Somehow, a journalistic investigation led me to one of the pre-trial detention centers. They promised to give me the opportunity to meet with the defendant in a high-profile criminal case. While waiting for a date, I was sitting in the corridor and witnessed a very strange scene. One of the prisoners walking along the corridor made a sign to another with his hand - as if he had shaken dust off his shoulder. I would not attach any importance to this - maybe the person got dirty somewhere? - but the investigator sitting next to me commented: the number of fingers means how many employees of the correctional institution are standing in the corridor, and the left and right shoulder - on which side (Fig. 4,5,6). Being aware of everything and telling your comrades in prison about it is the first rule in places of deprivation of liberty.
A little later, walking through the exercise yard, I noticed how the convict crossed his fingers in a conversation with the teacher (Fig. 2. section "Gestures").
The investigator accompanying me explained that in this way the prisoner gives a signal to his “brothers” that there is a hidden meaning or deception in what was said. I thought: but a familiar gesture, it is usually used by children when they lie to their parents.
Later, my interlocutor showed several more common gestures in the criminal environment, which are widely used, for example, by pickpockets, and also “bull” language is used by counterfeiters, scammers and cheaters. Raspaltsovka is also used by "bulls" who are engaged in theft in public places, trains, train stations, airports, subways. In fact, every self-respecting authority should know sign language. And here it is appropriate to note that some gestures familiar from childhood have their own criminal meaning and are therefore fraught with danger.
For example, with the help of everyone’s favorite cookie (Fig. 18), the criminal “tells” the accomplice that the person needs to be “dunked”, or, in other words, killed. Or “okay” (Fig. 15), denoting that everything, they say, with us, “Americans, is excellent, in prison is a signal that a person needs to be “lowered” (it makes no sense to explain what this is).
And the thumb raised up (Fig. 13) in the zone is not at all a sign of approval, but the godfather's order to the “bulls” to check the newcomer, to make the so-called “breaking”. Even an ordinary fist has its own criminal significance: if you suddenly see that a passer-by shows his fist for no good reason (Fig. 2), then somewhere nearby his partner is going to “put on his ears” another victim, that is, he is ready to commit a crime. And finally, the famous “fingers with a fan”, when the index finger and little finger stick out, and the thumb lies along the palm. So this is nothing but an insult meaning “goat” (Fig. 5), that is, as if softer? - accusing the opponent of non-traditional sexual orientation. But if the thumb is protruded and this figuration is applied to the neck (Fig. 8), then the offender thereby informs his “colleagues” about the danger.
However, let's get back to the subjects engaged in theft. They have an open palm pointing forward - this is the order to “stand on the lookout” (Fig. 10). Bent thumb and ring fingers - “fill the tanks”, that is, divert attention (Fig. 3). The bent little finger and thumb indicate that the thief has “burned out”, was detained by law enforcement agencies (Fig. 17). The index and middle fingers lowered down - “two from the side”, inform that the police are “on the tail” (Fig. 21). But if one and the same index finger is lowered, this is a signal that you need to drag it from the back pocket of your trousers (Fig. 22). By the way, counterfeiters and pluckers have signs to indicate cash itself.
“Crunches” (money) - the thumb is raised up, the ring finger is bent (Fig. 11).
A large amount is indicated by a raised thumb and bent little and ring fingers (Fig. 12).
For law-abiding citizens, knowing “bull speech” from above is useful, if only in order not to become a victim of criminals. What we all want!
