Hand gesture
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This article is about symbols and movements made chiefly with the hand. For movements involving the rest of the body, see gesture.
Hand gestures, are gestures performed by one or two hands, is the most numerous category of gestures due to the the ability of the human hand to acquire a huge number of clearly discernible configurations, the fact of importance for the sign languages.
[edit] Using one hand
[edit] Approximation
The "approximation" gesture is performed by holding the hand horizontally, palm down, with the fingers forward or spread, and then tilting the hand to the left and to the right. It indicates that a number or a statement is to be taken approximatively.
Likewise, the gesture, with a gentle rocking left-right movement, is understood to mean "so-so", (or, not too good, not too bad) a response one might give to the question, "How's it going with you?"
This response-gesture is equivalently understood among various cultures or language groups; in particular the Spanish, French, and other romance language groups use it.
[edit] Bang bang
The "bang bang" gesture is performed by raising the fist with the index finger and thumb extended. The index finger points at the recipient. The thumb is then brought down on top of the fingers. This imitation of the action of a revolver pistol is often meant to represent a handgun in children's games. It may also be used menacingly to mean "I'm gonna kill you", or simply as a playful greeting. The middle finger is often also extended to widen the "barrel".
Texas Tech fans use a similar salute known as "guns up" to cheer for their sports teams. Also, the "bang bang" performed with both hands was a signature gesture of professional wrestler Mick Foley while he was in his "Cactus Jack" persona.
Also, if the thumb and middle finger are used to click, and the thumb the pointed upwards to form the gun, this can also be interpreted as a greeting.
[edit] Beckoning sign
Index finger sticking out of the clenched fist, palm facing the gesturer. The finger moves repeatedly towards the gesturer (in a hook) as to draw something nearer. It has the general meaning of "come here", although it is normally seen as condescending or anyway impolite. It is sometimes performed with the four fingers, with the entire hand, or even with the arm, depending on how far the recipient of the sign is.
When performed with the index finger, it may have a mild sexual connotation depending on the circumstance.
In Africa, this sign is given with all four fingers and with the palm down.
In Japan there is a similar gesture, but the four fingers are used, the palm faces the recipient and the hand is at head's height. This is the gesture featured in the maneki neko. Performed in the western manner, it is still beckoning, but is extremely rude.
In China, the palm faces downward, and all four fingers gesture inward two or three times, as a friendly request for the target to come toward the signer. The same gesture, with the arm extended outward and to the side, is also used in China to hail a taxi.
In India, it is performed with the palm down and the hand slightly loose, almost jerking.
[edit] Benediction and blessing
The benediction gesture is a raised right hand with the ring and little fingers touching the palm, while the middle and index fingers remain raised. Taken from Ancient Roman icongraphy for speaking (an example is the Augustus of Prima Porta where the emperor Augustus assumes the pose of an orator in addressing his troops), it is used as a simple charm or blessing amongst many modern Pagans, and has a vast array of uses. Perhaps the most common and/or noteworthy use of the gesture is while tracing an invisible "air pentagram" before someone during certain Wiccan rituals such as the Great Rite performed during Beltane and Drawing Down the Moon on the Esbats. One might also use the gesture to trace invisible pentagrams or other sigils over items to be blessed or empowered, such as holy water, ritual wine, ritual ale, or the Sacred Herb. The two extended fingers are used to point (except when an athame, wand, or sword is used).
A similar sign, called the benediction gesture, is used by the Christian clergy to perform blessings with the sign of the cross; however Christians keep the thumb raised - the three raised fingers (index, middle, and thumb) are frequently allegorically interpreted as representing the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. It was shown by representations of Jesus as Christ Pantocrator.
[edit] Blah-blah
The fingers are kept straight and together in a horizontal fashion while the thumb is held out straight. The fingers and thumb then snap together repeatedly to suggest a mouth talking. It is used to indicate contempt for a person talking for an excessive period of time about nothing the gesturer feels is important.
