Gesture "goat": its various meanings

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

In different countries, the same gesture can have completely different meanings. It is worth remembering this when leaving for a vacation. After all, only by making the wrong movement with your hands, you can offend a person. This article will look at the goat gesture: what it means and when it can be used.

Mystical meaning

Initially, you need to look into antiquity and look for information there. So, it should be noted that the goat gesture has been used since ancient times in various mystical and religious rituals. If we talk about ordinary people, then it was widely used by Europeans and Asians as a protection from the evil eye. It was something like today's spit over the left shoulder. It is important to note that in the novel "Dracula", authored by Bram Stoker, the "goat" gesture was protective from evil spirits.

Similar bending-extension of certain fingers is also in Hindu culture. So, they call it not just a "gesture", but a "mudra". One of them - "karana mudra" - is very similar to the "goat". And the meaning is almost the same: protection from evil spirits.

Christian culture

This gesture is also used in Christian culture. Namely - in iconography. Its main meaningin this case: the transmission of direct speech, the purpose of which is to bring the good news. Here the goat gesture originates from ancient culture. Then it was used as an accompanying sign of the speech of the orators of Greece and Rome. If you look at the book of Marcus Fabius Quintilian - a Roman rhetorician, which is called "Instructions to the Orator", there fingers folded in this way mean "instruction".

Musicians

It should also be noted that the finger gesture "goat" (or "crown") in one of the first concerts was used by Black Sabbath. All the fans liked it so much that people quickly picked it up and adopted it. So this gesture is also special for people who prefer such a direction in music as heavy metal.

However, its meaning is interpreted differently here. After all, many believe that hard rock is the music of the devil. That is why the “goat” gesture is called diabolical. That is, according to the opinion of a certain group of people, this is how you can glorify Lucifer. And two fingers - forefinger and little finger - mean the horns of the unclean. But here it should be noted that this opinion is far-fetched and far-fetched, as they say, “by the ears.”

Silent language

Where else is the goat gesture used? Its meaning can also be searched for in sign language translation. After all, such a “fingering” is also there.

If not too deep, then in American speech, this gesture means a declaration of love. And all because the two extreme fingers put up form the letter "u". In a simplified version, it means "I love you."Correction: in this case, the thumb is set aside, and not hidden in a fist.

If we talk about Russia, then this gesture means the letter "Y". In French, this is the letter "H".

Also, this gesture is extremely widely used in sports. Especially in baseball and volleyball. Its main goal in this case is to give special signals for the participants in the game.

Offensive value

But that's not all. So, the gesture "goat" has its offensive meaning. In many countries, including in our homeland, it is used to refer to male cuckolds. That is, in this way they often designate guys whom their girls or wives periodically change.

It is important to note that this gesture in this particular context is often used by fans of football matches, wanting to boo the referee. He is thus hinted that while he is dishonestly refereeing the match, his wife is having fun with other men.

Baby value

Well, how can you do without children? In our country, the “goat” gesture is extremely widely used as an entertaining element for children of different ages. However, in this case, the fingers should not be raised up, but directed at the baby and move them a little. You can also say: "There was a horned goat for the little guys …" This can make the baby laugh. If this fails, the "goat" can tickle the child.