Cross cultural understanding: a handbook to understand others’ cultures

 
 
 
 
 
 
V-gesture: 
With the palm facing 
forward this gesture is seen as 
positive and meaning victory. 
During the 1960's and early 1970's it 
became a symbolic gesture of the 
"alternative" and "anti war" hippie 
movement and became to mean 
"peace". 
With the palm facing inward this 
gesture in Japan is seen as negative 
or insulting. 
Twisting Fingers: 
Generally this 
means "wishing for good luck or 
fortune". 
Another 
interpretation 
could be seen as "here's hoping". As 
such, folklore believes that crossing 
the fingers when telling a lie 
somehow offsets the evil of the lie. 
Some historians believe that crossing 
your fingers is a hidden or secret way 
of making the Christian sign of the 
cross - a sure-fire way of defeating 
demons. As a gesture it is has both 
positive and negative . symbolism, 
luck or lies.