[edit] Check, please
This gesture, understood by waiters around the world to mean that a dinner patron wishes to pay the bill and depart, is executed by touching the index finger and thumb together and "writing" a wavy line in the air, as if to sign one's name. An alternate gesture with the same meaning is made by touching the index finger and thumb together and drawing a checkmark (✓) in the air. In Egypt, the left hand is held palm-out and the right, palm-down, is tapped against the left wrist to request the check. In Thailand, one makes a circling gesture with the thumb and fingers pinched together- as if you are holding an imaginary pencil and making imaginary scribbles on a piece of paper. Sometimes the opposite palm is used as the 'paper'. In the Philippines, one outlines a rectangle in the air using the thumb and forefinger of both hands.
[edit] Clenched fist
A raised, clenched fist is used as a gesture of defiance by a number of groups. It is usually considered to be hostile, yet without any sexual, scatological, or notionally offensive connotations. It is especially associated with Communists and with other nationalist or ethnic revolutionary or would-be revolutionary movements, and with the Black Power movements of the 1960s in the United States. It is the custom to make this gesture while singing The Internationale, the Marxist anthem. A clenched fist raised quickly up and down and then punched in some direction also signifies a military call for a heavy weapons team to close on the gesturer or to move or open fire in the direction indicated by the punch.
[edit] Pound fist
Pound fist is a greeting, in which 2 individuals touch fists. Referred to by the Adult Swim cartoon [[Sealab 2021]] as Respek (from "respect") Knuckles.
[edit] Clinton thumb
The gesture dubbed the "Clinton thumb" after its most famous user, Bill Clinton, is used by politicians to provide emphasis in speeches without pointing the finger. This gesture has the thumb leaning against the thumbside portion of the index finger, which is part of a closed fist. It does not exhibit the anger of the clenched fist or pointing finger, and so is thought to be less threatening. This gesture was likely adopted by Clinton from John F. Kennedy, who can be seen using it in many speeches during his political career.[citation needed]
[edit] Crossed fingers
A gesture made by crossing the index and middle fingers such that the middle finger overlaps and intertwines the index finger, which can be used to signify one's hope that something should succeed (compare to the phrase "Keep your fingers crossed."). According to OldSuperstitions.com, this stems from the superstition that "Bad luck is trapped at the point where the two fingers meet so when we cross our fingers, we stop the bad luck from escaping and allow our wishes to come true.". However, if placed behind one's back, the gesture takes on an entirely different meaning: it is then normally used to indicate that the user secretly wishes for something contrary to what is being stated or going on, or that a lie is being told. This usage is often seen in dramatic terms.
[edit] Cuckoo sign
A gesture made by closing ones fist, extending the index finger, and circling it around ones ear or temple for several seconds. This gesture is used to indicate that someone is speaking nonsense or is crazy (more colloquially, this is described as being cuckoo). The "cuckoo" sign is well-known in the United States.
[edit] Fig sign
The "fig sign" is a gesture made with the hand and fingers curled and the thumb thrust between the middle and index fingers, or, rarely, the middle and ring fingers, forming the fist so that the thumb partly pokes out. In some areas of the world, the gesture is considered a good luck charm, in others it is considered an obscene gesture, and in still others it is used in the "I've got your nose!" child's game. This gesture is also the letter "T" in the American Sign Language alphabet. In International Sign, which otherwise uses the same manual alphabet, "T" has been modified to avoid possible offense.
In ancient Rome, this gesture was called the mano fico, and was a fertility and good luck charm designed to ward off evil. Although this usage has survived in Brazil, where carved images of hands in this gesture are used in good luck talismans, in many other cultures, such as Indonesia, Turkey and Russia, the sign has come to have an insulting meaning roughly equivalent to "screw you", based on the thumb being seen as representing a clitoris or sexual intercourse. In modern Russia this gesture is used mostly by kids with the meaning "screw you/no way". The same meaning is expressed by adults either with the bent elbow (rude, very emphatic, non-classy), or with the "finger" (used mostly by city dwellers). The "finger" made it to Russian gesture language from Western movies. In modern Italian, the gesture is called the mano fica, taken to mean "fig hand", as the Italian word for "fig" is fico (ficus in Latin). The obscene connotations of the gesture may partly originate from the fact that a similar Italian word, fica, is a slang term referring to the vulva. This sexual connotation may date back to ancient Roman times; some Roman amulets combine a phallus and a mano fico gesture. In the Indian sub-continent, this gesture is taken as threatening symbol.