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| 1. “Turn the dynamo” - talk nonsense during the investigation. | 2. "Put on the ears" - rob. | 3. "To score tanks" - divert attention. |
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| 4. "Fofan" - a naive, alien person, he can be deceived. | 5. "Goat" - passive pederast; stranger. | 6. "Shoot" - play cards |
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| 7. "Vasser" - carefully. | 8. "Nightmare" - a hindrance in the commission of a crime. | 9. "Finyah" - Finnish knife. |
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| 10. "Stand on the lookout" - observe. | 11. "Crunches" - money. | 12. "Kush" - a large amount of money. |
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| 13. "Breaking" - checking the beginner. | 14. "Take a gun" - get a gun. |
15. "Lower" - to commit an act of sodomy. |
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| 16. "To otshkvorit" - to rape. |
17. "Burned" - detained by the police. | 18. "Soak" - remove, kill. |
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| 19. "Oil" - cartridges for weapons. |
20. "Informer" - informer, informant. | 21. "Side two" - police officers are watching us. |
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| 22. "Hit the asshole" - steal from the back pocket of your trousers. | ||
Gestures
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| 1. Signal of serious accusations ("cover"). | 2. The signal that the subject did not add anything new to what was in the criminal case. |
3. The proposal to brew "chifir". |
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| 4, 5, 6 - warning signs that a police officer is nearby. |
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| 7. Warning about the need to be silent. | 8. Signal not to talk about important things. | 9. A sign that what was said has an encrypted meaning |
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| 10. A sign of uncertainty about something. | 11. Signal of serious accusations ("cover"). | 12. An offer to smoke (send) marijuana. |
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| 13. Signal of great danger. | 14. Sign of approval of something. |
15. A sign of inconsistency with what was said. |
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| 16. Signal for intravenous drug injection. | 17. An offer to go on business together. | 18. Requirement to write a note. |
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| 19. Signals of doubt. In this case, the hand moves from side to side with the palm down. The thumb may point in the direction of the suspected source of danger. | 20. The signal is "hard on the hook." |
21. A sign of frankness. |
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| 22. “Overlaid” with evidence. |
23. Signal of a stalemate. | |
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1. Essays on the criminal subculture - Please
Probably, all people know that the same gestures in different countries have different meanings. Therefore, before using this or that combination of fingers, it is worth considering whether you will confuse your interlocutor. Today we will talk about shaka. What does the gesture of the thumb and little finger mean, you will learn by reading the article.
Origin
What does the thumb and little finger gesture mean? Each country has its own meaning. Where did this gesture originate? Believed to be in Hawaii. Well, who invented it? There is a version that in this way Kalili Hamana greeted. Who is this person? He was a simple hard worker who got injured while working in a sugarcane factory. He cut off three fingers. Only the little finger and thumb survived. Kalili was respected by the inhabitants of the island, but since the man could no longer greet normally after the injury, he raised his hand up, showing attention to his interlocutor. The inhabitants of the island, in order to cheer up Kalili, also began to greet him, and then each other with this gesture. It so happened that until today, among Haitians, raising the shaku sign means greeting.
There is another legend. What does the gesture of the thumb and little finger on it mean? He shows that everything is in order. The legend tells us about the cripple Haman, who lost three fingers, so he could only get a job as a train superintendent. It was his duty to check the carriages for the presence of stowaways in them. When Haman finished his work, he raised his hand up, telling the engineer with such a gesture that everything was in order and the train could move.
Shaka
What does the thumb and little finger gesture mean today? It is very common in the Hawaiian Islands, it is found there often. The gesture means "thank you", "hello", "welcome", "how are you?", "good day" and more, but always has a positive meaning. Haitians call their gesture "shaka". Why is that? This is also a kind of mystery. According to one version, the word has Buddhist roots. Shakyamuni folded his hands while praying in the form of shak. And since the gesture is shown precisely by the hands, it is easy to draw a parallel.
hang loose
What does the thumb and little finger gesture mean for surfers? Hang loose means "relax and have fun". This is what surfers consider to be their credo for life, as well as their battle motto. The hang loose and shaka gestures are identical. But it is no coincidence that surfers borrowed the Haitian greeting, which was slightly altered. Today hang loose show each other two surfers who are ready to go into battle. This gesture says that they are in a relaxed state, their soul and body are calm. After all, it is with this attitude that you can go to conquer the waves. This is, as it were, a kind of gesture that the coach expects from his wards before they stand on the board and swim.
Significance in Russia
Our compatriots are very fond of gestures. But we do not convey the meaning of the phrase only with the help of hands. Everyone agrees that active gesticulation makes the phrase more understandable, and speech is lively and natural. Also, Russians have many signs with which they can communicate without words. What does the gesture of the thumb and little finger mean? Its most common meaning is "call me". This is how friends can say goodbye when they part. One puts a makeshift telephone receiver folded from his fingers to his ear. And the other understands that you need to call. Even a mother can communicate with her little son in this way when she escorts him to school.
The hand gesture of the thumb and little finger is often used by rockers. At the concerts of their favorite artists, people show their devotion to them in many ways. Gestures are the easiest way to show your devotion to the musician and his work. Many fans raise their protruding fingers up and shake their hands to the beat of the music.
