in some countries a thumbs up means up yours. what are some more of these manurisms that mean different things in different countries because i know there is a lot of them i just cant remeber
2006-08-31 15:24:14 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I don't know if music stuff counts. One I found interesting was the little ditty in English. It is the few notes hummed to the words:
Shave and a haircut, two bits. Bomp ba ba bomp bomp, Bomp! Bomp!
In Mexico, that same few notes refers in a highly negative way to someone's mother and I am told is a real good way to start a major fight.
That scares me, because I tend to whistle that little thing when I am happy, which is often in Mexico. Akkk!!!
2006-08-31 15:38:17 · answer #1 · answered by retiredslashescaped1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An American teenager was hitchhiking in Nigeria. A carload of locals passed him. The car screeched to a halt. The locals jumped out and promptly roughed up the teenage visitor. Why? Because in Nigeria, the gesture commonly used in America for hitchhiking (thumb extended upward) is considered a very rude signal.
An American couple on an auto tour in Australia was stopped by a police officer in Sydney for failing to signal before turning. Since they were tourists the officer gave them only a friendly warning. Relieved, the American man responded with a smile and the thumbs-up sign. The police officer became enraged, ordered the couple out of the car, called a backup, searched the car, and finally gave the driver an expensive ticket. Later, back in their hotel and recounting their experience, the tourist learned that in Australia the thumbs-up gesture means "screw you!"
2006-08-31 22:40:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
US "v" for victory means "f*ck you" in England.
US "come here" gesture (palm face up, fingers pulled toward you") means "goodbye" in Italy.
The Japanese gesture for "I don't know/understand" usually means "something smells" in US (waving hand in front of face)
The US "OK" gesture can mean "give me change in coins" in Japan; it's an obscene gesture in Brazil and Germany.
The US wave (palm facing out, hand moving back and forth) means "no" in the Phillipines.
Nodding and shaking the head ("yes" and "no") have the opposite meaning in Bulgaria, parts of Greece, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Iran, and Bengal.
2006-08-31 22:33:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If memory serves,
The OK sign is very bad in brazil
Showing someone the soles of your feet/shoes in korea
2006-08-31 22:33:03 · answer #4 · answered by TLJaguar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A peace sign in England means "F You"
2006-08-31 22:34:36 · answer #5 · answered by elthe3rd 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