The gesture is also used in a trick played by adults and parents, with the intention of convincing their child that his or her nose has been ripped off. Someone, usually an adult, grabs at the child's nose and forms the fig sign, exclaiming, "I've got your nose, I've got your nose!" The thumb is supposed to be the child's removed nose.
Many neopagans use this gesture as a symbol of the mother goddess to help adherents identify one another. In this context, it is referred to as the "Sign of the Goddess". Its counterpart is the corna sign.
[edit] Finger Beside Nose
This gesture involves bringing the index finger to the side of the nose and is used to indicate that something secret is being told and is often accompanied by a conspiratorial wink. Placing the finger beside the nose is often used by storytellers to signal that they are stretching the truth. As a variant, sometimes the finger is tapped next to the nose.
Washington Irving's version of the Santa Claus story first used the now familiar phrase, "...laying his finger beside his nose...," in which Santa, upon discovery, made this gesture and winked before vanishing up the chimney. Another interesting reference from the Urdu poem "The Fourth Era of Āb-e ḥayāt:Part Three" is as follows: "When the Navab's gaze fell on him, he placed a finger beside his nose [as women do] and recited"...
[edit] Finger Snap
One of several gestures familiar to modern people primarily through old animated cartoons, this gesture generally expresses a confident "screw you!" in the face of an adversary. The gesturer holds one hand out, palm up, in the direction of his antagonist and snaps his thumb and middle finger, generally accompanied by a high-nosed, "snooty" facial expression and followed by crossing the arms.
In some countries like Great Britain, Poland and India, snapping the fingers is used to signify remembering or failing to remember. Snapping the fingers repeatedly at a constant rate is commonly used to signify that the person has forgotten something and is trying to recall it. This is often done with the fingers snapped close to the temple, as though literally 'jogging the memory,' and is associated with the phrase 'it's on the tip of my tongue.'
A single snap, sometimes emphasised by an arced swing of the arm, is used when someone is reminded of something by another person, particularly if it is a job or a chore they have forgotten to do.
Some people also snap their fingers to catch the attention of others. This is informal - some people may find it rude or even threatening, as it is common for the gesturer to snap his fingers very close to the other's face. In some cases, this may be interpreted as a face-threatening act or a sign of contempt.
It can also be used when telling a story, to get a surprise effect.
In LatinAmerica this gesture is used as a way to say "Hurry up"
[edit] Hook 'em Horns
In college sports in the United States, The "Hook 'em Horns" (or simply "Hook 'em") sign is associated with fans of the Texas Longhorns of the University of Texas at Austin. The gesture is an imitation of the head of a Texas Longhorn, which serves as the school mascot. It was created in 1955 by a UT cheerleader and is one of the most famous hand symbols in US college sports.
Students, faculty, and alumni of the University of Texas are often seen to display this hand sign during sporting events, commencements, and other special occasions. They will often include the spoken or written phrase in conversations or writings, especially as a closing. The Hook 'em Horns symbol is the same physically as the mano cornuto gesture. They both have their origins in the imitation of a type of livestock, the Longhorn on the one hand and a goat on the other, though their meanings are very different. (Pease, A et al., 2004, The Definitive Book of Body Language).
In Major League Baseball, defensive players often use an identical gesture to each other to indicate the opposing team has two outs. The same gesture is used in American football to indicate a team faces second down. This gesture may be popular for indicating the number 2 because the fingers are further apart - making it easier to see that two (as opposed to one) fingers are raised when viewed from a distance.
[edit] Horns
Many neopagans use it as a symbol of the horned god to identify each other; in this context it is referred to as the "Sign of the Horned God". Its counterpart is the fig sign, above.