Some companies are even trying to play on popular gestures. So, representatives of the Nike corporation often build a daw out of their fingers. It symbolizes the company logo, and at the same time the Hawaiian greeting. Such incredible ingenuity of marketers cannot but cause respect and a smile.
Some people, especially young people, use this gesture to offer a drink. Often such a combination of fingers can be seen in the club, and folded at the level of the abdomen. Thus, even a stranger to you can offer you to skip a glass of something containing alcohol with him. Often a guy with a similar gesture invites a girl to drink with him.
Significance in the Caribbean
In no case do not use the gesture of protruding little finger and thumb in an unfamiliar country. In the Caribbean, you can be fined for this. You will wonder why? And there is such an unwritten rule that a gesture of two fingers, thumb and little finger means offering a girl intimacy. And any person who believes that you showed the gesture to her, can file a complaint against you to the police for harassment.
How to use?
How to put together a gesture that in Russia means a harmless “call me back”? You need to clench your fist, and then bend your thumb and little finger in turn. Moreover, the rest should be tightly pressed to the palm of your hand. The little finger should be brought to the mouth, and the thumb to the ear. If you want to make a rocker gesture, then you need to raise your hand and turn it around so that the palm is facing forward.
Who is using?
In Hawaii, the shaka gesture is used by everyone - both adults and children. In this way, they greet each other, thank, say goodbye, and so on. In our country, too, such a combination of fingers is very popular among young people and children. Older people rarely use such a gesture. After all, along with a positive value, it can carry a negative one. For example, in clubs it is not uncommon for drug dealers to suggest that customers try drugs with a two-finger gesture. At the same time, they put their hands to their lips. By the way, drug dealers are often hunted down by such gestures. That is why older people are wary of showing any gestures. They even try not to wave their arms, because it is considered bad manners. However, many still manage to give meaning to gestures even when no secret meaning was invested in them.
Pay attention to the interlocutor during the conversation. How often does he gesticulate, thus accompanying his speech? How emotional is he? What actions do the fingers slip?
Many people resort to using their hands during a conversation to give their speech a more vivid emotional coloring. Sometimes, with the help of finger gestures, you can understand what mood a person is in or what he really wants to convey to the interlocutor.
Raised palm
In most countries, a raised palm indicates a stop signal. This use of it is used in the course of a conversation to stop the interlocutor.
The second designation is "greeting" or "farewell", when the palm is raised up for a short time. But among the peoples of Greece, this is an insulting gesture, after which conflict will immediately follow.
Connecting the fingertips of both hands
When the interlocutor puts his fingertips together, you can immediately understand that he is full of calmness and confidence in himself and his knowledge. Such people are stingy with emotions and are very balanced.
The gesture also marks the moment of reflection and decision. In this interpretation, it was used several hundred years ago at judicial meetings.
Crossed index and middle fingers
In many Western countries for good luck. In Russia, this gesture corresponds to two designations: for good luck and as a cancellation of one's words. When a person makes any promise that he is not going to keep or his speech is unreliable, then he keeps his fingers crossed behind his back in order to "relieve himself of all responsibility" for what he said.
But in the Vatican, showing this gesture to the interlocutor, a person insults him, because in this country such a plexus of fingers means female genital organs.
Inviting gesture with index finger
On the territory of Russia, as well as in many European and Western countries, someone is called by a stretched forward and curving index finger, but it is considered a "slang" symbol and is not used in cultural communication. In Asian countries, this gesture is prohibited. In the Philippines, dogs are called in this way, so its use in relation to a person is humiliating and insulting.
kukish
Such a sign in different countries is interpreted in its own way. So, among the inhabitants of Russia, this is an expression of refusal, and in a rude form. And for the Brazilians - on the contrary, a symbol of goodwill, who wish good health and good luck. Therefore, in this country it is used quite often.
Middle finger
This gesture in most civilized countries is obscene, offensive. It symbolizes the male genital organs, and in this designation the middle finger was used back in the days of the ancient Romans.
Fist
When all the fingers on one or both hands are pressed to the palm, that is, they are clenched in, it indicates the hostile mood of the person.
The emergence of finger gestures
The use of fingers during colloquial speech or separately from it began to exist many centuries ago, even at the time of the formation of civilization. Especially often gestures were involved in religions.
Among Christians, finger movements, folding them into various plexuses were used during the reading of prayers, worship.
