Talk:Hand gesture

older discussion[edit]

The gestures listed below are all so-called emblems (Ekman&Friesen) or quotable gestures (Kendon 2004). These are conventionalised culture specific gestures. Hence the article is quite confusing because it is suggested that a specific hand configuration means X, which may be true for the US but probably not for all other countries.cultures in the world. Moreover, some gestures are not even culture specific but specific to a TV show (Start Trek) This article needs a major rewrite that will clarify issues like the fact that these gestures are not at all universal but culture/sub-culture specific. Moreover, for most of the gestures there is NO evidence that this gesture actually means what the authors claims.

There's no place in this article for the 'Dick Head' gesture? How disappointing :) --Xurble 20:45, 12 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Sources for the "Awkward Turtle" and the "Shame on you"? -- ALoan (Talk) 19:46, 30 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I did not write this part of the article, however I have found the following sources for validation:

http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Awkward_Turtle http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=awkward+turtle

I found additional evidence of theuse of the term 'Awkward Turtles' in the following places:

http://www.browndailyherald.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory_id=2befcfac-50b6-4049-8683-85db15e7510e http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2007/02/06/Features/Pfeffer.The.super.Awkward.Handbook-2695512.shtml?sourcedomain=www.thejusticeonline.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com http://www.phillipian.net/article.php?ID=2419

Jatos 13:33, 16 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

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uncyclopedia and urbandictionary shouldn't be used as a source. they are humor and mystification sites.

also noticed "Underground Paper Folding Network" - another unnoticed vandalism. or can anyone confirm that such a body exists??

I think this article requires a major rewrite...

Stefan

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While one ought to be circumspect about using urban dictionary as a source, I think when the subject is slang in popular culture, it is not necessarily inappropriate. urban dictionary has become a de facto compendium of modern slang terms, and sometimes the accompanying hand gestures as well. Capmango 12:28, 25 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

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There appears to be some vandalism in the section on the raised middle finger

There's nothing here on the gesture where one flips one's lips with the index finger. It is similar in meaning to the cuckoo sign, but can also indicate something is too difficult or "over one's head.[1]" Papertrail 19:55, 28 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Tapping one's temple with one's index finger ? --68.0.120.35 02:33, 25 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Shaka sign[edit]

It is also used by FC Barcelona player Ronaldinho as part of his goal celebration.

This seems very wrong. The shaka sign is very common among Brazilians, I doubt Ronaldinho started the trend. --moyogo 15:31, 9 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

How about the "Over my head" sign were the person moves a hand, palm down, over the top of their head to indicate that they didn't understand something just said.

Heart sign[edit]

File:Mtv13-.JPG Any idea what this is called? Used a lot in Asia, especially Japan. The two hands are supposed to look like a heart. Patiwat 02:04, 27 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

No mention of bunny ears?[edit]

I read through the article and I can't find any mention of bunny ears. Vandalism, or was it never there? Abby724 16:13, 11 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Where are these genstures commonly used?[edit]

A good number of these gestures are unknown to me. We need to specify where they generally are used, America, Europe, Asia, Australia, etc. --Lendorien 01:55, 12 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I Love You Sign[edit]

I have never witnessed anyone using that sign or heard of it anywhere else. Can anyone confirm that this is real? -- 91.64.242.71 16:39, 21 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

My friends and I have been using it for at least 30 years. I've seen it many places in the U.S. Capmango 12:17, 25 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Curwen signs[edit]

The Curwen hand symbols representing musical notes are interesting, but I don't think they are gestures in the same sense that the others are. Hand codes used in specific disciplines are a different thing than culturally understood gestures. Capmango 12:19, 25 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The Stephanie Hay signal[edit]

this is a signal used in many tennis matches, it is a very unique gesture that focuses on arms, legs, and awkward turtle gestures. heheh i love bird beakmen...but i'd never tell ;) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 123.211.234.72 (talk) 09:55, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

What about[edit]

What about that Star Trek thing where they separate their ring&little fingers and middle&index to make a V?--Codell^Talk 03:59, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I believe you'll find the Vulcan salute under Salute. I added a "see also" section pointing there. Capmango 17:08, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Whatever McDonalds Worker?[edit]

What? The 'cite' links to an urbandictionary page, which alone should be enough for its removal, let alone the low number of votes it has. This is clearly someone's silly gesture.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.113.195.40 (talk) June 25, 2007

90% of these gestures have no citation at all. There is at least something attesting to this one. I have seen it used and heard references to it outside of urban dictionary, for several years now. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Capmango (talk • contribs) June 25, 2007.

Not sure another 'Wiki' qualifies as a reference...most of these gestures are decades, if not millenia old and permeate english-speaking culture. This is clearly contemporary, likely localized, and IMO not relevant. Any pop culture references to speak of? Film? Literature? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 143.112.32.4 (talk) June 26, 2007

What if the person who wrote the section also wrote the UB entry (there is only one entry for it on UB, as it is)? Then this citing is just useless. I think we need a more reputable source. The UB article (like all of its counterparts) has too many errors in spelling to be believed (by me, anyway). I'll try to look for one, but I can't promise anything.

This is ridiculous. I added the entry because it is a gesture that I see a lot. I added the reference because things are supposed to be referenced. Now we're talking about removing the one referenced gesture because people don't like the reference, but leaving all the others because no reference at all is apparently better than a questionable reference? I'm not emotionally attached to the entry; if you really think Wikipedia is more useful without it than with it, just remove it. Capmango 15:14, 15 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

OK, I removed this one. If anyone wants it back please re-add it. I don't plan to revert. Thanks, Johntex\^talk 01:02, 4 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Some of the grammar just... sucks[edit]

We need to spruce up the grammar. I think I'll get on it.

What about...[edit]

... the 'get a move on', or 'get to the point' gesture? The hand is held open, not necessarily facing any direction, and quickly rotated in a clockwise direction. Presumably it comes from the days of cassette tapes, pretending to 'wind the tape on'.

East Asian Gesture?[edit]

I'm not sure what this gesture is called. It's formed by making a fist, extending your right arm, rotating your elbow 90 degrees so that your fist is pointing upwards, turning your hand so that the back of the hand is facing forwards, and putting your left hand on your right biceps. It's what Bowser is doing in this picture. [2] I've seen it in quite a few places, so I believe it's most likely notable but I can't find out anything about it until I know what it's called Ziiv 23:09, 29 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

West Side gangster gesture[edit]

Could someone knowledgeable add this to the list? How did the "W"-fingers came to be, and is the thumb suppose to touch the pinky or not? --68.239.64.209 20:25, 7 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Dick Head gesture[edit]

Can someone ad this please? Maker pretends to be stroking a penis growing out of their head. 81.157.227.231 23:54, 9 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

OK gesture[edit]

"In Brazil and German speaking countries, this gesture is considered to be a reference to the anus, being considered very offensive"

I don´t know about Brazil, but in Germany, this gesture means "OK" and not "You are an anus" or something. Disprove me or I´ll delete that sentence. 84.174.205.113 15:48, 13 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Shush[edit]

I feel this is probably vandalism [the 'push and shoot' version] but don't feel up to writing a version on what the finger-to-lips gesture actually means ['be quiet', in my experience]. I can't find the edit in History, if there was an edit. Does anyone know what it used to/should say? 144.32.126.15 04:24, 22 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]