when you are cheering at a sporting event. That said, UTexas stole the gesture from its more common 60’s ‘rock on’ meaning … just a shade of gray in the meaning there.
dema said,
October 7, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
Well, this is what they get for having the “Leave a Comment” box *before* the comments … you’re going to get the same comment a million times!
Bridgett said,
October 11, 2007 @ 3:42 am
The “Corona” as demonstrated by Jenna Bush is the University of Texas hand signal…for the Longhorns (the mascot). Jenna attended the University of Texas. She is not implying “rock on” rather her sentiment is “hook’em horns”. Just thought I’d share to contribute the the noble goal of seeing that these hand signs are no longer “universally misunderstood.” Enjoyed your site!
Oh! This hand sign can also be seen in the teen-angst epic “The Breakfast Club” where the disgruntled principal says “You mess with the bull, you get the horns.” (No connection to the University of Texas…)
Scott said,
October 11, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
Actually, Jenna and George use the gesture to signify their fondness for The University of Texas at Austin. The gesture is supposed to be representative of their mascot, the Longhorn.
Here’s an example:
http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/57121413.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1939847EC77F5F8D1CEF35BACCD0ACF0185A40A659CEC4C8CB6T.Young said,
October 11, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
Jenna Bush is doing the “Hook ‘em Horns” sign from the University of Texas
EDRM said,
October 12, 2007 @ 6:28 am
No. 7 The v sign.
I am Scottish and therefore British. This gesture came about during the many, many wars that have happened between England and France.
Before guns, bombs and electricity the “Weapons of Mass Destruction” was the English Long Bow.
It was the ultimate trump card in any English King’s army.
It could kill the enemy 300meters before they were able to fire arrows back at the English. Which was a huge advantage in those days.
Obviously the English were winning a lot of battles due to the Bow and their Bowmen, who were trained from a very young age. (To pull the bow back took a huge amount of strength and thus training must be started as soon as possible.)
The French HATED the Long Bow Men as they caused so many defeats.
So when they captured an English Long Bow Man they would cut of his Index and middle finger to prevent him from ever using a bow again.Thus the English started showing the French that they had their fingers and could still kill them.
The meaning started as something similar to “F**k you Frenchy I still have my fingers and now im going to kill you.”
Then to just “f**k you! You French Dick!”
To just “Fuck you.”
Dave said,
October 12, 2007 @ 10:41 am
Yeah, it’d be really nice if that were the story behind it, because it’s a lovely little story. It’s also been used as the basis for the single-fingered gesture, but it’s a myth sadly. There’s no evidence corroborating the story, and no contemporary accounts of the practice. One French historian writes something about finger-waving, but does not specify which finger it was, nor the reason behind it.
Also, if the French were to capture any non-noble English soldiers, they would just be killed on the spot. There is no advantage in crippling an enemy soldier when they could just chop his head off instead. While it’s true that the longbow was undoubtedly one of the major weapons of the English army against the French, this story is far more folklore than etymology. I agree that it’s a great story, though.
Oh, and seemingly to the entire world, I profusely apologise for not correctly identifying Jenna Bush’s “Hook ‘em Horns”. I’ve now been corrected about 50,000 times by you knowledgeable folks. God bless the internet - where everybody’s an expert.
[By the way, the 'Black Sabbath guitarist' instead of "Black Sabbath singer" faux-pas was a momentary lapse that somehow made it through proofing, and was fixed within hours of the article being submitted - after somebody had submitted the article to Digg and our servers crashed due to the unexpected traffic, 95% of you guys are actually reading the mirror, located on canuq.com, which still contains this error. Those complaining that you can't read comments before posting are also suffering from the same problem - the site has been correct for days. OThere have been over 150 comments about the Black Sabbath error alone, once again proving that everybody's an expert on the internet...]
Michelle said,
October 13, 2007 @ 10:42 pm
Michelle
Great site! i\’m looking forward to reading more.
jc said,
October 14, 2007 @ 12:58 am
I love the corna, and how this site called top hand signs you should know.
Jenna Bush is giving the hook em horns hand sign for Texas University, in this
case not for rocking on…Cynthia said,
October 16, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
I wonder if Jenna Bush might be doing the “Hook ‘em Horns” gesture from her alma mater, the University of Texas… I wish someone would post a comment about it.
