Unacceptable Guestures

Are there gestures or movements that would not be acceptable in polite society in the Czech Republic?

Here in the U.S. there are certain guestures that are distasteful or considered rude in polite society such as turning your middle finger up towards another person, sticking your tongue out at someone, etc...

Any examples would be beneficial. Thank you in advance.

 

Middle finger up has the same meaning. Sticking out one's tongoe is rather cheeky than rude, I think. I recall one more gesture, though I have not seen it for a looong time - little and index fingers raised mean "you are a cuckold".

 

Tracing a circle on the forehead: you are missing a screw.
Index tapping against head: you are crazy.
Pulling down skin under one eye: someone is telling a lie.

 

Halef and Eva2,

Thank you for your response! It seems many gestures are quite the same as here in the United States. However, I have not heard the one about "Pulling down skin under one eye: someone is telling a lie." That is a new one in my book.

Thank you again!

JL

 

You won't believe it - in mine too

 

I have not heard this one either. I guess it is not that common all over the country.

 

Pulling down lower eyelid:

Maybe it's local. I'm from Prague. As kids we used this gesture all the time.

 

Pulling down lower eyelid:

I've heard that one, too, Eva, but I can't remember where.

 

We have the same in France, but we don't pull the lower lid down (except maybe comedians, or some kids), we just say: _mon oeil_ "my eye", and everybody understands "you are kidding". :lol:

 

I recently read an English translation of Prague Tales, a collection of short stories by Jan Neruda and in the story "How It Came to Pass" it reads:

"...he placed the forefinger of his right hand under his right eye and pulled on the skin until the eye's red rim appeared - a well-known gesture among Prague youth to express absolute negation."

 

Very interesting. It's not a long way from "you are kidding" to "not at all".
So I suppose this is a universal gesture in continental Europe.
What about the British?

 

I don't know about the British, but the Dutch use that gesture as well : -)

 

I think Elizabethans had this gesture.

 

...and then there is that picture on the wall, which I didn't see in Canada...
(diamant with diagonal line thrugh the middle....) do not draw that when you doodle.

 

There is few more like pointing finger at someone is impolite. Or children when they laugh at someone point finger at them and cross other finger over sliding down to tip (strouhame ti mrkvicku) hehe, meaning (grating carrot) but it's just in kindergarden and primary school.

 

We have the same gesture here in the US (at least in the South) - it means "shame on you" or "you're being naughty".