I had it up to here with you.
This sentence is often accompanied with a gesture. In the States, for example, a person would say it while holding up his/her hand up to the neck while saying it, with the palm down. What sort of gesture do the English use? What about North America? Russia? India? France? What kinds of gesture are used with equivalent expressions in other parts of the world?
Do you think that cultural background can affect the kind of gesture that goes with this expression?
Looking forward to your illuminating comments
Regards,
Muayad
This sentence is often accompanied with a gesture. In the States, for example, a person would say it while holding up his/her hand up to the neck while saying it, with the palm down. What sort of gesture do the English use? What about North America? Russia? India? France? What kinds of gesture are used with equivalent expressions in other parts of the world?
Do you think that cultural background can affect the kind of gesture that goes with this expression?
Looking forward to your illuminating comments
Regards,
Muayad
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Comments
I've had it up to here with you.
This sentence is often accompanied with a gesture. In the States, for example, a person would say it while holding up his/her hand up to the neck while saying it, with the palm down. What sort of gesture do the English use? Probably the same. What about North America? Same. Russia? India? France? What kinds of gesture are used with equivalent expressions in other parts of the world?
Do you think that cultural background can affect the kind of gesture that goes with this expression? I wouldn't be surprised. In some cultures, it may not even be used.
I've learned that in a multi-cultural classroom, you have to be careful with any kind of hand gesture becuase it may give offence to someone from another culture where it has a different meaning.
Even things like nodding the head up and down for 'Yes', side to side for 'No', are not universal. In some cultures, the meanings are reversed.
I would think that people at the United Nations must have to be very careful.
Best wishes, Clive
MrP
Out of curiosity, which cultures do it the opposite way? I can't quite remember. I checked the 'Net, and it says Bulgaria, but I think the people I've encountered were not from there.
Iran? Korea? Can't recall. Perhaps a reader might care to comment further?
Best wishes, Clive
As to the "up to here", I can only speak the of Belgian and French habit: we start the gesture at about eybrow/forehead level, a little like a salute, but the other way round.