Plinko said,
October 17, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
Jenna Bush is throwing the horns in support of the University of Texas Longhorns, not any form of rocking. It’s a traditional gesture at the university.
Jack said,
October 20, 2007 @ 1:20 am
Jack
Nice entry. You made some great points.
Michael said,
October 24, 2007 @ 5:02 am
In the picture of Jenna Bush, she is not meaning “Rock On”. That is the hand sign of the University of Texas, where she went to school. They are the longhorns and that is what the sign is imitating. It is usually accompanied with the phrase “Hook Em’ Horns”.
Thomas said,
October 24, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
Jenna Bush is not saying “rock on” with her hand gesture. She’s saying, “Hook ‘em horns.” It’s a hand gesture used by Texas Longhorn fans. Bush used the same gesture during his last inauguration parade as the University of Texas marching band paraded by. European news services picked up the photo and ran with stories that he was devil worshiping.
Helen said,
October 25, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
Actually, I’ve met quite a few people in Japan who have no clue what the wanker sign means. Up to the point where I had three quite shy female teachers doing this gesture in the middle of a school staffroom trying to figure out what it meant.
Thumbs up in Japan also means boyfriend, raised pinky finger means girlfriend.
And an upside down A-ok means money, same as the gesture for rubbing thumbs and index and middle fingers together.
Another good one is crossing your fingers for good luck. In Japan this is a barrier to ward off bad things like a cold.
Julia said,
October 25, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
@ Dave & Joel
The #9 Hook ‘em Horns/Corna is _not_ the sign for “I Love You” because the thumb is not extended. Look it up, folks.
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/I/W1708.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CornaEric said,
October 28, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
Eric
Definitely, the most sensible thing i have seen in a long time.
Tombrend said,
October 29, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
Number 9, the “Corna”, is used as the hand signal to indicate two downs by American football referees. It is also used by a few colleges/universities whose mascot is the Bull, in which case the “Corna” literally means what it translates to- horns. It is also used by Scandanavians to indicate satan, as saying his name is thought to bring bad luck in that culture.
Adam said,
November 2, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
Just one quick correction to your article, in regards to Item Number 9 - The “Corna”:
Ronnie James Dio - the man largely credited with bringing this gesture (and it’s modern meaning in Western culture) is not, nor was he ever, a guitar player in the band Black Sabbath (or any other band I know of, for that matter).
He was the lead singer for Black Sabbath during the years after the band’s separation from original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, from 1979 to 1983.
The guitarist for Black Sabbath is and has always been a one Mr. Tony Iommi, who suffered a well-known injury early in his career where he severed the tips of several fingers on his left hand. This led to him using a set of specially-made thimbles designed to facilitate his guitar playing. Perhaps all this business with fingers, gestures, the devil, and dismemberment was the cause of your confusion.
In short, you credited the right man, but the wrong hand, more or less.
Interesting article, regardless.
Thomas Müller said,
November 6, 2007 @ 10:53 am
5. The “A-OK”
Far worse, however, is the meaning in Brazil, Germany and a few Mediterranean countries: the circular shape of the gesture gives it the meaning of “anus”, and is therefore used to call somebody an “asshole”, or, by extension, a homosexual.
I’m from Germany and I’ve heard actually of this meaning, but I know absolutely no German who understands this sign as insult. I’m using it myself as “perfect” or so. Maybe there are regions in Germany where poeple will misinterpret this, but I think this is more an urban legend.
mellonmarshall said,
November 6, 2007 @ 9:53 pm
in refer to 4 the dog call, when I or anyone else I know want someone we use the whole hand like you would for a car, with the palm point to you then point the palm out to get you to stop
Because of the fact the hand appear bound 3 just confused me
I from Norwich England we do thing different if our motto anything to go byps the sign langauge for love is either to put your hands on your shoulders crossed or to do the horn thing with your thumb in the lower fingers (one the British way and one the yank forgot which is which mind) To say me/I, you point to you and to say you, you point to them so ha
YXH said,
November 8, 2007 @ 4:27 am
One more thing. in Germany and central Europe do not touch your forehead with your palm. This signalizes you are telling the other person he’s an idiot. My cousins hubby had to pay a fine for this signal while driving.