Some say that it is meant to ward off — or to bestow — the evil eye. It is also a representation of the Devil by some Satanists. The gesture's origin is believed to be an imitation of the shape of a goats head, which has many associations with the concept of Satan in Christianity Satan's Goat
It has a variety of other meanings as well, depending on culture and area. In some places, it is a sexual insult, charging a man with being a victim of cuckoldry (this insult is most common in Italy and is also used in Brazil). Perhaps because of its occult significance, it is used as a salute by fans of heavy metal music. This latter use is believed to have originated from the often use of the gesture by singer Ronnie James Dio. If one reverses the extended fingers, one gets the "inverted heavy metal salute" which can be given as a reply to a heavy metal salute.
[edit] The Fangul
In Italian American culture this represents "Screw You!". In Italian culture this represents "Chi se ne frega?" or "Who cares?". This is done by keeping one hand straight, placing it under the chin, and 'throwing out' that hand toward the person receiving the insult; U.S. Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia received criticism for using this gesture towards a reporter. When comedian Stephen Colbert performed at the 2006 White House Correspondent's Dinner, he flashed the gesture at Scalia, saying that he was pleased to see him there. In the Indian sub-continent, itching under the chin would signify that one is trying to think.
[edit] Kodály Hand Signs
- See also: Kodály Method
Named after Zoltán Kodály, and largely defined by John Curwen, Kodály Hand Signs are a way of representing musical notes by holding the hand in a certain position for each note. The basic concept of using gestures to represent notes is quite ancient, however near the end of the 19th century, the concept was formalized as a standard teaching method. Kodály Hand Signs are featured in the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. (External link, with sample pictures: [1])
[edit] Knocking on wood
This signifies the neutralization of a jinxing brought on by mentioning an either hoped-for or feared result. The knuckles are rapped on a nearby piece of wood (or, jokingly, someone's head). Usually this is only valid if done on bare (i.e. unpainted) wood. One possible reason for the tradition could have been from an animist culture who believed that the knocking would release spirits to protect them. It has also been said to stem from a belief that any nearby evil spirits who overhear somebody speaking of good fortune which has come his way may send some bad luck to offset it; knocking on wood was thought to keep the spirits from hearing. It is also known as "tapping wood" or "touching wood".
In Italy, one knocks on iron with the hand in the corna horns position.
In Russia, this is used to indicate that someone being talked about is stupid (and refers to a joke about a Russian peasant).
[edit] Middle finger
"The finger" is a gesture consisting of a fist with the middle finger extended. It appears to be universally understood as "fuck you" due to its resemblance to the penis. It is certainly thousands of years old, being referred to in Ancient Roman literature as the digitus infamis or digitus impudicus. Performing this gesture is also called "flipping the bird" in countries where "the finger" is used. In other regions, "flipping the bird" refers to the raising of the middle and index finger with the back of the hand directed at the recipient. It can also mean "Victor" (see V Sign, below) in some countries, which is not to be mistaken for the "Peace" gesture, which is done with the palm facing the recipient of the gesture, but in Britain and some other countries it is an offensive gesture, equivalent to "the finger".
Comedian Dane Cook parodied the gesture with his "Super Finger" gesture, which consists of raising the middle finger, ring finger, and thumb on the same hand while lowering (or curling) the pointer and pinky finger. It is meant to be a more "powerful" version of "the finger".
[edit] Money sign
The thumb rubs repeatedly over the tip of the index finger and middle fingers. The ring finger and pinky touch the palm. This gesture is meant to resemble the act of rubbing two coins together and has a general meaning of "money", or "expensive".
[edit] Moutza (Palm of hand)
In most places, a palm raised towards somebody means "stop".
In Greece, "moutza" the palm of the hand thrust towards somebody with the fingers splayed is an offensive gesture equivalent to giving the finger. The gesture is known in Greek as "moutza". It originates from the Byzantine punishment of parading a chained criminal around town with his face smeared with cinder, or moutzos in Greek. An even more offensive version is achieved by using both hands to double the gesture, and smacking the palm of one hand against the back of the other, in the direction of the intended recipient. Both the one-handed and the two-handed versions of this gesture can be (and often are) combined with the term "na!", meaning "here you go!" or "there!", or "na, malaka!", meaning "there, you wanker!"
