Gesture
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- For gestures in computing, see mouse gesture.
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A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication made with a part of the body, used instead of or in combination with verbal communication. The language of gesture is rich in ways for individuals to express a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection. Most people use gestures and body language in addition to words when they speak; some ethnic groups and languages use them more than others do, and the amount of such gesturing that is considered culturally acceptable varies from one location to the next.
Although some gestures, such as the ubiquitous act of pointing, differ little from one place to another, most gestures do not have invariable or universal meanings, having specific connotations only in certain cultures. Different types of gestures are distinguished. The most famous type of gestures are the so-called emblems or quotable gestures (see the examples below). These are culturespecific gestures that can be used as replacement for words. Communities have repertoires of such gestures. A single emblematic gesture can have very different significance in different cultural contexts, ranging from complimentary to highly offensive.
Another type of gestures are the ones we use when we speak. These gestures are closely coordinated with speech. The meaningful part of the gesture is temporally synchronised with the co-expressive words. For example, a gesture that depicts the act of throwing will be synchronous with the word 'threw' in the utterance "and then he threw the ball right into the window." Other gestures like the so-called beat gestures, are used in conjunction with speech, keeping time with the rhythm of speech and to emphasize certain words or phrases. These types of gestures are integrally connected to speech and thought processes. Prominent researchers in this field include Susan Goldin-Meadow and David McNeill. One of the most prominent researcher in the field of gesture research is Adam Kendon. He has investigated may aspects of gestures, like their role in communication, conventionalization of gesture, integration of gesture and speech, evolution of language and the role of gesture.
Social significance
Gestures play a major role in many aspects of human life. Many animals, including humans, use gestures to initiate a mating ritual. This may include elaborate dances and other movements.
Religious and spiritual gestures are also common, such as the Christian sign of the cross. In Hinduism and Buddhism, a mudra (Sanskrit, literally "seal") is a symbolic gesture made with the hand or fingers. Each mudra has a specific meaning, playing a central role in Hindu and Buddhist iconography. An example is the Vitarka mudra, the gesture of discussion and transmission of Buddhist teaching. It is done by joining the tips of the thumb and the index together, while keeping the other fingers straight.
Using one hand
A-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, it means "OK" and is inoffensive. In most other cultures it is a sexual or scatological gesture referring to the anus. In Germany, often seen on the Autobahn, this gesture is a silent way of calling someone an "Asshole". The gesture is used extensively in scuba diving. It can also mean "0," or "money," in Japan.
Bang bang
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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 will kill you", or simply as a playful greeting. The middle finger is often also extended to widen the "barrel".
Texas Tech fans use the "bang bang" salute (fingers pointed upward) to cheer their team. 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 interperated as a greeting.
Benediction and blessing
The benediction gesture is a raised right hand with the ring and pinky 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. It was shown by representations of Jesus as Christ Pantocrator.
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.
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 holding touching the index finger and thumb together and drawing a checkmark (✓) in the air. In Japan, the symbol to request a check is often made by crossing the two hands together in the shape of a T, which might be considered a sign for a time out in the United States. 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 and 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.
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.
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 a closed fist. It does not exhibit the anger of the clenched fist or pointing finger, and so is thought to be less threatening. Given the success of Clinton, it has been widely adopted by other politicians.
Fig sign
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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 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.
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.
Hook 'em Horns
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In college sports in the United States, The "Hook 'em Horns" (or simply "Hook 'em") sign is associated with fans of the Texas Longhorns. 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.
However a warning to all Texas Longhorn fans abroad. In Italy this salute, accompanied by a twisting of the wrist gesture, is considered an insult (see mano cornuto). It implies that the recipient's wife has been sleeping around. A group of American revelers were arrested in Rome (1985) after parading outside the Vatican liberally displaying the "Hook 'em Horns" after a major victory by the Texas Longhorns. The Pope was reported to be unimpressed by the Americans' behaviour (Pease, A et al., 2004, The Definitive Book of Body Language).
Horns
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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). Perhaps because of its occult significance, it is used as a salute by fans of heavy metal music. 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.
To Chaotes practicing Lovecraftian magick, it is called the "Sign of Voor" or the "Voorish Sign".
Kodály Hand Signs
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])
Knocking on wood
This signifies the neutralization of a jinxing brought on by either mentioning a 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 is also known as "tapping wood" or "touching wood".
In Italy, one knocks on iron with the hand in the corna horns position.
Middle finger
Template:Main Image:Middle finger.JPG "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".
When this gesture is made with the palm facing forward, it is known to Chaotes practicing Lovecraftian magick as the "Sign of Kish". Another Lovecraftian sign is the "Sign of Koth", which consists of fully extending the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky, while the thumb is tucked against the flat of the hand.
Palm of hand
In most places, a palm raised towards somebody means "stop".
In Greece, 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 by the Greek name of "Moutza". It is commonly held to originate from the ancient Byzantine punishment of parading a chained criminal around town and allowing people to thrust excrement into their faces. 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.
