From: Alfio Puglisi (puglisi@arcetri.astro.it)
Date: Sat Aug 24 2002 - 12:01:43 MDT
On Fri, 23 Aug 2002, Amara Graps wrote:
>Hi Alfie
>
>>Yeah, but the Italian meaning is a bit different from what the picture
>>says. A more accurate translation would be "What the fuck are you saying?"
>>(it's not a polite gesture, except when used between friends)
>
>
>Is it possible that Firenze and Roma interpret the gesture
>with different shadings?
Maybe. More "coloured" langauge is accepted going south.
But I'm pretty sure that I never saw that gesture in formal meetings
between educated people.
I'm also sure that I never made that gesture to ask for clarification, but
only to express disbelief.
>
>[Hehee: "What exactly are you saying?" is not _that_ different
>from "What the fuck are you saying?", but now I know to be careful
>of the company in which I'm doing that.]
>
>This gesture appears twice
>
>1) bending from the wrist, to indicate concrete things
>(book says: indicare cose o elementi concreti: Moltitudine)
>
>And the book doesn't say anything about it being impolite !
Better write the author :-)
>2) fingers opening and closing to express fear
>
>That magazine ad pic can't show these nuances. So there is
>another shading to that gesture (1) , which is vulgar!
There's another one. If you are making some strong statement, usually
negative, you can use the gesture as a reinforcement.
For example:
"If you do this, we will all die horribly"
(make the gesture and move energically the hand up and down. If you are
seated, hit your legs with it to make noise)
This is not impolite, but happens only in heated situations.
Maybe I'll think of something more... :-)
Alfio
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