[edit] OK
This is the touching of the index and middle finger (or just index finger) with the thumb (forming a rough circle) with the raising of the remaining fingers. In the United States and most of Europe, it means "OK" and is inoffensive. The OK sign is used extensively in scuba diving. It can also mean "0," or "money," in Japan. However, in some european countries (e.g. Germany, Italy)it is also used in traffic as a silent way of calling someone an "Asshole" (with the fingers extended horizontally). Similar vulgar meanings are found in other countries, but usually you have to turn the 'Ring' upside down (supinated to show the ring in front) like this example from Brazil. It is then a sexual or scatological gesture referring to the anus.
[edit] Pointing
The typical pointing with the index finger is a universal gesture. There are many other ways to point, for example with the hand, a head nod or an eye gaze. In many cases pointing at a person is considered rude. A more polite way of pointing to a person would be to direct the hand in their direction, as if holding a plate. You may point towards yourself to draw attention, and this behavior is seen commonly in monkeys.
[edit] Salute
There are many forms of salute gestures, most of which are used to denote respect or obedience for an authority. A common military hand salute consists of raising the right hand, held flat, to the right eyebrow. Scouting organizations use related salutes. The armies of various countries adopt slightly different forms of salute: in the United Kingdom armed forces, the hand is brought to the forehead palm outward in military and air force contexts, whereas the naval salute is as in the US forces - the US forces derived their saluting habits from the Royal Navy.
One of the most infamous forms of salute is the "Hitler salute", which is performed by extending the whole right arm, palm outstretched and facing down, upwards into the air at approximately a 45 degree angle from the ground. This gesture is associated with Nazism and its leader, Adolf Hitler, as well as with Germany during World War II. It is occasionally performed to mock someone or something for perceived authoritarianism or bigotry. This gesture was based on the Roman salute, and it was in that capacity that it was revived by Benito Mussolini's Fascist party.
In some countries, mostly in Europe, it is forbidden by law to perform this gesture, although this does not deter Neo-Nazis and white supremacists from using the gesture in public rallies. Even in other countries, it is generally considered taboo to use the gesture, and this partly caused the United States to abandon the similar Bellamy salute used when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, in favor of the current hand-on-heart gesture.
[edit] Shaka
The "shaka" sign is a common greeting gesture often associated with Hawaii, California, and beach and surfer culture in general. It consists of extending the thumb and pinky finger while keeping the three middle fingers curled, and is often described colloquially as the "hang loose" gesture. It is similar to American Sign Language letter "Y", where a fist is also made with only the thumb and pinky extended. The sign is often followed by waving as a greeting or acknowledgement. It can be used when driving as a signal of thanks to other drivers (for example, someone who stopped to let another driver onto the road from a driveway).
[edit] Similar gestures
In Britain and Northern Europe the symbol is used as a signal for owners of older model Volkswagen vans when passing on roads. The silhouette of the hand reveals a "W"-shaped outline along the top of the hand standing for Volkswagen.
In Spain and Italy, if the thumb points to the mouth, it means "drinking", since it is similar the shape of a porrón vessel. This is also true of the United States and Portugal.
In some countries, if the thumb points to the mouth, it can also represent marijuana usage, in particular the use of a bong. This is usually accompanied by a sucking noise.
In China, it is also the sign for the number six.
A similar gesture is the "call me" sign, which also has the pinky finger and thumb outstretched, but then also holds it up to the ear, to signify a telephone. This gesture is a common way to silently tell someone to call him or her, such as to continue a conversation in private.
It is also used by FC Barcelona player Ronaldinho as part of his goal celebration.
In India, rolling the shaka in a winding motion signifies that the listener does not believe what is being said and that the speaker needs to "spool in the yarn from spinning out too far".
In sub-cultures in most first world countries, the sign is used to represent a bong. An example would be; 'Hey man, wanna...' (insert sign here).
[edit] "Thanks!" Salute
Another gesture familiar from vintage cartoons, this is performed by sweeping an opened hand from near one's brow toward the person being addressed, and expresses gratitude. It is adapted from American Sign Language.