matt b said,
November 30, 2007 @ 1:48 am
in slovakia, you would do #8 - “the fig” - when someone asks you for something while saying ‘figa borova,’ which means something similar to ‘i’m not giving you shit’
Michelle said,
November 30, 2007 @ 8:31 am
I’m confused….after reading all these comments, I still don’t know what sign Jenna Bush is making. If another 50 people explain it, I might get it.
someone said,
January 1, 2008 @ 6:38 am
u would need the middle finger 2 aim the arrow, of course…
Eric said,
February 25, 2008 @ 12:03 pm
Eric
Geat post. I added you to my blog roll!
Jelo said,
March 16, 2008 @ 1:38 am
It never even occurred to me that the “thumbs up” might be an offensive gesture in other countries as Americans always seem to get the thumbs up from locals when traveling abroad. Come to think of it though, every time I received the thumbs up when in Senegal the people did seem to find it amusing. I think they are well aware of the American meaning though. Also the “A-OK” in Senegal means Allah as it resembles the Arabic word for it. Also in urban areas of the USA the “A-OK” could get you killed as it is a threat towards Blood gang members as in “BK” or “Blood Killer”…although some Bloods have adopted it to mean “Blood Kingdom”. I also remember the cutis being a popular insult in grade school & middle school (here in the USA) except that we did not say “cutta”.
Be Careful Where You Point That Thing « Sand dollar Adventures said,
March 21, 2008 @ 9:42 am
[...] about when you travel to foreign lands and you don’t even realize that simple hand gestures or body position could be highly offensive and just might get you shot. And you’ll never even [...]
c said,
April 1, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
the thumbs up sign orginated from around europe and it ment that men had a large sperm count
International Body Language, Gestures & Manners: Don’t Be “That Guy!” said,
May 1, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
[...] Language Trainers No Tags [...]
latin definitions said,
May 5, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
[...] certainly come in handy get it? if you want to avoid making an international-scale fool of yourself.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/1989 revision of the AIDS case definition ofr Latin America by the …File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat [...]
hand gestures said,
May 9, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
[...] &8250 ErrorIf you’re unsure what these terms mean you should probably contact your host.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Pierce&39s message still isn&39t clear - Boston GlobeThe subtle difference in hand gestures used by [...]
International Body Language & Manners: The Sequel said,
May 23, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
[...] air travel, travel blog, travel blogs, travel tips, travel web [...]
latin thumbs said,
May 28, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
[...] certainly come in handy get it? if you want to avoid making an international-scale fool of yourself.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/LATIN THUMBS - Translate this page The searchable Latina thumb preview TGP. … LatinThumbs.com does [...]
hand sign meanings said,
May 30, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
[...] very different meanings in some countries from what we as Westerners believe them to stand for. …http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/RE: The Atlantean Conspiracy …into popular culture and given different exoteric meanings to the [...]
hand said,
June 11, 2008 @ 11:44 am
[...] you&8217d better get right … You left off the shocker: http://www.rotten.com/library/language/ …http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Scottish company&39s bionic hand wins top award - ScotsmanBy CRAIG BROWN THE world&39s most advanced [...]
hand gestures said,
June 14, 2008 @ 1:31 am
[...] when travelling in an earlier post, as some have very different meanings in some countries from …http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Gesture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHand gestures , i.e., gestures performed by one or two [...]
thumbs up hand gesture said,
June 14, 2008 @ 4:15 am
[...] certainly come in handy get it? if you want to avoid making an international-scale fool of yourself.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Hand gesturesGirl red sports outfit thumbs hand gestures nonverbal communication Body Language [...]
gestures said,
June 19, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
[...] in an earlier post, … it was just too good not to include in any compilation of hand gestures.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Talking before he talks - SceneShe??s taught son Kai simple physical gestures which relate to words [...]
hand gestures for rock on said,
June 20, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
[...] you better make sure you use these symbols only when you know you know what you’re trying to say.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Signs of Satan!Below are some photos where the hand gesture is used in a clearly Satanic context:. [...]
by hand said,
June 29, 2008 @ 8:51 pm
[...] in an earlier post, … it was just too good not to include in any compilation of hand gestures.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Democratic hand-holding still strained - Honolulu Star-BulletinIt was almost too saccharine to [...]
