Around The World Hand Gestures

Prologue 

Language is often seen as one of the most important features of a culture. Language is not restricted to only physical words, but can also include hand movements and gestures that define many things without saying a single word. We often use our hands while talking to one another in conversations, and more often than not, we have certain meanings for these gestures we use. Hand gestures vary across cultures and can mean something completely different to others. It has been said that you cannot fully understand, or be fluent, in a foreign language until you have mastered their nonverbal gestures, what they mean, and when they are used. This book will explore hand gestures that are specific to certain countries to help us better understand how widely gestures are used around the world.

United States

The first country we will explore will be the United States. I am sure many of us are pretty familiar with the majority of hand gestures used within our country, but here we will explain what they mean and when we use them.

One hand gesture we will look at is the crossing of your index finger with your middle finger. Often times this is a gesture of good luck; wishing for the best outcome. This gesture is referred to as “keeping your fingers crossed,” “Cross your fingers,” or just “crossed fingers.” Some school classrooms use this as a signal to use the restroom, but that is not yet a formal meaning of this gesture.

The second hand gesture we will explore from the U.S. is making a circle with your index finger and thumb with all other fingers pointing up. This is commonly seen as a peace signal or that everything is ok. It can be said as “I am A-OK,” usually used by divers to signify they are ok after coming up for air. This sign is used inappropriately by using it as a sexual connotation.

Lastly, we will illustrate the gesture of when you reach out with your fist to hit another fist. Usually referred to as the “fist-bump.” This is a common greeting in the United States, most often between friends or in informal situations, rather than in a professional setting. Not sure superiors such teachers, parents, or CEOs would appreciate fist bumps in professional interactions. It has been said that this hand gesture originates from the handshake and was modified when generational children would spontaneously want to say hi on a basketball court to their friends on the sidelines. Though this gesture was originated in the United States, it is recognized in several other nations.

Italy 

The second country we will cover is Italy. They have some gestures we may not be as familiar with. In Italy, people tend to be very expressive with their hands while they talk, so hand gestures can say a lot.

The hand gesture of putting your index finger to your cheek will be our first covered gesture from this country. This gesture is unique to us here in the United States because not many of us use it. It usually means something is delicious, or “Buono” in Italian. Mainly, children use this sign to show appreciation for a good meal. This hand gesture would be considered inappropriate to be used in fancy restaurants because it is commonly used by children and not the elite.

Another hand gesture often used by the Italian culture is cupping your hands together and moving them up and down. This gesture signals that someone cannot believe what is being said. It is used widely by most of the Italian population.

The last gesture we will discover about Italy is the gesture of putting your palm under your chin and pushing it out. Also called the “chin flick.” This is a profound “go to hell” signal. This is misused by children when they want to curse but is restricted by moral upbringings. This is a disrespectful movement and should not be used unless one is very familiar with it and knows the intention.

France 

France will be the next country we will shed some light on. Similar to Italy, France also has some hand gestures which may not be very familiar to us.

By putting two fingers below the nostrils, the French will be conveying a message of something being easy. This can insinuate or display that the task at hand may be too easy for this person. This hand gesture can be misused by using it as sarcasm after being asked to do a task.

When the French touches one finger below their eye, they are telling you that they may not believe what you are telling them. “Mon oeil,” or loosely translated to “My eye.” It can also mean “No way!” or “Yeah right!” The people who are fluent in French will put their index finger to their eye, pull down the bottom of their eye, and shout “mon oeil” to exemplify distaste.

Another gesture common to the French is taking both hands and putting them upward with the fingers pressed together. This is a stress signal and can mean that someone is overwhelmed. Often times the hands are moving rapidly while someone is speaking. When seeing this gesture you could assume that the person using the gesture may have too much on their “to-do” list or that they feel stressed and approaching them cautiously is wise.

Germany 

We will now move to Germany and their frequently used hand gestures. I am sure some of us know of a hand gesture that was used when Hitler was the ruler of the country, but that gesture has been removed from the culture and is not socially acceptable to use in public.

The first gesture is performed by lightly tapping your head or temple with your index finger. This gesture is similar to the one we use here in America by swirling our index finger by our head. It implies that someone is crazy or “Verruckt” in German. It is used as a joke or in informal settings. This can be used inappropriately by using it to tell someone that they are uneducated.

