# Why "hand" for direction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2022, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400 "2022-05-31T02:42:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/21 "2022-05-31T06:30:37Z")
Okay, I think we’re all full grown, normal adults here on the SDMB. Do you say “left HAND turn” when talking to another full grown, normal adult? Why? Or why not? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/22 "2022-05-31T06:33:29Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > What is this, the 3 Stooges? If only. I’m just saying - languages where “Right (3 o’clock)” and “Right (correct)” are different words don’t have this problem. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/23 "2022-05-31T06:42:05Z")
I only know a smattering of languages other than English. So, for instance, would someone who speaks Spanish say “izquierda mano giro”. Left HAND turn. Or just “izquierda giro”? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/24 "2022-05-31T06:50:29Z")
I know you wouldn’t say it in Hebrew. But that’s because the word for the direction (_yemin_) is different from the word for correct (_nachon_). ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/25 "2022-05-31T06:54:21Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I do remember reading a story as a kid about an illiterate young man who wanted to join the army and couldn’t because he didn’t know his right from his left. A kindly person helped him learn by putting a piece of straw in his right boot and hay in his left and said “straw foot, hay foot” over and over, then started substituting right and left for straw and hay. Being a fine agriculturalist despite his lack of literacy, the potential recruit got it. At some point in my childhood, I read that it was a Civil War marching song with the lyrics: _March old soldier, march_ _Hay foot, straw foot_ _Belly full of bean soup_ _March old soldier, march_ My memory of having read that is very faint, so I’m not saying it’s true. I had a quick look online and saw some references, but nothing conclusive or even convincing. > [@Peanuthead](#): > > Okay, I think we’re all full grown, normal adults here on the SDMB. Well… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/26 "2022-05-31T06:55:53Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I think we say “right-hand” in English to differentiate **right vs. left** from **right vs. wrong.** I think so, and **left vs. right** from **left as in ‘remaining’** But also, English is not a programming language with syntax that is absolute and free of redundancy and baggage ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/27 "2022-05-31T06:57:55Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > This from **full grown adults** Just highlighting an example of the kind of redundancy of language that is quite similar in construction to ‘left hand turn’, but apparently OK. I mean, it’s not always redundancy. ‘full grown adults’ has obvious emphasis value, but then, so does ‘right hand turn’ - it’s immediately emphatically clear ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/28 "2022-05-31T06:59:34Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I think so, and **left vs. right** from **left as in 'remaining’** Excellent point. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/29 "2022-05-31T06:59:41Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’m all for deleting “left” and “right” from the language (as used in directional sense) and just using “port” and “starboard” instead. This could be stressful for people with a fear of water. Much safer to use _levo_-handed and _dextro_-handed. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/30 "2022-05-31T07:00:42Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > This could be stressful for people with a fear of water. Much safer to use _levo_ -handed and _dextro_ -handed. Dexter and sinister? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/31 "2022-05-31T07:02:20Z")
And it adds the additional dimensions of above and below. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/32 "2022-05-31T07:03:40Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Dexter and sinister? Too medieval. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/33 "2022-05-31T07:42:05Z")
It’s not an English peculiarity. The reason why Romance languages indicate directions in the feminine gender (a la derecha, à droite) is because they indicate the left or right hand, which is a feminine noun in these languages (la mano, la main). This word “hand” then got elided in the sentence, but it still dictates the gender of the adjective. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/34 "2022-05-31T07:44:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Dexter and sinister? adroit and gauche ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/35 "2022-05-31T07:56:25Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > adroit and gauche So skilful and awkward? One can never win. Anyway, there are always the right hand and left hand rules for things involving rotations or curl. Other than that, it is slightly irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/36 "2022-05-31T07:57:32Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’m all for deleting “left” and “right” from the language (as used in directional sense) and just using “port” and “starboard” instead. That wouldn’t work. Starboard and port apply to a specific object and you need to define the object. When facing the rear of a boat, the port side is no longer on your left. Left and right are useful because they are generally understood as being relative to the person unless otherwise specified. My simple way of remembering port from starboard and red from green (the colours of the navigation lights) is that red, port, and left all have fewer letters than their counterpart. It is so ingrained into me now that I don’t need that memory aide anymore but it was useful once upon a time. My mother is a very intelligent person who needs to hold her hand out to see which one makes an L shape before she can tell which way is left or right. I don’t understand the mental block either, but it’s there and it is common. As for “left hand” vs just “left”, it is a phrase most of us have grown up with. Why change it? What’s wrong with it? I think “airplane” sounds childish, but I’m not about to suggest all you Americans change it. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/37 "2022-05-31T08:23:24Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Peanuthead](#): > > No, he wasn’t illiterate, he was retarded. Note that while the word “retarded” was once a perfectly acceptable medical term, these days the word is considered to be both outdated and offensive. Please avoid using it here on the SDMB. ETA: **Moderator Warning** After review, we have determined that an official warning for personal insults is also necessary. Do not insult or attack other users outside of the Pit. Also, many of your posts in this thread are hostile to users who are merely responding to your questions. This behavior is also inappropriate outside of the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/38 "2022-05-31T09:06:21Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > My simple way of remembering port from starboard and red from green (the colours of the navigation lights) is that red, port, and left all have fewer letters than their counterpart. It is so ingrained into me now that I don’t need that memory aide anymore but it was useful once upon a time. For me it was ‘There’s a little port left in my glass’ - and port(wine) is red in colour. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/39 "2022-05-31T09:10:39Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > OK, just what else is a truck going to be red in? Since this is oral - read by a cop? Left is vague too - “left behind”? “left on the bus”? Sometimes an extra word avoids confusion with homophones and words that can have many meanings. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2022, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400/40 "2022-05-31T09:43:25Z")
I always use Coom Bye for right and Way T’Me for left. Very straightforward. All the sheepdog handlers know what I’m talking about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hand-for-direction/965400.md?page=3)