fark.my said,
July 3, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right
the danger of using certain hand gestures when traveling in as some have very different meanings in some countries
Hand Gestures: Good versus Bad! « Tembam’s Weblog said,
July 9, 2008 @ 3:06 am
[...] for right about now. I found an interesting post on the Language Trainers Blog that lists “The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right“. I’m not sure what the gesture made by Gung Mokhtar meant but take a look at some [...]
hand sign for you rock said,
July 9, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
[...] you better make sure you use these symbols only when you know you know what you’re trying to say.http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/Buddha?s Caves New York TimesOn the lip of the Gobi Desert, sand and tourists threaten Mogaoku?s [...]
Just a little heads up | Language Trainers UK Blog said,
July 15, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
[...] all know that hand gestures aren’t always universal, but what about head movements? Surely a nod always means [...]
Pete said,
August 13, 2008 @ 1:54 am
In the 1940’s (in the U.S.) #9 meant “Bull Shit”. I’m amazed no one has pointed this out.
Bye bye, Beijing said,
August 25, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
[...] we’ve discussed before, it may just be best to keep your mind open, a smile on your face, and your hands in your pockets. [...]
Trish said,
October 16, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
It says that “6. The Cutis” has no equivalent in Western Culture. But I remember my dad, who grew up in an Italian part of the Bronx, doing a similar gesture - touching the back of his front teeth with his thumb - but instead of extended fingers, the fingers were curled. The meaning was basically the same as the mean given for Cutis - @#$%^&* you.
webebroke.com » Blog Archive » Things My Father Taught Me: Part 3—Facts About The O.K. Hand Sign said,
October 31, 2008 @ 1:06 am
[...] More information on hand signs appears here: The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right. [...]
Friggin Abandoned » Blog Archiv » London said,
November 2, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
[...] stretch limo’s. Then 10 reasons not to skimp on sleep. Important, that, I guess. And finally Top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right… November 3, 2008 at 12:45 am by Asmodeane Category: Posts, [...]
Peter said,
November 5, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
This cool site lists what the most common hand gestures mean in different countries: http://www.hellobackpacker.com/gestures/ Check it out!
Japanese Customs, Quirks & Other Fascinating Oddities | Taking Off said,
November 17, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
[...] Related PostsDo You Speak Engrish? When Good Products Have Bad NamesInternational Body Language & Manners: The SequelSamantha & the Girls in Atlantic City for the Weekend! [...]
International Body Language & Manners: The Sequel | Taking Off said,
November 17, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
[...] Related PostsInternational Body Language, Gestures & Manners: Don’t Be “That Guy!”Three Essential Gadgets For The Business TravelerLayover In LAX - Things To Do [...]
International Body Language, Gestures & Manners: Don’t Be “That Guy!” | Taking Off said,
November 17, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
[...] only ones seems to be the smile.Some sources for this article:Gay Thailand Orville Jenkins (Africa)Language Trainers Related PostsInternational Body Language & Manners: The SequelThree Essential Gadgets For The [...]
GnuGK Information » Blog Archive » Prototype Scanner Gives Middle Finger To Drunk Driving said,
December 15, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
[...] development bodes well for other hand gesture controls in future car innovations. We might have an upside-down touch screen where the car is started by [...]
Psychology research & the human hand! « Palmistry Report said,
December 16, 2008 @ 12:54 am
[...] The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right Posted in palmistry | Tagged autism, brain, Cesar Baldaccini, Frank Wilson, human hand, left handed, neuroticism, psychology research, the hand, the thumb, thumb | [...]
Technology said,
December 18, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
[...] development bodes well for other hand gesture controls in future car innovations. We might have an upside-down touch screen where the car is started by [...]
gina said,
January 13, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
i am from central america and someone told me NO. 9 is like a wave, used by surfers, maybe he was wrong, I thought it is used by rockers or satanic as you have mentioned.
gina said,
January 13, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
my correction: i had a confusion with NO. 9 . I mean using the little finger with the thumb looks like a wave…. this would be another sign
Bob said,
January 18, 2009 @ 8:49 pm
I see comments are still coming in more than two years after the original article.
