Getting your questions ready
Getting your questions ready
All 10 questions with answers and explanations. Play this daily
Q 01In many Muslim-majority societies, which side is the traditionally 'unclean' hand for eating or passing?
The left
The left. Where water is used to clean up after the toilet, the left hand does that job, so eating, greeting and passing things go with the right.
Q 02In which country has the thumbs-up traditionally been an insult rather than approval?
Iran
Iran. There the gesture, known as the bilakh, is an unquestioned insult roughly equal to raising a middle finger.
Q 03Which common gesture is highly offensive in the UK, Australia and New Zealand when shown palm inward?
V-sign (peace sign)
V-sign (peace sign). Palm out it signals victory or peace, but flicked with the palm facing you it's the equivalent of a middle finger.
Q 04In which country does shaking the head from side to side traditionally mean 'yes'?
Bulgaria
Bulgaria. Bulgarians shake the head for 'yes' and nod for 'no', a reversal also found in parts of Albania.
Q 05In Nicaragua, where index-finger pointing is avoided, people commonly point with which part of the body?
The lips
The lips. Nicaraguans often purse their lips into a kiss shape and aim it at whatever they mean, instead of pointing a finger.
Q 06In which country did a 1950s US vice-president offend a crowd by flashing the 'OK' sign?
Brazil
Brazil. Nixon stepped off his plane flashing the sign with both hands as a goodwill greeting, and the São Paulo crowd took offence.
Q 07In which country is the American palm-up 'come here' beckon an insult, because it is used for dogs?
Japan
Japan. The palm-up American beckon is used there for dogs, so to call a person the hand is held at head height, palm down, fingers waving toward the ground.
Q 08What does Italy's offensive 'corna' or 'horns' gesture imply about the person it is aimed at?
Their spouse is unfaithful
Their spouse is unfaithful. The horns brand the target a cornuto, a cuckold, and Berlusconi made the sign behind Spain's foreign minister at a 2002 EU meeting.
Q 09In which country is an open palm thrust at someone's face the insulting 'moutza'?
Greece
Greece. The closer the open palm gets to the target's face, the stronger the insult, so Greeks signalling 'five' keep their palm turned away.
Q 10In which country is the 'fig sign' treated as the equivalent of the middle finger?
Turkey
Turkey. There the fig sign equals the middle finger, while in Portugal the same hand shape is worn as a good-luck charm.