Actual conversation with Ana walking home from school.

[conuly]

Ana: Connie? *sticks out middle finger* Olivia says this is like cursing.
Me: Huh? Oh, yeah, it sorta is, don't do that.
Ana: But why? I mean, I'm only pointing at things.
Me: Yeah, but it's a little rude. Most people just use their point fingers, not their middle finger.
Ana: But...
Me: *sighs* See, Ana, because the middle finger is longer than the other fingers, some people think it's kinda like a penis, so they consider it rude to stick out your middle finger like that.
Ana: o.O ?????
Me: Yeah, I never said people were very smart or that this made sense.
Ana: *carefully holding down every finger but the ring finger* I could point like this!
Me: Yeah, I guess so, with your-
Ana: With my... my RING finger.
Me: Yeah, you could, that's fine. Most people use their point fingers.
Ana: Or I could use my pinkie. *demonstrates*
Me: Sure, you could do that. Most people just use their point fingers.
Ana: I guess I could use my thumb.
Me: Absolutely. Most people just use their point fingers.
Ana: People might think I'm giving them a thumb's up, though.

Comments

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Ana is awesome.

And is that really the reasoning behind giving The Finger? I've never heard that explanation before!

Fun fact, courtesy of Robert Fulghum: these signals are by no means the same across cultures. In Greece, for instance, "thumbs up" is rude, and the "A-ok" sign of thumb-to-forefinger is ruder still (that one's easy to see why).

And I've always loved the fact that in Japanese sign language, the sign for children involves sticking both middle fingers up! (well, yes, that is how you get children....)

Come to San Diego again! I had so much fun hanging out with you and the girls.