pointing, not with finger

[Anne Lindsay]

We were told not to point at all. And at the same time, what is about 
the first thing a child does to communicate?

This is such an interesting topic!

On 06/03/2013 10:43 AM, Jennifer Brown wrote:
>
> Google Crazy Horse monument; Wikipedia has some discussion of that 
> sculpture being designed with Crazy Horse pointing. When I first saw 
> that design I thought this might surely be an issue, and it is in some 
> quarters.
>
> I think, from what I've read and heard, that Cree and Ojibwe people 
> have seen the gesture as invasive and possibly as connoting a play for 
> power.
>
> But I also recall, as a child of parents of British/ Canadian 
> background, being told that it was rude to point at people.
>
> Jennifer Brown
>
> *From:*ALGONQUIANA [mailto:ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG] *On 
> Behalf Of *David Lessard
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 06, 2013 8:44 AM
> *To:* ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
> *Subject:* Re: pointing, not with finger
>
> I have seen this among the James Bay Cree. I asked why and they told 
> me it was more efficient when they had their hands full. I did not 
> investigate further though.
>
> I have been told that it is an habit in Ecuador too.
>
> David
>
> Envoyé à partir de mon Windows Phone
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *De : *Conor Quinn
> *Envoyé : *2013-03-06 10:29
> *À : *ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG 
> <mailto:ALGONQUIANA at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>
> *Objet : *Re: pointing, not with finger
>
> 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 <mailto: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! :-)
>


-- 
If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience. George Bernard Shaw





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