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Inequality of left-right related terms

  Tags: Left and Right
 Language Learning Forum : Philological Room Post Reply
19 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3  Next >>
orion
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 Message 9 of 19
09 November 2005 at 10:05pm | IP Logged 
Not to sound indelicate, but I believe in some Arabic-speaking and African countries, one is supposed to use their left hand to wipe their posterior after defecation. For this reason it is considered rude (gauche?) to use the left hand to give something to someone, or to eat with.
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sayariza
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 Message 10 of 19
26 May 2006 at 11:29am | IP Logged 
orion wrote:
Not to sound indelicate, but I believe in some Arabic-speaking and African countries, one is supposed to use their left hand to wipe their posterior after defecation. For this reason it is considered rude (gauche?) to use the left hand to give something to someone, or to eat with.


I think that habit is not conducted by Arab or African only, but in the culture where muslims majority too, as like in Indonesia or Malaysia..(off course after that they wash their hand with soap)

but in asia in general it is very rude to give something with left hand.

there is a word : "tangan kanan" , that means : second important people
in crime organization in Indonesia it is similar with
Capo Bastone/ "Underboss", in the politic it is similar with an advisor (of MP, of President or of minister) or
in bussines it is a boss advisor.
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lady_skywalker
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 Message 11 of 19
26 May 2006 at 11:35am | IP Logged 
I wonder if there are a fewer left-handed people in those areas. I know that even in Christian countries left-handed individuals were often coerced into becoming right-handed (or, at the very least, writing with the right hand) so the left hand really doesn't have many fans across the world, it would seem!    
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sayariza
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 Message 12 of 19
27 May 2006 at 8:16pm | IP Logged 
lady_skywalker wrote:
I wonder if there are a fewer left-handed people in those areas. I know that even in Christian countries left-handed individuals were often coerced into becoming right-handed (or, at the very least, writing with the right hand) so the left hand really doesn't have many fans across the world, it would seem!    



that is true
Until my age now, I met only 2 lefthanded, they were my classmate at high school (I did in Indonesia)
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awb
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 Message 13 of 19
27 May 2006 at 9:05pm | IP Logged 
victor wrote:
If any of you has read "The Da Vinci Code", the author Dan Brown has given some insight into this. He suggests that the Church in early periods has tried to associate "left" with Pagan symbols. One example is the word "sinister", which has a root meaning "left", which still retains that meaning in Italian.


Also mancinism is defined as the "condition of being left-handed" or something like that. There is no such word for righties. E.g., you used to have some "condition" if you were left-handed.
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Lugubert
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 Message 14 of 19
04 June 2006 at 2:23pm | IP Logged 
orion wrote:
Not to sound indelicate, but I believe in some Arabic-speaking and African countries, one is supposed to use their left hand to wipe their posterior after defecation. For this reason it is considered rude (gauche?) to use the left hand to give something to someone, or to eat with.

In India as well, regardless of religion. It takes some practice holding the piece of naan bread using your little finger and tearing off a suitable piece using the remaining fingers.

Even in Sweden, where that cleaning practice is unknown, it is rather common knowledge that gifts should be given and received using the right hand.
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vilas
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 Message 15 of 19
12 August 2006 at 7:50am | IP Logged 
In Italy sinistra means left.
"un sinistro" means a car accident, or an accident, in general something bad.
"un personaggio sinistro" is somebody that doesn't bring good news.
"alzarsi col piede sinistro" "to wake up with the left foot" means "to wake ape with a very bad mood"
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linguafan
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 Message 16 of 19
13 August 2006 at 12:35am | IP Logged 
'right' has not only the meaning of 'correct', but also related to law, as in 'my birth right'. Same meaning is there in German (du hast recht, and das Recht),French ( droite, droits civils, but tu as raison),Spanish (el derecho, the right side and derecho de asilo, right of asylum). It is interesting to note that 'right'comes from lat.'rectus' (straight) whereas French and Spanish words are derived lat. 'directus`. The cultural meaning attached to right side, right hand, going around in a clock-wise direction at a sacred place, are possibly the result of ancient tribal customs and beliefs.   


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