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Finger counting gives away your nationality

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Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#121

Post by touisteur »

bombela wrote: post #109
Leherenn wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's going to depend based on context. In this case, context was unclear and a misunderstanding ensued. I have nothing to back this up except experience, but I think the thumb up is less common is Europe than in the US. In this specific case, I think the expected answer is to confirm the number by flashing the same sign. A nod would also work, but be potentially less clear/easier to be missed. The ok gesture would li…

The ok sign usually means zero in France. In this situation; as a Frenchy; I would have repeated the count to confirm while nodding. Or waved my hand while shaking my head to refuse.

Or waved your finger to say no, or as a real French just shout through 'patron ya marée basse, r'mets voir les p'tites soeurs !'. Thumbs up would work too, maybe both thumbs up, once you're sure the guy understood you wanted two pint...

We may use the OK sign to signify 'au poil' (very fine) most often with pinched lips (mock Italian face).

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#122

Post by Jtsummers »

rpmisms wrote: post #108
anigbrowl wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps you'd care to explain why this guy has it emblazoned on his helmet. As I have pointed out many times, simply ignoring people whose ideas you find disagreeable doesn't necessarily make them go away. https://theintercept.imgix.net/wp-uploads/sites/1/2021/08/08...

For the same reason people like him fly the Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag (which was carried into battle against the Nazis). It makes people like you upset, which is hilarious to them.

Let's see, that flag was used for:

1. An army supporting the continuation of the enslavement of black peoples.

2. A group (KKK) who would ride out and lynch black people.

3. A very small number of people who fought Nazis.

4. Neo-nazis.

1 out of 4 isn't bad, I suppose...

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#123

Post by harywilke »

mngnt wrote: post #9

I like what I got to know as "the Japanese way" to count to 144 on my fingers. I´m sure it´s not exclusive to Japan tho. Using thumb as a pointer, I count not on the fingers, but their segments. Each finger is 3 segments, which gives 12 per hand. Now, to boost it, one hand is used to count the dozens from the other hand. Gets me thinking, maybe this is one of the reasons for popularity of 12-based systems in ancient…

This might interest you. "Sexagesimal, also known as base 60 or sexagenary,[1] is a numeral system with sixty as its base. It originated with the ancient Sumerians in the 3rd millennium BC, was passed down to the ancient Babylonians, and is still used—in a modified form—for measuring time, angles, and geographic coordinates. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#124

Post by yogenpro »

jjgreen wrote: post #3

Drinking outside a bar in Paris (so table service) with my girlfriend, the glasses approach empty so I turn to catch the barman's eye. He flicks the Vs (I am culturally sensitive so not offended, he means "two more pints?"), I return the thumbs-up. He brings one pint.

Sorry for being ignorant but sincere question: where / which culture considers the V gesture offensive?

I'm assuming the V gesture you are referring to is the one that consists of holding up both index finger and middle finger, rather than the one with thumb and index finger.

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#125

Post by undersuit »

yogenpro wrote: post #124
jjgreen wrote: post #3

Drinking outside a bar in Paris (so table service) with my girlfriend, the glasses approach empty so I turn to catch the barman's eye. He flicks the Vs (I am culturally sensitive so not offended, he means "two more pints?"), I return the thumbs-up. He brings one pint.

Sorry for being ignorant but sincere question: where / which culture considers the V gesture offensive? I'm assuming the V gesture you are referring to is the one that consists of holding up both index finger and middle finger, rather than the one with thumb and index finger.

IIRC you aren't supposed to hitchhike with a thumbs up in New Zealand, so I'm guessing we're dealing with a Kiwi. :)

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#126

Post by polka_haunts_us »

yogenpro wrote: post #124
jjgreen wrote: post #3

Drinking outside a bar in Paris (so table service) with my girlfriend, the glasses approach empty so I turn to catch the barman's eye. He flicks the Vs (I am culturally sensitive so not offended, he means "two more pints?"), I return the thumbs-up. He brings one pint.

Sorry for being ignorant but sincere question: where / which culture considers the V gesture offensive? I'm assuming the V gesture you are referring to is the one that consists of holding up both index finger and middle finger, rather than the one with thumb and index finger.

In various countires with relation to the UK Commonwealth, it's equivalent to giving someone the finger. If you do with a bit of an elbow swing it basically translates to "Shove it up your ass"

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#127

Post by krapp »

dylan604 wrote: post #117
underwater wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But witches are obviously fictional, whereas white supremists are very real.

Do white supremists float? Not sure why you claim witches aren't real. I know plenty of witches. While they may not be green skinned and fly on broomsticks that melt in water, there are plenty of people that call themselves witches nevermind whatever characture you have in mind.

The "witches" people were afraid of during the witch-trials were accused of worshiping and consorting with the devil to cast harmful spells or undermine the Christian virtue of a community. Those witches were the product of mass hysteria and opportunistic hatred, and almost certainly never existed.

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#128

Post by gojomo »

lazyant wrote: post #104
11thEarlOfMar wrote: post #15

And a key plot point in Inglourious Basterds . https://www.businessinsider.com/order-a-beer-like-a-german-2...

Funny I don't use either method to show or count three; I use my pinky (who I'd start counting) and the next two fingers.

Be careful: some people who are in other matters Very Very Smart will then insist you're flashing a 'white power' symbol.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/16/business/media/jeopardy-h...

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#129

Post by bsanr2 »

grandpa_on_lawn wrote: post #98
dylan604 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting. How can one differentiate the two then? Does the wrist position matter? A thumb out with the wrist twisted so the thumb is at an angle indicates "1", but a forward thrusted wrist so the thumb is pointing up and towards the person mean "yes, good job"? Is the second meaning lost entirely to the barman? If you had flashed OK hand gesture, would the barman have poured 3 pints, or thought you were a m…

Nodding the head is probably the better way.

I've heard of situations where the nod/shake are switched. Better just go with the waggle.

Re: Finger counting gives away your nationality

#130

Post by bsanr2 »

jjgreen wrote: post #3

Drinking outside a bar in Paris (so table service) with my girlfriend, the glasses approach empty so I turn to catch the barman's eye. He flicks the Vs (I am culturally sensitive so not offended, he means "two more pints?"), I return the thumbs-up. He brings one pint.

During the Olympics, I noticed that many athletes seemed confused about where to go following their races/runs/performances. It always took them a second to orient and proceed in the direction the volunteers wanted them to go.

I wondered (but never did find pictorial evidence) if it might have to do with the common Japanese gesture for "come this way," which, by happenstance, is almost identical to the rest of the world's gesture for "go away."

https://www.tokyoweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/to...

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