# The "shame, shame" hand gesture

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shame-shame-hand-gesture/30236>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2000, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shame-shame-hand-gesture/30236 "2000-08-21T23:49:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shame-shame-hand-gesture/30236/1 "2000-08-21T23:49:30Z")

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You know the one, where you seem to imitate peeling a carrot with your index fingers.

What is its origin? What is it supposed to represent?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2000, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shame-shame-hand-gesture/30236/2 "2000-08-22T01:04:18Z")

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The pointing gesture is to draw attention to the wrong-doer. “Look at him! Look what he did!” And the motion of striking or stroking the finger is to symbolize corporal punishment.