[I won't say anything about Jenna]
But if I can get into trouble even by keeping my hands in my pockets, what about just hiding them by folding my arms in front of me.
Is there some country where I can get shot for that?JK said,
January 21, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
What is a “cutis” with the thumb touching the nose instead of the teeth? For an example, see yesterday’s photo of incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Green hats and adultery | Language Trainers UK Blog said,
February 3, 2009 @ 9:53 am
[...] a side note, Dave mentioned the corna, a hand gesture used in some countries to indicate that a man’s wife is cheating on [...]
Where can I find an online database of hand gestures? Peace sign, devil horns, etc…? | devil vision said,
February 11, 2009 @ 5:54 am
[...] 1 Institution? Diyor ki: February 11th, 2009 at 3:54 am http://www.lcdf.org/xwrits/GESTURES http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/ [...]
Dani said,
February 17, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
Hi!
I came across a book training students for the CPE exam and it featured a cartoon where an oil slick resembles a man making a rude gesture. He seems to have his index finger facing forward and touching the tip of his nose. Have you got any idea what that means?
CheersIan said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:15 am
Well done, good show on the writing aspect, I laughed many a times…It opened up enlightening truths in their most candid ways, that is the best I can say.
Fernando said,
March 2, 2009 @ 6:14 pm
In Portugal, the “figa” sign is a sign of good luck. Parents will often buy a “figa” pendant for their children, in gold or silver, as a good-luck charm, to wear in a bracelet, or around the neck. I have one.
Hilliary Clinton Button Fail - Kaitlin Foley said,
March 7, 2009 @ 10:56 pm
[...] example, secretary. Sure, the gesture was only mildly awkward, and at least Hillary didn’t inadvertently flip the crowd off. Show no such ignorance. American leaders have every reason to expect that any diplomatic action [...]
Andie said,
April 24, 2009 @ 7:51 am
“[...] as well as Greece, Russia, Sardinia and the south of Italy, the thumbs-up basically means the same as the middle finger: “sit on it and swivel”.
That’s not true. I don’t know about Greece or Sardinia, but I’m russian and the thumbs-up here basically means the same as the thumbs-up in USA or UK.
Michele said,
May 19, 2009 @ 11:48 am
Hello, i am italian from Palermo (sicily, south Italy) and i have friends in Sardinia too. I dont know where you took your informations, but they are totally WRONG.
A thumb uop in Sicily as in the rest of Italy and in the world means “ok”, “welldone”. and it’s no t a bad gesture AT ALL!!!Michele said,
May 19, 2009 @ 11:52 am
another error: “the fig” (n.8 ) ins not from romans. It came from ancient florence (Firenze) and it’ very very very very old fashioned now in Italy ( probably only man and woman form 80 years old up know what it means…for all the rest of the italian ppl means quite nothing nowadays).
LinkLove session #4 | Liens autour du voyage et du nomadisme | Vie Nomade said,
July 17, 2009 @ 8:21 am
[...] The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right (en) 10 signes de la main plutôt communs qui pourraient être mal interprétés dans certains coins du globe. [...]
Gestures and language learning | Language Trainers UK Blog said,
February 10, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
[...] So, waving your arms around could be considered more valid than speaking. Just remember that some gestures aren’t always polite! Share and [...]
Samantha said,
June 7, 2010 @ 4:03 pm
I would just like to say that having a child represent number 10 is absolutely horrible and completely ridiculous. That should be taken off the website.
john patrick said,
June 23, 2010 @ 3:35 am
yeah!!! this is totally great
Rino said,
July 5, 2010 @ 3:26 pm
Can’t believe that in the entry about the “corna” symbol they forgot to mention Italy and in particular Sicily. Even the word they are using, “corna” is Italian. But the country is not mentioned… Geez. Just like discussing the origin of spaghetti (some believe they came from China) and adding that they are still popular in France, Britain and the US. Hello???
Arantha Sirimanne said,
July 8, 2010 @ 10:39 am
Budu aaaathal kolloooo……..
Mike Foster said,
July 16, 2010 @ 3:35 am
I’m a bit confused about the “V” sign. I’ve seen my healthy (or possibly unhealthy) share of British film and TV, and I’ve always seen the gesture used palm side in. I’ve also viewed it used with a pumping motion (somewhat like a boxing uppercut) while the person gave their target a “raspberry”. What’s the difference?