[edit] Three middle fingers
Gestures consisting of fully extending the index, middle, and ring fingers with the thumb and pinky tucked together under the palm have had a variety of meanings over the years.
The gesture was also used by Bosnian Croats as a victory sign, representing the Christian Trinity, during the Bosnian War. With the palm facing outwards, the fingers closed (without gaps), the right hand's fingertips to the same-side temple, it is used by the Boy scouts as their identifying salute.
In the United States, when the back of the hand faces outwards, this gesture is often used as a euphemism for "the finger." It is used especially when a jocular effect is desired. Originally, an accompanying verbal explanation was usual — "Read between the lines," referring to the common English expression denoting that one must read carefully to glean the subtle meaning in a passage — but this phrase is now commonly omitted. In the science fiction television series Farscape, the protagonist John Crichton often makes this gesture, but says "Read the middle finger."
[edit] Thumbs up, thumbs down
A closed fist held with the thumb extended upward or downward is a gesture of approval or disapproval respectively. These gestures have become metaphors in English: "My boss gave my proposal the thumbs-up" means that the boss approved the proposal, regardless of whether the gesture was made — indeed, the gesture itself is unlikely in a business setting.
The source of the gesture is obscure. Though a favorite of Hollywood 'swords and sandals' epics, where the "thumbs down" symbol means that the loser in a gladiatorial combat should be put to death, recent research suggests the meanings of the symbols have changed over the years. In 1997, Professor Anthony Philip Corbeill of the University of Kansas concluded that the thumbs up actually meant "Kill him," basing his assertion on a study of hundreds of ancient artworks. Thus, the "thumbs up" was an approval of the gladiator's request to kill his vanquished foe rather than a vote to allow the defeated to remain alive. Corbeill wrote that a closed fist with a wraparound thumb was the indication for a gladiator's life to be spared.
In Latin, the "thumbs up" gesture is called pollice recto, "thumbs down" is pollice verso. It is not certain that the contemporary gestures are identical to the gestures performed in ancient Rome. The current version was popularized by a widely reproduced academic painting by the 19th century artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, whose Pollice Verso depicts a triumphant gladiator standing over a fallen foe, looking up into the bleachers for the verdict of the crowd.
Additionally, Desmond Morris' Gestures: Their Origins and Distribution traces the practice back to a medieval custom used to seal business transactions... Over time, the mere sight of an upraised thumb came to symbolize harmony and kind feelings... The gesture's popularization in America is generally attributed to the practices of World War II pilots, who used the thumbs up to communicate with ground crews prior to take-off. American GIs are reputed to have picked up on the thumb and spread it throughout Europe as they marched toward Berlin." [2]
More recently, these gestures are associated with movie reviews, having been popularized by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert in their televised reviews — the thumb up meaning a positive opinion of a film; the thumb down meaning a negative one. One or two thumbs up, often held over the head, may also be used by athletes in celebration of a victory.
"'Thumbs up' traditionally translates as the foulest of Middle-Eastern gesticular insults — the most straightforward interpretation is 'Up yours, pal!' The sign has a similarly pejorative meaning in parts of West Africa, South America, Russia, Iran, Greece, and Sardinia, according to Roger E. Axtell's book Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World."[3]
Hitchhikers traditionally use a thumbs up gesture to solicit rides from oncoming vehicles, although in this presentation the arm is generally outstretched with the palm and closed fingers facing the motorist.
Additionally, supporters of Texas A&M University athletic teams use the thumbs-up sign, associated with the cheer, "Gig 'em, Aggies." The Thumb refers to a "gig" used for hunting frogs. The saying came when the Aggies had a big rival in the Southwest Conference in the TCU Horned Frogs.
Thumbs up and thumbs down are extensively used in scuba diving as commands to ascend or descend.
[edit] Tsk-tsk
Palm towards the recipient, all fingers closed except for the index, which alternates from left to right, like a metronome. In English-speaking countries it has a disapproving meaning and can be accompanied by a "tsk-tsk" sound.
In Italy and Spain it simply means "no", and does not have any patronizing connotation, which is denoted waving the index back and forth.