Salute
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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 States, the military salute places the hand directed outward over the eyebrow, like a visor; 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.
Shaka
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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).
Similar gestures
Image:Callme.jpg 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, 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.
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.
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. To Chaotes practicing Lovecraftian magick, this gesture is known as the "Sign of the Elders." 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.
Thumbs up, thumbs down
Image:Hand with thumbs up.jpg 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.
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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.
V sign
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The "V sign" is the reverse side of "flipping the bird," made by lifting the middle and index finger with the palm of the hand facing the recipient (and the remaining fingers clenched). It was associated with the catchphrase "V" for Victory in World War II. In the 1960s, it came to be known as the "peace sign," the gestural equivalent of the peace symbol. It was associated with British prime minister Winston Churchill during World War II, and later, with U.S. president Richard Nixon. The sign also was famously misused by George H. W. Bush in Australia, where he intended to make the peace sign at protesters, but did it the "wrong way" causing great furor in the Australian tabloids. It is also the sign for the letter V in American Sign Language.
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 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.
Wanker
Image:Fingers and thumb in circle downward motion.jpg 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, which gives the gesture its meaning. The name for this gesture is described by speakers of American English as a Britishism.
Using two hands
Air quotes
This phrase refers to using one's fingers to make virtual quotation marks in the air when speaking.
"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 a Scottish TV sketch show.
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.
Nowadays the gesture is used in the United States to hush children, or to calm participants in a heated argument. In Japan, the same gesture may be used to request the check when dining at a restaurant (see also Check, please, above).
Hand with body gestures
Biting one's thumb
Biting one's thumb was an old rude British gesture. It is comparable to "the Finger" in modern terms. In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Sampson bites his thumb at the Montagues (Act 1, Scene 1).
Bowing, kneeling, kowtowing
A bow is a gesture of respect involving lowering the head, usually performed by a social inferior to a social superior. Various cultures have different degrees or ways of performing the bow; China and Japan are particularly associated with elaborate and formal bowing. Bowing is also done by many groups as a ritual associated with prayer. In the Western world, women curtsey rather than bow. Kneeling and "kowtowing" are more extreme or elaborate forms of self-abasement before a social superior.
Crossing oneself
Template:Main The "sign of the Cross" is the use of the right hand to touch the forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder, consecutively. It represents the Christian cross. (A Roman Catholic crossing him/herself touches the forehead, chest, and their left, then right shoulders; Byzantine (Eastern) Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians touch the right shoulder before the left, with the thumb and first two fingers joined — symbolizing the Trinity — and the tips of the last two fingers touching the palm, symbolizing the dual nature of Christ in one being. )
This gesture is used by Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and some other Christian groups in prayers, to perform blessings, and as a salute before entering a church or similar place of religious significance. It is also used in various kinds of Christian folk religion to avert evil or bad luck.
Hand over heart
This gesture involves placing one's right hand, palm outstretched and facing in, over one's heart. Male hat or cap wearers typically remove their hats and hold them in this hand. In some cultures, it is used as a gesture of respect towards flags or during singing of a national anthem. In the United States, it is also performed as a part of the rituals of the Pledge of Allegiance.
My eye
Image:MyEye.jpg In France and parts of Europe it is common to point your index finger at your eye and even pull the skin under the eye lightly down to emphasize the presenting of the eye. The gesture displays disbelief. In Japan, tugging at the eye is used as a childishly offensive gesture, or to indicate boredom.
Touched / screw loose
Tapping one's index finger against the head indicates that a person or an idea being discussed is insane or "touched in the head". A similar, more elaborate gesture uses a circling motion of the finger at the temple or side of the head. This signifies that the person is "mixed up" or "has a screw loose". In Germany, tapping or pointing to the temple is used as an insult, often with the accompanying phrase "du hast einen Vogel." While this literally means "You have a bird," it is idiomatic for saying that you are insane. Also, in Indonesia, drawing a line across the forehead with the side of the right index finger denotes a similar meaning.
Nonsense
Performed by waving the palm of your hand in front of your face, it may be used to tell the other person that an idea he or she had was nonsense.
Loser
This gesture is performed by raising the index finger and thumb of your right hand perpendicular to each other so that they form the letter "L". It is then placed onto one's forehead. It signifies that the person that this gesture is directed to is a loser.
Cutthroat
Image:Cutthroatgesture.JPG This gesture is performed by drawing the hand, or a finger or two, across the throat. It represents slitting the throat with a knife, and means that the gesturer or someone else is metaphorically being killed. It is rarely if ever used literally to refer to death, though it is occasionally used as a theatrical threat ("I'm going to kill you"). It can also mean simply "Cut! Stop!" as in scissors sign.
