Cultural differences: Signals
Pointing with the finger to give directions is common in North America. "It's over there on the table." "Turn left at that Texaco station." "Talk to the women over there in the red dress."
Here in Honduras, many people point with their chin, as pointing with the finger, even at an inanimate object, seems to be considered rude. Accurate directions from points with a chin are just a little harder to decipher.
In the USA wagging the index finger negatively at someone is usually reserved for teachers indicating a wrong answer or that someone has been a bad boy.
It is also used in Honduras to indicate that the person disagrees or that they think you are wrong. However, wagging of the Honduran index finger usually is in response to questions like "Would you like some more coffee?" or "How about some dessert?"
Sorry, but in this situation, "No, thanks" strikes me as much more polite. I'm still a little taken aback at this one and always feel like I've done something wrong.
The other day, El Jefe asked me if I wanted some of what he was eating. Trying to make a point, I frowned big time and shook my finger back and forth at him. Knowing what I was doing, he shrugged and said, "Yeah, big deal."
An interesting hand gesture is used by some Hondurans to indicate "hurry up" or "come on!" It is a rapid downward shaking of the hand with the first finger flapping against the second and making a sound similar to snapping the fingers. I cannot make my fingers flap together to save my life, but here is a video so you can practice.
Chances are very good that you will not be able to do this.
I've had to use a lot of hand signals with workers over the years when they can't understand my accent. Most common North American gestures are used here and/or readily understood, such as:
- goodbye (adiós) − wave
- come here (venga)− backward wave
- so-so (más o menos)− side to side movement of the hand
- okay or I agree (está bien)− thumb and index finger touching with the other three fingers raised
- just a little bit or just a moment (un poquito o un momento)− thumb and index finger about an inch apart with the other three fingers curled down
Do you have any other hand signals to add to the list? Are there any that you consider rude?
Posts
25 comments:
I, for the life of me, will never be able to do the hand-waving, finger-snapping thing. And I look pretty stupid when I try, too.
I've also noticed another "come here" gesture, which I believe is similar in Japan, for example, where it's the same as we're used to, but upside-down (fingers pointing to the ground). Very weird and hard to get used to.
The most important gesture I learned is how to hail a cab. At first, I thought waving would be enough, but one day I waved to a taxi, and the driver just waved back and kept on driving. Then we both looked at each other--still waving--he thinking "Do I know that guy?" and me thinking "Why isn't he stopping?" It was very pathetic. Someone then taught me that to properly hail a cab, I should point confidently to the ground in front of me. The taxi pulls right over.
Is the finger-to-lips motion, the 'be quieter' sign used in Honduras?
La Gringa, the little video was priceless. But you need signal to warn people that they may fall off their chairs laughing.
I was thinking 'aggravate arthritis' rather than CTS, but your choice is better.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Mateo, I told ya so! I think it's in the genes.
One reason I asked for comments is that I started wondering if maybe I have been receiving signals all along that I didn't notice. So thanks for those that you have added. Here in La Ceiba, all it takes to get a taxi is to walk, to stop, or to breathe in the direction of the street.
Thanks for sharing. I'll talk to El Jefe later about that other one.
Annie, I'm beginning to think I'm oblivious! I'll have to ask El Jefe and report back on your question.
I'm glad you laughed at the video. El Jefe loved it and can't wait to show it to his friends. I'm sure there will be others who think I'm not being politically correct. WRONG! I'm impressed with it.
Here, there is a lovely, one for when you don't know something - arms up and spread wide, palms to the sky, then shrug the shoulders, raise the arms and thrust lower lip out.
Macho Man uses this same gesture when he would like to day a dirty word, like after he hits his thumb with a hammer.
Patty
I think I can do it. I show you when I get there. What will happen to me though since I am not one of the guys. Will it be a grave insult to all catrachos?
Oh you always make me laugh.
They do that in Costa Rica too. However, sometimes I don´t necessarily think it just means ¨hurry up.¨ My friends in CR and some of my students here do it sometimes when someone says something offensive or you do something that they think is really funny.
People point with their lips too, and it always makes me laugh.
Lady Luz, we have a similar shrug here. However, most people will never admit that they don't know something, so it's usually used when they have screwed up something, as if to say, "Well, it wasn't my fault."
Patty, have you ever tried to learn to do it?
Sabine, I think it is okay for women to do it, too. I'm sure your friends and neighbors will be impressed with you.
Katrina, I'm always happy to provide a laugh! I didn't describe the "chin pointing" very well. There is some bottom lip thrusting with it, too, so we are probably talking about the same thing.
Mateo and Annie, I checked with EJ and he said those gestures are used here but he didn't think they were as commonly used.
What about an index finger drawn across the throat in a slow slicing motion? Does that translate to 'you're dead meat' in Honduras, as it does here?
I've also noticed a sideways wave gesture used among my European Latino friends, like a slower version of the funny finger snapping thing w/o the finger snap - it seems to mean 'that was so intense' or 'what a bad-ass you are/I am'. Does that ring a visual bell?
