# Does anyone but me remember this obscene gesture? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715 "2007-03-13T05:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/1 "2007-03-13T05:24:30Z")
Back in the late 70’s, I frequently saw an obscene gesture in which the person would make a circle with their thumb and forefinger will all of their fingers together and then strike themselves on the upper ribcage a few inches under their armpit with the thumb and forefinger circle (on the same side of the body). The gesture would make a “thump” or pop sound which made it even funnier. Does anyone remember this? Does anyone know what it means? I would like to bring it back if it has not been copywrited, patented, or licensed. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/2 "2007-03-13T05:26:50Z")
Sounds something like a salute from a Klingon short order cook… **KAPLAH! Today is a good day…to fry.** ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/3 "2007-03-13T11:48:38Z")
It doesn’t sound obscene, it just sounds kind of silly! (And no, I’ve never seen it!) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/4 "2007-03-13T12:20:36Z")
Could this be a cultural thing? I’ve never seen anything like it in the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/5 "2007-03-13T12:34:23Z")
I occasionally saw the circled hand gesture making wanking movements from the forehead (to indicate “you are a dickhead”). The Australian version of flipping the bird/“up yours” used to always be two fingers (often held in a V like “V for victory” only palm-inward and with an upwards motion). That died out in favour of the American single-digit model. Then, the Vietnamese will do “you’re a cunt” by using the tip of the middle finger to pull back the tip of the first finger by gripping the end of the nail - this creates a labia shape between the fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/6 "2007-03-13T13:33:44Z")
Never heard of it… or at least don’t remember anything like it. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/7 "2007-03-13T13:43:38Z")
It sounds vaguely Brooklynesque. Or Italian. Or maybe sign language. I can definitely picture it, but can’t remember in what context I’ve seen it done. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/8 "2007-03-13T13:49:22Z")
We kids used to use the “okay” sign (circle with thumb and forefingers, other three digits extended and separated) to sign “asshole”. The three digits being A-S-S, and the hole, uh, HOLE. This had the added benefit of mollifying the teacher who asked you to apologize to Bobby while Bobby knew you were calling him an asshole under her nose. :rolleyes: Yeah, we were clever. But there was no chest thumping involved. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/9 "2007-03-13T13:52:43Z")
It sounds related to “circling” a guy. Where if you could make that circle with the fanned fingers below your waist, and trick a guy into looking at it, you got to punch him on tha arm. Also, we used to make the circle, and flap the remaining three fingers as we moved the hand sideways through the air. This meant, “you’re a flying asshole.” No, that doesn’t make sense. BTW, I just googled “flying asshole” and once I got past the Bush links, I found [this](http://www.sevensquared.com/blog/archives/capt.dcgh10111181732.vioxx_safety_dcgh101.jpg) photo. Safe for work. So, I guess I’m not alone. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/10 "2007-03-13T14:00:21Z")
Surely the all time classic has to be flipping the bird the regular way with one hand, and horizontally with the other: “…AND the horse you rode in on!” ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/11 "2007-03-13T14:03:41Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] I occasionally saw the circled hand gesture making wanking movements from the forehead (to indicate “you are a dickhead”). The Australian version of flipping the bird/“up yours” used to always be two fingers (often held in a V like “V for victory” only palm-inward and with an upwards motion). That died out in favour of the American single-digit model. [/QUOTE] Both were used when I was growing up in NZ- the single digit we all know and love conveyed the same meaning it has now, but the reverse-V one tended to be a bit more good natured, for want of a better word- it was closer to a gestured “raspberry” rather than “Fuck you!”, if that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/12 "2007-03-13T14:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Mesquite-oh] Back in the late 70’s, I frequently saw an obscene gesture in which the person would make a circle with their thumb and forefinger will all of their fingers together and then strike themselves on the upper ribcage a few inches under their armpit with the thumb and forefinger circle (on the same side of the body). [/QUOTE] It sounds similar to the ASL sign for “asshole”. Make a circle with your index finger and thumb. Position your hand with your palm against your chest, and the circle on top. You can make a popping sound if you want. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/13 "2007-03-13T14:05:04Z")
[QUOTE=Martini Enfield] Both were used when I was growing up in NZ- the single digit we all know and love conveyed the same meaning it has now, but the reverse-V one tended to be a bit more good natured, for want of a better word- it was closer to a gestured “raspberry” rather than “Fuck you!”, if that makes sense. [/QUOTE] On reflection, I do believe you’re correct. ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/14 "2007-03-13T15:28:22Z")
Well, sure I remember that. In California in the 70s/early 80s, if you bent up your arm tight and curled up your fingers like that and thumped yourself in the chest like that, you were saying that the signified person was like, way totally, a total retard. Extra abuse points for saying “Duuuurrrrr” at the same time. Like this: _thump thump_ “Duuuurrrrr!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/15 "2007-03-13T15:42:42Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] We kids used to use the “okay” sign (circle with thumb and forefingers, other three digits extended and separated) to sign “asshole”. The three digits being A-S-S, and the hole, uh, HOLE. [/QUOTE] I’ve been told (by a Brazilian friend) that the “okay” gesture is obscene in Brazil. I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/16 "2007-03-13T16:06:35Z")
[QUOTE=RTA] Well, sure I remember that. In California in the 70s/early 80s, if you bent up your arm tight and curled up your fingers like that and thumped yourself in the chest like that, you were saying that the signified person was like, way totally, a total retard. Extra abuse points for saying “Duuuurrrrr” at the same time. Like this: _thump thump_ “Duuuurrrrr!!!” [/QUOTE] Yep. Around here, the kids do it all the time to make fun of each other, so someone all ready brought it back. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-but-me-remember-this-obscene-gesture/395715/17 "2007-03-13T16:39:45Z")
[QUOTE=Mesquite-oh] Back in the late 70’s, I frequently saw an obscene gesture in which the person would make a circle with their thumb and forefinger will all of their fingers together and then strike themselves on the upper ribcage a few inches under their armpit with the thumb and forefinger circle (on the same side of the body). The gesture would make a “thump” or pop sound which made it even funnier. Does anyone remember this? Does anyone know what it means? I would like to bring it back if it has not been copywrited, patented, or licensed. [/QUOTE] With the palm in, or the palm out? I wasn’t even thinking “palm out”. The “palm out”, like others said, was a retard gesture.