[edit] V sign
The "V Sign" originated in Britain, commonly known as "sticking two fingers up" or "flicking the V's" (as in "I didn't like the bloke, so I flicked him the v's and walked off"), it faces palm inwards, index and middle fingers extended vertically, and this is the way that Winston Churchill initially used it to indicate "Victory" at the beginning of the Second World War (often with a large cigar jammed between the two fingers), only reversing it later in order to distinguish the "V for Victory" campaign from the then prevalent insulting gesture, which is equivalent to the American middle finger.
Much has been made of the possible origin with British Archers in the Hundred Years War (1337 -1453). According to legend, it was the habit of French captors to cut off fingers of British archers when captured, thus disabling them as archers. It is said that mass salute evolved at the beginning of battles, showing the opposing French soldiers that they were still capable of effecting the massive damage associated with the war bow. There is, however, little record of this.
The palm outward sign was famously used by American President Richard Nixon. Since then it was used in the Vietnam war era to mean "peace" and has now been claimed by Rap culture as a salute, held palm inwards, horizontally, often accompanied by the words "peace" or "peace out"
The palm out sign is constantly used by Asians. Most often they will hold up 2 "V" signs very close to either side of their face with a big grin on their face during pictures, in Japan they will occasionally shout "piisu" or "Vweee" at the same time, in Taiwan they use it in the same way, but the meaning seems to be "Happy"
It is also the sign for the letter V in American Sign Language.
[edit] Vulcan salute
The Vulcan salute consists of a raised hand, palm outward, fingers extended, with the index and middle finger kept close together, and the ring and pinky finger close together, with a "V" shaped space between them, and the thumb sticking out alone.
This gesture is associated with the phrase "Live long and prosper", and derives from Star Trek, where it is used as a salute by fictional humanoid species the Vulcans.
It was introduced by Leonard Nimoy, who is Jewish, in his character of Mr. Spock and is drawn directly from the benedictory gesture made with both hands by a Kohen (priest in Judaism, a descendant of Aaron) during the Priestly Blessing (Hebrew: Birkat Kohanim). The Kohanim recite a blessing while performing this "gesture" and the other congregants respond with Amens.
This gesture is also known as the "Spocker" in allusion to the Shocker.
[edit] Wanker
A loose fist (with all fingers forming a cylindrical shape) is made, and shaken up and down (or sometimes, back and forth) at the wrist.
The gesture is imitative of the motions of male masturbation. Its meaning is equivalent to the word wanker or implies something is of little importance. If directed to a person or group, who are not necessarily present, it is considered a display of contempt toward them.
The name for this gesture is described by speakers of American English as a Britishism.
In Greece they use the wanker gesture but with the palm facing the ground thereby implying that the person is masturbating someone else rather than themselves. As such this has homosexual or promiscuous implications when directed at someone instead of the milder suggestion that they enjoy self-gratification.
[edit] Wave
A wave is a gesture in which the hand is raised and moved back and forth, as a greeting or sign of departure. The orientation of the hand varies by culture and situation. In many cultures, the palm is oriented toward the recipient of the wave.
In Chinese culture, orienting the hand palm-down and waving it up and down signifies "come here", rather than a greeting.
[edit] Using two hands
[edit] Air quotes
This phrase refers to using one's fingers to make virtual quotation marks in the air when speaking.
[edit] Awkward Turtle
The Awkward Turtle is a gesture made after something awkward just happened, or when there is an awkward silence. To perform an awkward turtle there are three steps to take. First, place hands face down on top of each other. Next, move thumbs out and away from the hands. Finally, rotate the thumbs. The rate at which one rotates the thumbs is an indication of the severity of the awkwardness.
"Awkward Tortoise" is the awkward turtle elevated above the head. It is meant to be used in those really awkward situations.
The Awkward Turtle's name has changed in recentyears, and has been formerly known as The Tip Off, and The Porygon.
The gesture's movements have been compared to paper folding, or Origami, and is commonly used in the USA Underground Paper Folding Network (UPFN USA).