Tanie auta said,
July 20, 2010 @ 9:51 am
interising article…
Taxi London said,
July 22, 2010 @ 8:31 am
good article…
dreamy_nightsky said,
August 17, 2010 @ 4:42 am
About #4:
Beware, however, of using this gesture in the Philippines – it’s a method of communication considered worthy only to use on dogs, and is actually punishable by arrest. Worst of all, they’ll break your index finger in order to prevent you from committing the same crime again!
–> Sorry but this is so untrue.
kelly said,
September 9, 2010 @ 12:54 pm
#4
I am Filipino and grew up in the Philippines all 25 years of my life and #4 is not true. There is no law against it, no severing of fingers, and no one will get offended by using the “dog call” (In the civilized cities at least, where most tourists vist, Who knows what weird subculture remote places in the Philippines may have).
Cedric said,
September 9, 2010 @ 1:03 pm
Buddha said,
September 27, 2007 @ 5:36 pm#3. I’m from the Philippines and it is a insulting to be summoned with the dog call. A better method would be having the palm facing the ground and using your four fingers (excluding the thumb) curling towards you repeatedly. I am not aware of any laws that would want to break your finger though. You might get into a fight if you do that but you will still have your index finger intact.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE. It is not customary for Filipinos to do such a bizarre hand gesture with your palm facing to the ground. The “dog call” will normally not come across as an insult but the more common hand gesture for “come” is to use not just the index, but the entire hand with the slight bending of the wrist and fingers towards onself just as it is in canadian and american culture.
obedience dog trainning said,
September 16, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
The correct use of your finger for a dog is your index finger, left or right your dog wont mind. It is used with a raised voice to show displeasure when training.
sina1917 said,
September 28, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
I believe that in most countries “thumbs-up” has changed its meanning to “well done”.In my region it used to be offensive but now it is being used almost by all young boys and girls meaning u did well.Anyway that would be great if u could give us some sources…thanks for ur info…
Ava said,
November 17, 2010 @ 2:02 am
“Interestingly, in Greece and Portugal the gesture is made with the palm facing the ground, implying that the person is rather fonder of wanking other men as opposed to himself.”
-This is incorrect. Living in Greece, I know the gesture is made with the palm facing up, NOT down.
Number 3 - The Moutza is absolutely correct. I do it all the time to Americans instead of flicking them off. It’s hilarious.
Bianca Bargas said,
December 9, 2010 @ 4:34 am
The number 4 is a big big big big L-I-E!!!
There is no such thing in the Philippines! And it is not even a crime but breaking your index finger is! And that gesture is not just exclusive for calling dogs.
Damn fart.
kurohana said,
December 13, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
the thumbs up in the middle east doesn’t mean anything wrong it’s just like the USA idk where you got your info from >.<
kurohana said,
December 13, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
yeah and i forgot to say that the index finger is more than isn’t a bad sign like the middle finger they’re totally unrelated
WikiFunna said,
December 19, 2010 @ 11:56 am
Is it possible to contact administration?
Hih you hear me??VioL said,
December 21, 2010 @ 2:34 am
Soz but noone does the wanker like you said in Greece o.O
No faggy thoughts darnit!Wendy said,
December 21, 2010 @ 3:24 am
Hi, I’m the writer here. If you have a question about anything on the blog, I can try to answer it for you. If you want to know about our language courses in the UK or elsewhere, you can contact enquiry@languagetrainers.com. Thanks!
call Pakistan said,
December 22, 2010 @ 8:39 pm
I don`t agree with the statement that the “Corna” and the “thumbs-up” signs are insulting in the middle east and the Balkans (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Slovakia etc).
I live in Bulgaria since 2004 and i should tell you i’ve never noticed anything like that.
Also i’ve traveled through the countries here and it’s the same there. They’re not insulting.
Anyway - very good article.
Keep up the good workffolkes said,
December 24, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
I’d thought the two-finger salute when held sideways, stood for the letter “F”-for-fuck-you much as people indicate the letter “L” -for-Lesbian/Loser with forefinger and thumb held apart. But apparently it goes back 500 years.