I almost choked with laughter when I saw the finger video. There you go again, Gringa
Fantastic Video! And the music! And there was me wondering where all the weirdly interesting stuff on YouTube comes from!
The finger slapping video was great. No, I won't try it. My wife is deaf so we use a lot of sign language in this house. I find myself in certain circumstances, usually where the noise is intensely loud, using sign lauguage as an instinct. Although I catch myself because I know the person I am signing to does not have a clue as to what I am saying. LOL It also comes in handy at times. I can talk to the wife from across the room without shouting. Or in areas where silence is required. pokey
Like Katrina said, this signal is also used as a way to express that someone has done something to get in trouble, for example cussing, or said something funny.
Most little kids in Honduras will do the signal with their fingers if they hear a bad word and then say "I'm going to tell my Mom!", but it's most commonly use to say hurry up.
I really like your posts about our cultural differences. It's always interesting to see our own culture from a different perspective.
La Gringa,
Hello from NY! I got a good laugh watching your video, it brought back some memories.
I had an uncle who used to do the finger snapping thing for laughs at family barbecues when I was a kid. I only know one other person beside my uncle and myself who could do it.
Here's a trick for anyone trying to learn it. Dip your hand first in cold water, it'll make whatever sound you're able to create louder thus providing some encouragement to keep trying.
kman
La Gringa, the video is hilarious! I have been laughing at it all day. I agree with Hesitant Scribe that the music is absolutely the crowning touch! Well done documentary! See all of you in La Ceiba in 2 more days!
I'm glad you all enjoyed the video! And I'm especially glad that you appreciated the music. That was Sade, by the way. The music is so key, don't you think? It really takes time to find the right music.
Germi, El Jefe tells me that those signals are used sometimes. In a country where people actually do get their heads cut off more often than you might think, it's probably not used so often jokingly.
Scribe, thank you so much and thanks for visiting. I used to wonder about YouTube also until I found out that that was how you get videos on your blog. More than 600 people have viewed my stupidest home video of Ramón! Yikes, they must think I'm an idiot!
Pokey, I can see that hand signals would come in very handy on occasion here, too. Loud music is very popular and sometimes you can't even talk to each other on the street.
Mr. D, thanks for the added "official Honduran" information. I'm so glad you enjoy the cultural differences posts. I have more coming up and I'll be interested in your opinion. Gracias por venir!
Kman, since you said that it brought back memories, does that mean that you are Honduran? I'll let others try the cold water trick -- I think I'm a hopeless case. Thanks for visiting and I hope you come back again.
Suzanne, I hope that your trip is a great one. The weather has been gorgeous lately and not too hot.
Hey, if you don't have your own blog, I'd love to host a travelogue for you like I did for Ann. Think about it!
Those were childhood memories of one of my uncles(Polish) doing the snap for laughs whenever we got together. I think he believed he invented it.
Kman, oh, okay. I was just wondering. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I love the lips-pointing thing. It looks like your making a kissy-face at whatever it is you're trying to indicate...
I am a little late responding to this blog post, but I had to go back and read what I missed while I was away for two weeks visiting Honduras.
My sister-in-law tried to explain to me how she points with her chin and lips...and how she thought it was weird that she still does this and hasn't lived in Honduras since she was like 13.
My husband uses a two finger gesture like matthew mentioned for the "come here" gesture when he's telling a child to come in a direct way. "venga se" with a sideways/downward directed 2 finger gesture.
Me, of German/Norweigen decent can do the finger slap thingy. I'm actually surprised! I'll have to keep my eyes out for that b/c I've only seen it when some ticos were doing it to express how "cute" they thought my girlfriend was.
Kind of like saying "yowzahs...she's HOT"
Sprout, Thanks for your interesting comments. I hope you had a good, productive trip. You are more talented than me. I can't do that finger flapping to save my life.
I'm not sure the context of its use in Honduras; it may well be a "hurry up" motion - however, in the States, that's the motion you use to separate dip (smokeless tobacco) from the lid of the container before opening it (hold the container between your thumb and middle finger, and slap your index finger against the top).
Hi, Orri. Interesting that it is the same motion. I wonder who figured out that that complicated motion would do the trick?
haha i know you posted this a long time ago but i was just going through some and i saw this one, my boyfriend is honduran and we just laughed so hard at this because as soon as he saw it he did it just the same as the video and it goes so fast the is no i way i could learn it and he even says that it hurts but that they all do it. haha that video just gave us a good laugh...your right on point when it comes to what hondurans do gringa =)
I've been to Honduras twice in the past two years and only just figured out how to do the hand-wave finger-slap. I don't know if it's the same in La Ceiba, but in the mountains (Lepaera, Gracias) it is also used as an indicator of being tired after a hard day's work in addition to being a hurry-up gesture.
It seems that finger-flapping is a multi-use hand gesture. Too bad that I still haven't learned to do it. Like you mentioned, Anon, when I have tried and gotten even close, it hurts!
Thanks for visiting and I'm glad you both enjoyed the video. It was fun to make.
Post a Comment
Go ahead! Don't be shy. Tell us what you think.