Gesture

[Glen]

Some friends from Mexico recently put a question to me that I had no answer for.
What is the significance in US culture of holding one's left index finger straight out and parallel to the ground - or pointed slightly downward - and rubbing across it with the straightened right index finger (as if peeling a carrot)?
The context they had for such a gesture was that it was done by some authority figure while pronouncing judgment on someone else.
Any ideas?

[chileno]

Shame on you?

[Glen]

Could be. That makes sense.

[wrholt]

Yup, I associate it with "shame on you".

[Villa]

Originally Posted by Glen

Some friends from Mexico recently put a question to me that I had no answer for.
What is the significance in US culture of holding one's left index finger straight out and parallel to the ground - or pointed slightly downward - and rubbing across it with the straightened right index finger (as if peeling a carrot)?
The context they had for such a gesture was that it was done by some authority figure while pronouncing judgment on someone else.
Any ideas?

As a kid in California I remember this very well.
Shame on you. Wonder if kids would
recognize it today.

[Glen]

Thanks to all, that clears it up. Now does anyone know what I might be able to tell my friends about how it got started, or what the sliding motion of the finger could represent?

[Rusty]

Starting places to look:
http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2014/...u-gesture.html
http://eppylover.livejournal.com/576785.html

[Glen]

Very interesting links, Rusty. How in the world did you find them so quickly?

[Rusty]

The first looked like it had more stuff in it than other sites, and it links to the other I posted.
There might be one that lists the definitive origin, but I didn't see one in my brief look.