BAD said,
December 31, 2010 @ 6:57 am
I TING THE MEANING FOR ALL THESE SINGS ARE WRONG THOSE ARE ALL BAD WORDS ACTUALLY
Rico said,
January 13, 2011 @ 4:06 am
You are so wrong in latin America the thumbs up mean Good Job also and thumb down mean that suck. I don’t know where did you get your info but i will suggest that you redo your homework correctly. But seeing this was write in 2007 i think you are never coming back to this channel.
Wendy said,
January 13, 2011 @ 4:29 am
Hi Rico,
This post was written by Dave who is now blogging on languagetrainers.com/blog/. As far as I know, some of this information may be historic, regional, or no longer in common usage. Thanks for your input!
xzulie said,
January 14, 2011 @ 4:42 pm
yesssss the figggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dirk flail said,
January 21, 2011 @ 11:22 am
don’t let koreans take pictures in the UK. LOL peace.
Michelle L said,
March 11, 2011 @ 1:42 am
#9
The mano cornuto is an Italian amulet of ancient origin. Mano means “hand” and corno means “horn.” The charm represents a hand gesture in which the index and little fingers are extended while the middle and ring fingers are curled into the palm. The reference is to the horned head of an animal.
Whether made as an apotropaic gesture or worn as an amulet, the mano cornuto is used for magical protection against the evil eye. In this it resembles other hand gestures and hand images that ward off evil, including the hamsa hand, the eye-in-hand, the mano fico (fig hand), and the interlocked thumb gesture. A regionally popular amulet, it is primarily found in Italy and in America among descendents of Italian immigrants.
Michelle L said,
March 11, 2011 @ 1:46 am
Ronnie James Dio also know as Ronnie Padavona got the mano cornuto from his Italian grandmother. It was his way to connect with the crowd, like Ozzy Osbourne did, with copying Ozzy’s peace sign…
Sammy said,
March 15, 2011 @ 11:16 pm
Who is the man in pic 3 for the moutza?
david said,
April 13, 2011 @ 7:13 am
good
jigglypuff said,
May 2, 2011 @ 2:13 am
Number 4 is not true in any way. I should know. I’m a Filipino. >.<
Roxanne said,
May 22, 2011 @ 10:17 pm
I’m starting to think there is something wrong with people who went to U of Texas… since they can’t stop commenting about those stupid horns after it’s already been said a hundred times.
Hey guys, this is the kind of thing that happens when you take a widely recognized hand signal and try to co-opt it. Like if I said, no, I’m not flipping you off, it’s the sign of the unicorn from my alma mater Rainbow Tech. That might be true, but it’s pretty easy to understand why people could misunderstand your obscure, insignificant alternative meaning.
That aside, thanks for the great article. I wish I would have read it before I told the old guy who asked me how I liked my coffee that I thought he was gay and up his. But, since I still have another month in Italy, I’ve have a chance to make amends with him
John said,
June 19, 2011 @ 3:30 pm
The corona in the States is used to symbolize the University of Texas Long Horns. Jenna Bush attended the University of Texas, in that picture she was giving the symbol of the Horns, not some satanic meaning. You see it all the time in Texas.
SEDA said,
June 30, 2011 @ 4:58 pm
There is correction regarding the sign of thumb-up. In Russia thumbs-up means same as in Europe - good job!
Dr Ko Ko Gyi’s Blog said,
July 28, 2011 @ 3:09 pm
[...] Source: The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right [...]
“V Sign” « Dr Ko Ko Gyi’s Blog said,
July 28, 2011 @ 3:09 pm
[...] Source: The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right [...]
mel said,
August 2, 2011 @ 5:01 am
I’m from Australia and no-one is offended by the use of a reverse peace sign. I also know alot of British people and not once have I heard of this or seen them use it. It has no meaning here and the peace sign is the same here. Also, they will not break your finger in the Philippines by gesturing someone to ‘come here’. Where the hell did you hear any of this from? Have you honestly visited these countries? I doubt it..
Medusa said,
August 8, 2011 @ 5:13 pm
Another correction to the corna segment. Technically, Dio got that hand gesture from his Italian grandmother, who told him it was to ward OFF bad spirits. So kind of the opposite of what it is assumed to mean, just like some of their songs.
