pointing, not with finger

[Danielle E. Cyr]

Hi Conor,

Pointing with the chin (and lips) is also the only acceptable way of doing it
among Mi'gmaq. Pointing with finger (index) is judged as rude.  I don't know
why however. Two possibilities: 1) because it's just not the acceptable way
(i.e. a derogation from the ritual/usual body language convention); 2) because
it's the colonists' own convention - although even in Western cultures it's
also impolite to point, at least to people, with finger. Maybe, after all, it
goes much farther back in time.

Best to All
Danielle E. Cyr

> Dia dhaoibh, a chairde!
>
> Definitely had this pointed out to me by Penobscots; not sure how it may be
> among the Passamaquoddies, but it rings a bell there, too.  No clue as to
> why, though pointing with the lips (= the acceptable and common strategy)
> is also common in Australia, I'm told.  I might imagine that, other
> society/culture/belief-system factors aside, being well trained not to
> point with your hands helps in hunting, since the game-spooking motion is
> far less salient.  But that's just pure speculation on my part.
>
> Till later, keep safe and sane.
>
> Slán,
> bhur gcara
>
> On Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 8:54 AM, Amy Dahlstrom
> <a-dahlstrom at uchicago.edu>wrote:
>
> > Hello Algonquianists,
> >
> > I'm a discussant at an upcoming conference on gesture, and one thing I
> > thought I would mention to the (extremely diverse) audience is the practice
> > among at least some of the Algonquian peoples of pointing with the lips or
> > with the chin, rather than pointing with the finger.
> >
> > I would like to ask you all how widespread this practice is.  And for
> > native speakers (native pointers? :-) ), do you have any intuitions about
> > why pointing with the finger is avoided?  Would it seem rude to point with
> > the finger?  Or inappropriate in some other way?
> >
> > thanks in advance for any thoughts you can share!
> >
> > Amy
> >
> > P.S.  if you hit "reply" remember that you are replying to the whole list!
> > :-)
> >
>
>
>


Professor Danielle E. Cyr, Ph.D.
Senior Scholar
York University
Toronto, ON