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From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Japanese Gestures
Message-ID: <2522@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Dec-85 21:01:45 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2522
Posted: Mon Dec 16 21:01:45 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Dec-85 05:37:13 EST
References: <793@rtech.UUCP>
Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Distribution: net
Organization: System Development Corporation R&D, Santa Monica
Lines: 19

Since we're currently discussing learning Japanese AND gestures, it
seems only appropriate to discuss the intersection of the two.

Japanese gestures are (not surprisingly but perhaps disconcertingly)
different than standard Western ones in a number of respects.  Like the
rest of the Orient, they discriminate between wiggling the fingers above
the hand (summons dogs and other animals) and below (summons people).
Probably similarly eating is shown by manipulating two fingers in a
chopstick-like motion.  A Japanese saying "It's me" points at the
noise, not the heart.  Waving your hand fanlike in front of your face
means "I can't help you," "we're closed, or some other equivalent of
"go away."  The little finger signifies a woman and the thumb a man
(so that saying "He's busy" while raising your little finger pinpoints
the nature of the activity as sexual).

Or so Seward says (and my observations confirm).  However, Seward never
discussed Japanese obscene gestures.  Anyone out there care to do so?

--Lee Gold