Thinking Anthropologically about Media:
When Hand Gestures Insult
By Johannes Merz

Thinking Anthropologically about Media:
When Hand Gestures Insult

By Johannes Merz

Has someone ever insulted you with a hand gesture? How did this make you feel? Hand gestures are powerful nonverbal signs that mean something specific. They are important in our daily communication but can be treacherous when we use them outside our own cultural environments. When we create or adapt images or films for different audiences than originally intended, we have to be careful about hand gestures. Let’s look at three examples to see why this may be the case.

The thumb gesture can be used to show approval for something well done, especially in America and many European countries. It has also gained global recognition thanks to Facebook’s "Like" symbol. But the thumb gesture can mean different things in other parts of the world. In Germany and other European countries, for example, it’s also used for counting, as it stands for the number one. In Japan it means the number five. This can create confusion when negotiating figures! Meanwhile, people in America and Europe also use the thumb gesture to hitchhike. This thumb gesture, however, is far less polite in many parts of the world, such as Greece and parts of the Middle East, West Africa, and Latin America, where it can be very insulting, especially when the hand is moved up and down. This is why you may never succeed in getting a lift in these parts of the world!The "V" sign is another fairly common hand gesture. Most often it stands for victory or peace. There are two ways to hold your hand, though, with either your palm or the back of your hand facing outwards. These can mean two different things. If you come from England, Australia, or South Africa, making the "V" sign while showing the back of your hand is insulting. This is nicely illustrated by Winston Churchill in the war drama Darkest Hour (2017, Joe Wright). Another potential problem is that in places like America, people use this gesture for the number two.Another complex sign is the "O" gesture. Often, it stands for "okay" and means approval, agreement, or showing that everything is fine, at least if you’re from an anglophone country. In Japan, the "O" gesture stands for a coin and means money, while in France it’s a sign for zero or worthless. So don’t use it to show French chefs how much you appreciated their food! In several parts of the world, it’s even more negative, as it symbolizes different bodily orifices and people use it to insult others or show their discontent with someone. In Arab countries the "O" gesture can symbolize the evil eye and be used as a curse.

So, hand gestures often have multiple, sometimes opposing meanings. They may be common, seemingly innocent, and positive for you; but in other cultural settings, you may be offending or even cursing someone.

Can you think of other hand gestures that you use? What do they mean to you? Could they possibly have different meanings for other people? Try thinking anthropologically about it, and discuss it with a friend or acquaintance from another country.Johannes Merz is a senior anthropology consultant with SIL International. He holds a PhD in anthropology and lectures at Moorlands College in the UK. He and wife Sharon have been based in Benin, West Africa, since 2002. You can contact him at Johannes_Merz@sil.org.

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