The second gesture we will examine is shown by making a fist while tucking in your thumbs and then tapping them on a surface, usually a table or countertop. This is a sign of wishing someone good luck. This is more of a traditional gesture. A more modern version of this hand signal is to put your index finger and thumb in a circle with the other fingers being straight up, much like our “Ok” gesture here in America.

The last gesture we will explore for Germany is waving your hand in front of your face while your palm is faced inward towards your face. This gesture signifies a rude gesture and means that someone is insane. This is not a gesture you would want to use very often as people get offended in most situations. People who are good friends may use this to joke around with one another.

Spain 

Spain has some hand gestures that they share with other Latin-based cultures. Latin is a linguistic base used in many languages, including English. Though many times the gestures will not be exactly the same across all Latin cultures, they will likely be understood.

The first gesture we will see in the country of Spain is used by quickly opening and closing your hand in front of you so that your fingers almost come to a point when the hand is closed. This gesture displays a concern for lack of open space in the area or that the location is overpopulated and that the person is uncomfortable. This motion also notifies that a person in an informal situation is experiencing overall discomfort. Be sure to notice this gesture when approaching someone in Spain so you can be sure to not overcrowd them.

Another gesture common to Spain is expressed by putting your arms out, down by your torso, and then clenching your fists while moving your arms up and down. This is an example of a rude gesture by stating that a woman is lazy or that the man is unhappy with his spouse. This is not a gesture you would use as a newcomer to the country and is a more masculine gesture. Spain focuses a lot on femininity and masculinity within their culture, so understanding this gesture can be very useful.

The final gesture we will cover for Spain is used by putting your index and middle fingers to your face and pulling down right under the eyes. This means that someone is poor or does not have much security. It is meant to represent sorrow marks that struggle can leave on your face as you age, or wrinkles as we call them.

Mexico 

Since it was mentioned how many Latin-based languages have common hand gestures, we will observe Mexico and its hand gestures next. Here you will see some hand gestures that are not widely used in other Latin countries.

In Mexico, putting one of your palms to your elbow and putting that arm straight up in the air is a way to tell someone they are being stingy. The Spanish translation of stingy is “tacana/tacano” or “amarrado.” This gesture is mainly used in Central America and likely would be mistranslated across seas.

Another gesture that is unique to Mexico is when you put your up and open your hand with your palm towards your face. This is a signal that means “thank you” and is used to quickly show gratitude. Like many other hand gestures, this is a motion used in informal or personal interactions. While being in a professional interaction you would say the words “thank you” instead of gesturing it.

Taking both hands and putting them putting in front of you while bunching up your fingers and then shaking them is a signal that means there is “a lot” or “mucho” of something. This is also used to express that someone may want more of something. Though this is usually used in Mexico, this hand signal can be understood in many other countries, even the U.S.A.

Peru 

Peru is a country that not many people know much about, so in order to have a greater understanding of the culture, we will look at their regularly used gestures. These hand gestures are unlike any others we have previously covered in this book.

If you are in Peru and you see someone tapping their forehead with their four fingers pressed together, then likely the person making the gesture does not understand what someone is telling them. This can also be used as an insult to tell someone they are dense or “stupid.” It is important to recall this gesture if/when you visit Peru so you know when you need to clarify yourself and make better connections with people.

By pointing at a person and then pointing to the door, you are telling them they just told a “bad joke” or “he is out of here.” This gesture is usually used as a joke and/or very informally. By using this gesture in a more formal setting you can confuse the situation and actually disrespect your superior by treating them as a friend.

Another unique gesture in Peru is used by waving your index finger in front of your face. This signal can illustrate an attraction to someone or that someone is an elite or has lots of money. This is not a gesture you would want the person you are talking about to see because they could be offended or you could embarrass yourself.

Conclusion 

As we have seen throughout this book, there are many aspects of culture that can help us better understand other people. By practicing open-mindedness and being less judgmental, we can attempt to deeply connect with people from around the world. We can even be able to see what we have in common with these other cultures. Having better connections with people who are different from us can really enable the human race to better the way of life across the entire globe.