Hilarious, I love the stamps. Very British sense of humor there.
Did you know that in the Arab world it is considered a grave insult to show the soles of your shoes to anyone? Yeah, apparently what it means is that they’re beneath you. Hence the video of that one guy beating a picture of Saddam Hussein with his sandal.
Rob – You are correct about showing the soles of your feet to an Arab. They get pissed! Also, you do not shake or wave with your left hand, because that is the hand they wipe with. (They don’t use TP – they just use the hand and water)
However, the thumbs up being an insult is not true. I have heard that one many times over. I have been to many Muslim countries for long periods of time, and asked the locals if the thumbs up is an insult, and every time I’m told it is not, it means “ok” or “good”.
I live in Argentina, and the thumbs-up gesture has the same meaning here as in the US. That means no, we don’t think you want to annaly rape us if you give us a thumbs-up. Don’t know about west Africa or the middle east, though…
The leftover food thing is not current in China, except maybe for farmers (which is what Chinese refer to when they think hillbillies or bumpkins). You go to a little more modern place and that is not an issue.
The left hand thing is all of Islam, as is the greeting a woman. THAT is still the case in China as well, unless it is a business meeting.
I don’t know about the thumbs up thing because I have seen it done before. Check out Dr. Danger on Hulu.com. If thumbs up is insulting, that guy has been flipping people off all over Africa and the Middle East (though you get the idea in a couple of episodes (Sudan) he is the quintessential ugly American).
About the ok sign here in Brazil. If you put your fingers pointing up, it´s like the normal US ok, it´s only offensive if you put your fingers under the ‘o’ sign (finger horizontally). And we have the same meaning, to the thumbs up.
When visiting Mexico for a missions trip that we were told not to call over the children by crooking our finger… apparently it’s how you call over a hooker… and is considered highly offensive.
Almost all of the gestures represent the same thing in Romania as they do in the rest of Europe and the US, however the flower thing applies here as well.
Oh yeah and we do have “yo’ momma” jokes, well they’re not as much jokes as graphic insults that are usually used to provoke a fight or some hasty reaction.
Bull. The Greece thing is false (it used to be but this is not current) The China thing is also not current Giving an even number of flowers is in the entire Europe not only in Russia. Even numbers are given at funerals
Okay, I’m pretty sure that a few of these are fake, and at least one of them is true in one place.
My aunt just recently visited India, and she can confirm the left handed thing is true.
As for the thing about leaving some food in the Philippines, that isn’t true. I’ve talked to several people who had experience there, even raised there, and none of them could confirm this. In fact, they told me they were raised to do the opposite and finish all their food and not to be wasteful.
Cracked tries all it can to be funny, but they don’t always tell the whole truth. >_>
Hilarious, I love the stamps. Very British sense of humor there.
Did you know that in the Arab world it is considered a grave insult to show the soles of your shoes to anyone? Yeah, apparently what it means is that they’re beneath you. Hence the video of that one guy beating a picture of Saddam Hussein with his sandal.
Rob – You are correct about showing the soles of your feet to an Arab. They get pissed! Also, you do not shake or wave with your left hand, because that is the hand they wipe with. (They don’t use TP – they just use the hand and water)
However, the thumbs up being an insult is not true. I have heard that one many times over. I have been to many Muslim countries for long periods of time, and asked the locals if the thumbs up is an insult, and every time I’m told it is not, it means “ok” or “good”.
Jesus, I am never leaving the country again, God bless the USA.
I live in Argentina, and the thumbs-up gesture has the same meaning here as in the US. That means no, we don’t think you want to annaly rape us if you give us a thumbs-up. Don’t know about west Africa or the middle east, though…
What the hell? There’s not any “Your Momma” jokes there?!
The leftover food thing is not current in China, except maybe for farmers (which is what Chinese refer to when they think hillbillies or bumpkins). You go to a little more modern place and that is not an issue.
The left hand thing is all of Islam, as is the greeting a woman. THAT is still the case in China as well, unless it is a business meeting.
I don’t know about the thumbs up thing because I have seen it done before. Check out Dr. Danger on Hulu.com. If thumbs up is insulting, that guy has been flipping people off all over Africa and the Middle East (though you get the idea in a couple of episodes (Sudan) he is the quintessential ugly American).
About the ok sign here in Brazil. If you put your fingers pointing up, it´s like the normal US ok, it´s only offensive if you put your fingers under the ‘o’ sign (finger horizontally). And we have the same meaning, to the thumbs up.
When visiting Mexico for a missions trip that we were told not to call over the children by crooking our finger… apparently it’s how you call over a hooker… and is considered highly offensive.
There is another list of insults from around the world.
So…creative! Wow.
Very, very, very strong language in that one. Brilliantly disgusting.
The crooked finger call is the same in Japan, but means you think the person you are calling is no better than a dog.
Almost all of the gestures represent the same thing in Romania as they do in the rest of Europe and the US, however the flower thing applies here as well.
Oh yeah and we do have “yo’ momma” jokes, well they’re not as much jokes as graphic insults that are usually used to provoke a fight or some hasty reaction.
Bull. The Greece thing is false (it used to be but this is not current)
The China thing is also not current
Giving an even number of flowers is in the entire Europe not only in Russia. Even numbers are given at funerals
Oh and the left hand thing is the first I hear of it. Must be islamic
Thank God I live in America, where everything means what it’s supposed to mean. lol jk.
The middle finger is how Californians say “Hello!”
Patting the backside is how football players ask each other out on dates.
I’m not sure how to feel about the fact that romania was nr 1 on the top insults from around the world.
While patting the rump of a baseball player is asking if this is the spot he wants the needle, Eric.
I live in South America, and many of the things menctioned there are wrong or outdated.
- Left hand is right, but really outdated (last XIX century outdated).
- Thumbs up means the same as in US.
Of course, research about it before traveling is important…
Okay, I’m pretty sure that a few of these are fake, and at least one of them is true in one place.
My aunt just recently visited India, and she can confirm the left handed thing is true.
As for the thing about leaving some food in the Philippines, that isn’t true. I’ve talked to several people who had experience there, even raised there, and none of them could confirm this. In fact, they told me they were raised to do the opposite and finish all their food and not to be wasteful.
Cracked tries all it can to be funny, but they don’t always tell the whole truth. >_>