[edit] "Gills"
This gesture involves holding the backs of the wrists against the jawline (with elbows outstretched) and then waggling one's fingers. The gesture is often accompanied by a feminine-voiced "Ooooo!" which rises and falls in intonation. It is used when one would normally say (sarcastically) "well aren't you clever?", or to imply that someone is acting too posh for their station. It is peculiar to Scotland owing to its use in Scottish TV sketch show Chewin the Fat.
[edit] "Shame on you"
This gesture involves pointing at a person with the index finger of one hand while rubbing the pointed finger with the index finger of the opposite hand. The rubbing motion is directed toward the intended recipient and is repeated at least three times. It is used to imply that the targeted person should feel shame.
[edit] Time-out
The "time-out" gesture — a "T" formed with the hands, with one hand with flat palm placed perpendicular to the other hand with flat palm, roughly in the center — originates in American sports. It was, and is, used where a brief pause in play is called for, such as to make substitutions. In basketball, the gesture is used to indicate that a player or coach is guilty of a technical foul.
[edit] Tea?
Similar to the "time-out" gesture, here the vertical bar of the "T" is formed with the index finger of the opposite hand instead of the whole hand. It is used, primarily in Britain, to silently offer the recipient a cup of tea.
[edit] References
- Bulwer, John (1644). "Chirologia: or the Naturall Language of the Hand" (London,1644)
- Goldin-Meadow, Susan (2003). The resilience of language: What gesture creation in deaf children can tell us about how all children learn language. In the Essays in Developmental Psychologyseries (J. Werker & H. Wellman, Eds.). New York: Psychology Press.
- Goldin-Meadow, Susan (2003). Hearing gesture: How our hands help us think. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
- Johns, C. (1982). Sex or Symbol. Erotic Images of Greece and Rome. London: British Museum Publications.
- Kendon, Adam (ed.) (1981). Nonverbal Communication, Interaction and Gesture: Selections from Semiotica (Vol.41, Approaches to Semiotics). The Hague: Mouton and Co. [Includes as an Introduction by Kendon an extended critical survey of methodological and theoretical issues in the field].
- Kendon, Adam (1997). Annual Review of Anthropology. 26: 109-128.
- Kendon, Adam (2000). Gesture in Naples and Gesture in Classical Antiquity. An English translation, with an Introductory Essay and Notes of La mimica degli antichi investigata nel gestire Napoletano ('Gestural expression of the ancients in the light of neapolitan gesturing') by Andrea de Jorio (1832). Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
- Kendon, Adam (2004). Gesture: Visible Action as Utterance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- McNeill, David (1992). Hand and Mind. What Gestures Reveal about Thought. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
- McNeill, David (2005). Gesture and Thought. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
- Kita, S. (ed.) (2003). Pointing: Where Language, Culture and Cognition Meet. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, ISBN 0-8058-4014-1.
[edit] External links
- International Society for Gesture Studies(ISGS) is an international scholarly association devoted to the study of human gesture. The ISGS organizes conferences and supports the Journal GESTURE.
- McNeill Lab Center for Gesture and Speech Research David McNeill's Lab homepage: The Center for Gesture and Speech Research at the University of Chicago studies speech and gesture from a psycholinguistic perspective. The page provides lots of useful information about gesture analysis.
- The Goldin-Meadow Lab Susan Goldin-Meadow's Lab homepage. The lab is composed of graduate students and researchers pursuing independent topics related to cognition, development, education, linguistics, and various other fields, but interrelated by the lab's main focus - the study of non-verbal communication, specifically gestures.
- The Nijmegen Gesture Center (NGC) at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics studies the role of gestures in psycholinguistic processing, communication and interaction, acquisition, cognition, and neurocognition.
- Journal GESTURE is a scholarly Journal that publishes articles reporting original research, as well as survey and review articles, on all aspects of gesture.
- Publications by Adam Kendon (field data, research techniques and theory of gesture and sign languages)
- A Nice Gesture Many stories and anecdotes on gestures.
- A Repertoire of South African Quotable Gestures, Journal of Linguistic Anthropology.
- Handspeak Sign languages, gestures, body languages, Baby Sign, International Sign, and more. Paid site with limited content for free.