In Muslims, each phalanx of the fingers, as well as the palm, is endowed with a letter of the alphabet.
In France, when various secret societies were organized, members of these societies communicated using finger and hand gestures. Moreover, the gestures were known only to them and were secret.
In Chinese medicine, with the help of fingers, the whole body was treated by pressing on special points. Therefore, in Asian countries, hands are also a symbol of health, and gesticulation with their help of offensive signs is prohibited.
Over time, the use of fingers as a way of communication took root in public life and began to be supplemented with new symbols, changing its meaning. Now most people use this method of communication, sometimes unconsciously, expressing their emotional outburst.
For people with disabilities, this is the only way to interact with the outside world. Therefore, finger gestures cannot be ignored in communication.
The Malays call the thumb "big brother", the Indians call it "mother", and the Somalis call it "grandfather". We give dozens of “likes” every day with a thumbs up, and Cesar even erected a monument to him in Paris.
The most important of the fingers
Of all the fingers, the thumb is the most important for us. It is thanks to the presence of the thumb that humans (and humanoid primates) have a much more developed grasping reflex than, for example, New World primates, in which the thumb was never formed.
American scientists from the University of Utah David Carrier and Michael Morgan conducted an experiment, during which it turned out that the ability of the human hand (due to the presence of the thumb) to clench into a fist also protects the bones of the hand from damage during impact. This suggests that the formation of the thumb opposed to all the rest occurred not only for the sake of improving motor skills, but also because the hands became an effective means of defense and attack.
Larger areas of the brain are responsible for the movements of the thumb than for the functionality of the remaining fingers. Moreover, the thumb has its own pulse, which is why measuring the pulse with it is not recognized as correct.
Misjudgment
It is a common misconception that the citizens of Ancient Rome decided whether to keep a gladiator alive after a fight with a raised or lowered thumb. This erroneous judgment arose from Jean-Leon Gerome's painting Pollice Verso. The artist mistranslated the Latin text. In fact, a thumb bent in any direction a priori meant a death sentence, since it symbolized nothing more than a bared sword. The life of the gladiator was left only if the emperor (and not the whole crowd) left his fist clenched. Thanks to Hollywood films, the delusion "went to the people", but we consider it useful to refute it once again.
Thumb as a threat indicator
We sincerely hope that this "life hack" will never come in handy for you, but still. There is an easy way to determine if a person is in the affected area during a nuclear explosion. To do this, you need to stretch your hand with a protruding thumb towards the "fungus". If it is higher than a finger, it is bad.
Measure of length
The thumb is also significant in that it was the length of the first phalanx of the thumb that was originally taken as an inch. Of course, the thumb is not the most reliable "ruler", but to this day, in elementary grades, schoolchildren are taught to compare the width of the thumb with a centimeter.
...Has the meaning
Anthropometry is a controversial science, but with regard to the ratio of the size of the thumb and the intellectual abilities of a person, doctors came to an unambiguous conclusion: people with high IQ have long and proportional thumbs, while mentally retarded people, people with Down syndrome, thumbs may be underdeveloped and distorted.
Make a "Like"
Recently, the “like” thumb has become synonymous with approval on social media. Users are literally chasing "likes", they even earn money.
This attitude to the raised thumb is not accidental - in almost all European countries and the United States, this gesture shows that everything is fine. However, there are also cultural aspects. So, in Greece, this gesture means a call to silence, in Iran and other Muslim countries it is better to completely forget about the raised finger - this gesture is considered indecent here. Finally, if you find yourself underwater with divers, don't lose your vigilance when the instructor shows "like". This gesture indicates a signal to ascend.
Another common gesture involving the thumb is OK, when the thumb and forefinger are combined. Under no circumstances should you show it in Brazil or Turkey. They will misunderstand. They can also beat.
Fig
Figa has become in fact one of the main Russian gestures involving the thumb, but its origin is non-Russian. Most likely, in Rus' they learned about the figurine from visiting Germans who tried to seduce Russian young ladies with such a vulgar gesture. There is even a version that “fig” originated from the German expression fick-fick machen (this was the traditional German invitation to intimacy).
In the Russian tradition, the symbol of this gesture (probably due to highly moral Russian women) was transformed into a designation of a categorical refusal. Moreover, over time, the “fig” began to be used as a protective agent against evil spirits: apparently, because of the promiscuity, expats from German lands were equated with demons.
