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Glen
March 13, 2014, 07:20 PM
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
March 13, 2014, 07:25 PM
Shame on you?

Glen
March 13, 2014, 07:27 PM
Could be. That makes sense.

wrholt
March 13, 2014, 10:21 PM
Yup, I associate it with "shame on you".

Villa
March 14, 2014, 08:35 AM
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
March 14, 2014, 05:44 PM
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
March 14, 2014, 05:51 PM
Starting places to look:
http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2014/01/apple-657-shame-on-you-gesture.html
http://eppylover.livejournal.com/576785.html

Glen
March 14, 2014, 05:58 PM
Very interesting links, Rusty. How in the world did you find them so quickly?

Rusty
March 14, 2014, 06:03 PM
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.