Why is it not polite to point your finger?

Answer 1

In the war, the archers would shoot the advancing enemy. The enemy were threatening to cut off the archers' middle fingers if they lost. When the archers' army won, the archers stuck their finger up at the enemy as if to say 'na na nana na, we've still got our fingers!' Unfortunately, now, it means something a lot worse.* *For those of you who don't know what it means, it means ***************. (ittle kids use this site too you know!)

Answer 2

Yes, finger pointing is considered to be rude.

If you must 'point out' something use polite and brief hand gestures, a nod of your head in the direction of the person or object, or even a glance with your eyes.

Answer 3

• It is fine to point at a point of interest such as a building; scenery, etc., but it is not nice to point at a person because it singles them out. Generally pointing gives the person being pointed at reason to worry they are being talked about.

• Generally, prohibitions against pointing go back to times when people believed others could put curses on them by pointing (showing the demons where they were). The prohibitions are less important nowadays, and are largely ignored in many segments of the population, provided that the person is not too close, or acting in an aggressive manner.

Answer 4

In some cultures, pointing with the finger formerly indicated casting a curse. It's a custom. Quite often there are no logical reasons for customs, but to avoid offending people we follow them anyway.