140 W H A T EVERY BODY IS SAYING
did it.” The finger pointing is so distasteful that it may actually divert the
child’s attention from what is being said as they process the hostile mes-
sage of the gesture (see box 38).
Finger pointing is just one of many offensive gestures a person can
make with the hand or fingers. Obviously, some are so well known they
need no further comment, such as “the bird.” Snapping your fingers at
someone is also considered rude; you should never attempt to get some-
one’s attention with the same gesture you may use to call your dog. In the
Michael Jackson trial in 2005, the jurors did not appreciate the mother of
one of the victims snapping her fingers at the jury; this had a very nega-
tive effect. For those of you interested in further readings on hand ges-
tures around the world, I would highly recommend Bodytalk: The Meaning
of Human Gestures, by Desmond Morris, and Gestures: The Do’s and Ta-
boos of Body Language Around the World, by Roger E. Axtell. These two
wonderful books will open your eyes to the diversity of gestures around
the world and the eloquence of the hands in expressing human emotions.
Perhaps one of the most offensive gestures we
possess is finger pointing. It has negative connota-
tions around the globe.Fig. 46