khoff  +  785629 Fri, 19 Jun 09 07:22 AM I just heard that in Britain, extending the index and middle fingers at the same time (the way an American would gesture for the number 2) is an rude or obscene gesture, equivalent to the American gesture with only the middle finger raised.   Is this true?  Are Americans who think they're asking for a table for two in restaurants unknowingly "flipping the bird" ?   I do remember learning years ago that ithe French signal "2" by extending the thumb and index finger -- a gesture that looks to an American as if it should be accompanied by the words, "Bang.  You're dead."  (That is,  mimicking a handgun.) khoff Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005 Senior Member 3,278 Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert) Writing, Countries, United States, American, Restaurants, Languages, Numbers

	optilang  +  785841 Fri, 19 Jun 09 10:49 AM Hi In the UK, it depends which way the hand is facing when the sign is made. With the palm facing forward we have a 'V for victory' sign as used by Churchill. With the back of the hand facing forward we do indeed have a very rude gesture - sometimes referred to as the 'V' sign. I'm not sure if it is the same as the American middle finger gesture - I have known people in the UK to use the middle finger gesture with a different meaning to the 'V' sign. optilang Joined on Tue, May 13 2008 Poland Senior Member 2,524 OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner. Countries, United States, American

	Clive  +  786229 Fri, 19 Jun 09 04:47 PM Hi, In my ESL teacher-training, I was advised to avoid hand and especially finger gestures as much as possible, since so many countries do these with so many different meanings. I've always followed that advice. Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,679 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Countries, United States, Training, ESL