Crossed fingers

Crossed fingers

To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for luck or to bid one Godspeed. Early Christians used the gesture to implore the protection of the Holy Cross. The gesture is referred to by the common expressions "cross your fingers", "keep your fingers crossed", or just "fingers crossed". Historically, the gesture was accompanied by the words "God spede you" or "God be with you."

The gesture was appropriated by children when telling a white lie. By extension, a similar belief is that crossing one's fingers invalidates a promise being made.

Origin

The crossed fingers gesture is believed to have originated with its resemblance to the Cross of Christ. Christians believe that "they could protect themselves from evil by making a cross with their fingers" (cf. sacramental). It gained traction, especially in 16th-century England, where people crossed their fingers to ward off evils and ill health.

Pressing thumbs as gesture to wish for luck in German-speaking and many Slavic countries

In Vietnam the gesture is considered rude, especially to another person.

In German-speaking countries (de:Gekreuzte Finger), as well as Sweden (wikt:sv:hålla tummarna) and Latvia, the gesture is a sign of lying. Instead, wishing for luck is gestured by holding or pressing one’s thumbs. The same gesture is used in many Slavic countries such as Poland (pl:Trzymanie kciuków), the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and ex-Yugoslav[better source needed] republics. In South Africa, Afrikaans speakers also have the related phrase "duim vashou" meaning "holding thumbs tightly".[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Lee, Linda; Charlton, James (1980). The Hand Book: Interpreting Handshakes, Gestures, Power Signals, and Sexual Signs. Prentice-Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-372425-7. ... crossed fingers are also a sign for good luck, a use that bears much closer resemblance to the original intentions of the cross and that might have accompanied "God be with you."
  2. ↑ Orange Coast Magazine. Emmis Communications. May 1990. pg. 177. "In early Christian days, a believer confronted by evil or hostile influences implored the power of the Holy Cross for protection by twisting his middle finger over his forefinger and holding the remaining fingers down with his thumb."
  3. ↑ Field Guide to Gestures. Quirk Books. 2003. pg. 201. "Children are a big proponent of this gesture, though they usually use it when telling white lies, believing that having the fingers crossed behind the back makes it okay to fib."
  4. ↑ de Lint, Charles (2007). Widdershins. Macmillan. p. 287. ISBN 978-0765312853. Widdershins. Retrieved 2013-05-29. To a child, forget ethics. Crossing your fingers while making a promise truly invalidated the promise.
  5. ↑ Marolt, Rick (2006). FYI - Bean Counters Have Sexy Ideas Too: Histories and Mysteries of Words Used in the Office. Three Winged Creations. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-9777376-0-4. we started crossing our fingers in order to represent the cross of Christ, which grants a person protection from evil. Crossed fingers are displayed in some Christian art, apparently with the meaning that "Christ is victorious".
  6. ↑ Gryski, Camilla (1991). Hands On, Thumbs Up: Secret Handshakes, Fingerprints, Sign Languages, and More Handy Ways to Have Fun with Hands. Addison-Wesley. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-201-56756-4. ... crossed fingers were a symbol for the Christian cross. Long ago, Christians thought they could protect themselves from evil by making a cross with their fingers. Because this cross was small, people could make it secretly .
  7. ↑ Tindall, Bruce; Watson, Mark (1994). How Does Olive Oil Lose Its Virginity?: Answers to the Enigmatic Questions of Contemporary Life. Quill. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-688-12681-0.
  8. ↑ "Things not to do in Vietnam #1: "Crossed fingers"". Weirdwonderfulvietnam.wordpress.com. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Vietnamese body language and what it means". Vietnameselanguage.wordpress.com. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  10. ↑ "Daumen". duden.de (in German). Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Držati (nekom) palčeve. - Idioms". Lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 13 December 2017.