The whole world full of riffraff demand to come here, and our own "sign" isn't even on the chart??!?
Romeo and Juliet Act 1, scene 1
Gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
Sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
[Enter ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR]
Abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.
Abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson. [Aside to GREGORY] Is the law of our side, if I say ay?
Gregory. No.
Sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.
Don’t ever ask for five of anything in Greece by showing an open hand with all fingers extended.🖐️
In Egypt, thumbs up is very rude, means same as middle finger here.
“Chin flick” was a sign of contempt in my day - often accompanies with picking imaginary filth off of your show and throwing it.
When my Dad's team won one of these awards, he was the only one in the team picture not making the "OK" sign. When I asked him why, he explained that in many Latin American countries, what we think of as an "OK" sign, to them it is signal used by Gay men to subtly signal that fact to other Gay men (the imagery intended should be obvious).
So, word to the wise when visiting Latin America: it's better to say "OK" (which is kind of universal anyway) than to give a hand sign that might get you unwanted attention.
“In order to beckon someone, you may place your palm toward the sky and curl either one or all of your fingers toward you. However, this is a highly offensive gesture in the Philippines. In fact, it’s considered to be such an insult that it’s even punishable by arrest in extreme instances. This is due to the fact that Filipinos often use this same gesture to summon dogs and other animals. Fortunately, there’s a much better alternative for calling someone over in the Philippines — just face your palm down instead of upward and bring the fingers toward you in a scratching motion.”
Oddly in Venezuela it is a bit opposite. You place your hand erect and close your palm repeatedly and if not seen say pisst (just the sound) vocally which has nothing to do with urinary function. It is just to get the attention of the waiter.
I lived there pre Chaves. It was great. Today it is a hell hole.
Foreigners are too superstitious and annoying.
They are too terrified to explain the horns gesture. Cuckoldry.
That’s all I need...More eggshells to have to walk on. I’m not very good at it and I have no plans for going out of my way any more than I have already, which was probably a mistake to begin with.
Having lived in Southern Italy for two years, I can tell you the chin flick (Non me frega!) means no-as in you’re wrong or I don’t care, but the nose flick means “no, you lying idiot”!
Where was it, Nixon stepped out of the plane door and gave his traditional “two handed peace sign”. Turns out, such a gesture even with one hand was considered highly offensive, so it looked like he just stepped out and gave the country a giant FU. Before, you would blame his handlers for their ignorance, but now I wonder if they encouraged him.