Subversion Repositories wimsdev

<h2>Eurogestures show no sign of harmony</h2>

<p>
Thanks to 1992 and all that, European countries are becoming all alike, aren't they? Well, yes and no.
Teenagers in Bulgaria are at least trying to dress like kids in Britain. And if you have a bank account in
Stuttgart, chances are you can withdraw money from an automated teller machine in Seville. But languages still
build barriers, and gestures can be more troublesome yet. Some  of Europe's hand signals emerged 2000 years ago
 - and details like the single market or the demise of communism are not about to change things.
Here is a taste of what you should and shouldn't do when you're travelling around Europe:
</p><p>
<b>Tapping the nose</b>: in England, Scotland and, strangely in Sardinia, this means, "you and I are in on the secret".
But if a Welshman does it, he means, "You're really nosy".
</p><p>
<b>The V sign</b>: What Churchill meant was "victory" - but the same signal with the knuckles turned out is England's
equivalent of the American middle finger.
</p><p>
<b>The chin rub</b></b>: That's what people in France, French-speaking Switzerland and Belgium do when they're bored.
Don't try it elsewhere: no one will get it.
</p><p>
<b>The wave</b>: careful with this friendly greeting while in Greece. It could be misinterpreted as "go to hell."
When Greeks wave goodbye, they show the back of their hands.
</p><p>
<b>Kiss on the cheek</b>: How many are appropriate? Zero to one in Britain, two on most of the Continent, three in
Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland - and in Paris four.
</p><p>
<b>Thumb-and-index circle</b>: America's "OK" sign means just that in much of Europe - though not in
Germany, where it is an obscene anatomical reference.
</p><p>
<b>Tapping the temple</b>: do this if you want to say someone or something is crazy almost
anywhere in Europe - except in Holland where the gesture means "how clever".
</p><p>
<i>adapted from Newsweek november 12 1990</i>
</p>