# The Origin and Meaning of, "Talk to the Hand" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582 "2001-04-19T19:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_willard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@don\_willard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_willard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/1 "2001-04-19T19:53:03Z")
What is the origin and meaning of the imperative utterance, “Talk to the hand”? I saw it on an episode of the NANNY, staring Fran and she said it but I couldn’t interpret the meaning or context. I have heard it since then. At first I thought it was something that one could throw out there as a sarcastic jibe to people who seemed to be talking to their hand yet, in actuality, were merely holding up their (cursed!) cell phone. Confused in Illinois ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/2 "2001-04-19T21:03:19Z")
The full phrase is something along the lines of, 'Talk to the hand ‘cuz the face don’t want to hear it.’ (while turning your head away from the person you’re saying it to, and holding up your hand where your face would be) Basically, it is used in response to a ridiculous or offensive statement. I am embarrassed to admit this, but I first heard it awhile ago in a Salt N’ Pepa song. (it happened to be on the radio) Anyway, it seems to me it became popular when the Ricki Lake show first came on. When one of the guests said that to another person, it was always a sign that a physical confrontation was about to break out. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/3 "2001-04-19T21:39:33Z")
Supposedly, it was a running joke in a movie, _The Beautician and the Beast_, 1997. Where it might have occured before that, I cannot say. [movie](http://www.timothydalton.com/rbeaut.html) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/4 "2001-04-20T02:42:00Z")
I asked this question about six months ago on the SDMB, and it resulted in a lengthy thread. You might want to hit the Archives. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/5 "2001-04-20T03:19:20Z")
Correctly or incorrectly, I associate it with the old Eastern European (vicinity of Greece and Macedonia?) gesture made with the open hand splayed open, which (if I understand correctly) is slighly less polite and socially acceptable than flipping someone off. ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/6 "2001-04-20T03:40:09Z")
Yes, the “evil eye” is a quite offensive gesture in Greece and Italy. Showing someone your palm is bad enough, (counting on your fingers is done with the back of your hand towards the person), and opening your hand with your palm towards them is even more explict. I don’t think this gesture is associated with the “talk to the hand” bit – I associate the latter more with the ghetto/inner-city community. Y’know, like baggy pants, rap “music”, and expressions like “aaight.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-and-meaning-of-talk-to-the-hand/62582/7 "2001-04-20T09:15:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Starbury \* > \*\*The full phrase is something along the lines of, 'Talk to the hand ‘cuz the face don’t want to hear it.’ (while turning your head away from the person you’re saying it to, and holding up your hand where your face would be) Basically, it is used in response to a ridiculous or offensive statement. > \*\* The way i heard it was: “Talk to the hand, cause I ain’t hearing it”. Used when you want someone to shut up about something.