Choking sign
Image:Chokinggesture.JPG The standard gesture to indicate that one is choking is to hold the throat as if strangling oneself. This is recognized as a request for immediate first aid for choking. The gesture is sometimes used metaphorically to refer to someone or something "choking" in the slang sense of failing at something, for instance at an athletic event.
Nose thumbing
For this gesture, also known as "cocking a snoot" or "cocking a snook", the thumb is placed on the tip of the nose, with the remaining fingers of the hand extended and waggled freely. This gesture is ended with a dramatic flicking of the thumb away from the end of the nose and towards the recipient. In the United States, it conveys a general message of contempt.
To add emphasis, the gesture can be made using both hands, connecting them by touching the little finger of the first hand with the thumb of the second, and waggling the remaining seven fingers. It is frequently accompanied in the United States by the utterance of a Bronx cheer, or by sticking out of the tongue.
Italian elbow gesture
Image:Kozakiewicz gesture.jpg This is performed in two parts: first, the right hand is placed in the elbow crook of the left arm. The left arm is then raised (fist clenched) at the victim in a smooth and continuous motion. This gesture is associated with Italians and is considered a more theatrical and physically exuberant version of The Finger, and may even be combined with The Finger by Italian-Americans. In Italian it is known as the gesto dell'ombrello, meaning literally "the umbrella gesture." It is typically used in two different situations: 1) to answer "no way!" in an extremely emphatical (and quite vulgar) way; 2) after a triumph against some unfair enemy, with a sense of revenge. The gesture is frequently made stronger by crying "to'!" or "tie'!", both meaning "take this!", at the precise moment the hand touches the crook of the elbow.
This gesture is also in use in France as bras d'honneur (arm of honour), where it is usually understood as va te faire foutre, still meaning "fuck off." In Spain and Portugal, it is a corte de mangas ("sleeve cut") and is done with the left hand on the right elbow, without the continuous motion.
The gesture above has long been known in Slavic countries in the above senses plus "fuck you", without any standard name. In Poland its name has been standardized to "Kozakiewicz's gesture", after Polish pole vault jumper Władysław Kozakiewicz, who had shown this gesture to the Russian public during the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, see "Władysław Kozakiewicz" for details.
Flipping the fingers out from under the chin
This is a traditional Sicilian gesture of disdain in which the fingers of one hand are curled under the chin with the palm facing the throat and then flipped forward towards the interlocutor. The gesture is commonly translated as “fuck you” when directed toward the interlocutor or otherwise as “fuck that/him/her/them,” but more precisely translated as “go get fucked in the ass.”
In an event that demonstrates both the importance and indeterminate meaning of gestures, this gesture became the center of a controversy in March of 2006. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was departing a Red Mass when he was approached by a reporter for the Boston Herald and asked his reactions to critics who questioned his impartiality in deciding issues of the separation of church and state. Scalia reportedly said that he responded to his critics thusly, making this gesture. Angered by the resulting story, Scalia wrote a harsh letter to the Herald asserting that he had merely slowly moved his extended fingers back and forth under his raised chin, which he cited Luigi Barzini’s book “The Italians” as meaning “I couldn’t care less. It’s no business of mine. Count me out.”
Scalia had made the gesture while facing towards Peter Smith, a free-lance photographer for the Boston archdiocese’s newspaper and Boston University professor, who had snapped a photo and, following Scalia’s letter, supported and supplemented the reporter’s version of events. He allowed his photo of Scalia’s fingers flipping forward to be published in the Herald and stated that Scalia’s exact words had been “To my critics, I say ‘Vaffanculo,’” an Italian obscenity that would reflect the obscene meaning noted above.[4] As a consequence of his allowing the photo to be published, Smith was informed that the archdiocesan paper would no longer be making use of his services.[5]
Body and facial gestures
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Many gestures utilize only the face or body, without the hands.
One such gesture is "eye-rolling" wherein a person rotates his or her eyes upward to indicate condescension, contempt, boredom, or exasperation.
Mooning is the exposure of the buttocks towards a person or people. The mooner opens his pants, turns around to face away from the target, and drops the pants while bending over. Mooning is a crude gesture of contempt or defiance. "Pressed Ham" is a variation of mooning made by pressing the naked buttocks against a window. "Sausage and Eggs," also known as "Hanging a Rat," is the reverse variation of the "Pressed Ham." The "Fruit Basket" is a variation in which the scrotum is tucked behind the legs so it is displayed along with the mooner's buttocks.
Neck rolling
Usually done by girls especially young girls, as a sign of disagreement, disappointment or disgust.
See also
- Kinesics
- Rock, Paper, Scissors, a game played with hand gestures
- Sign language
- Charades
- Chironomia
References
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- Gestures From Around the World is a message board forum for people interested in Courtesy, Culture, Drawing, Gifts, Recognition, Software & Technology.
- Publications by Adam Kendon (field data, research techniques and theory of gesture and sign languages)
- Handspeak Sign languages, gestures, body languages, Baby Sign, International Sign, and more.de:Geste