Medusa said,
August 8, 2011 @ 5:16 pm
Oh, I see now Michelle gave an even more detailed description of this. I had read about half the comments and did not see any mention. :o)
Hef said,
September 29, 2011 @ 12:54 am
#9 Corna
SHAME on your poor job of research! The corna is a variation on the “shocker” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shocker_%28hand_gesture%29). It is commonly mistaken as a modern variation but in fact is illustrated in the pre-1883 version of the Kama Sutra, written in Sanskrit. It is not present in the 1883 English-translation version or 1965 updated version.
According to a Rolling Stone interview in a January 1982 issue, Ronnie James Dio was the first celebrity/popular musician to bring the hand gesture into contemporary society after perusing the archives in a Hindu monastery when the group stopped in India on their world tour in 1981.
Wonder how many teenage females who flash this sign at concerts today know this reference?
garmin 1490t said,
October 9, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
Aw, this was a extremely high quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this as well - taking time and genuine work to build a beneficial article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and by no means appear for getting a thing done.
Gestures international | Divine1travelers said,
December 31, 2011 @ 9:41 am
[...] The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right | Language Trainers …Sep 24, 2007 … Most likely derived from Ancient Greece, ‘the finger’ is one of the most widespread obscene gestures throughout the Western world. … [...]
common sense said,
January 12, 2012 @ 3:50 am
All this article has achieved is that it has proved what a dribbling bunch of retards the Americans truly are. Nobody gives a shit about some shit school’s sign in your in-bred fillef state, Texas.
TehGermanGal said,
February 22, 2012 @ 10:59 pm
Don’t worry about the “perfect”-gesture meaning “asshole” in Germany - most Germans know that it also means “perfect” and will understand that you didn’t know it has a different meaning there. However, you shouldn’t push your luck if you are around drunk ppl, they might not be able to follow that train of thought and really think you meant to insult them…
snaker9 said,
March 7, 2012 @ 5:50 pm
That’s dumb!!
I live in Germany, and the “A-Ok” sign is NOT considered as “asshole”, whatsoever!
We more likely see it as part as a “666″ symbol where the fingers resemble the shape of the satanic symbol! So yeah in America live a lot of Lucifer followers there
Why am I smiling? …Gohh, I should be crying most likely (because of that fact…)Ok, you COULD say it’s also known as “Ok” sign, and most people don’t even know about it (about it resembling the 666) but that’s how it is…
snaker9 said,
March 7, 2012 @ 5:52 pm
TehGermanGal
Was labbersch du!!? Kaum einer weiß, dass es überhaupt “Arschloch” heißen kann!!! Die meisten gucken ja noch Fernsehen und jeder denkt da (so wie in anderen Ländern - denk ich ma - auch) dass es “Ok” heißt und NEDD Arschloch!! o.Osnaker9 said,
March 7, 2012 @ 5:59 pm
@YXH
Nope… that’s not a bad sign either…
Have I seen it somewhere as you claimed it? Can’t say I have…Most likely it just means “*facepalm*” if any… but that’s other countries, too!
bob said,
March 15, 2012 @ 10:09 am
The story about the “V” being a reference to English longbow soldiers is a load of horse-mutza. Seriously people, Snopes has been around for like 15 years now.
Also, Jenna Bush was doing the hook ‘em horns thing. *grin*
Prince Nosa said,
April 7, 2012 @ 6:33 am
Only wish to add to your point no 10-the “Finger”!In Italy where i live,when you thrust out the 2nd finger with the palm facing you,you are simply drawing the attention of whoever you are directing it at.
Jens Maier said,
June 2, 2012 @ 3:26 pm
#5 means anus in Germany? Well, I happen to be from Germany and that’s quite a new one for me…
cox's bazar said,
July 6, 2012 @ 8:18 pm
I usually do not drop a comment, but after browsing through a few of the remarks on The top 10 hand gestures you’d better get right | Language Trainers UK Blog.
I do have a couple of questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Is it only me or does it look as if like some of these responses appear as if they are written by brain dead people?
And, if you are posting at other online social sites, I would like to
follow anything fresh you have to post. Would you post a
list of the complete urls of your social community sites like your linkedin profile,
Facebook page or twitter feed?
RSS feed for comments on this post · TrackBack URI
Leave a Comment
Name (required)
E-mail required)
URI
