[IxDA Discuss] thumbs up gesture

[Vassili Bykov]

Anjali Arora wrote:
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted material.]
> 
> 
> On Jun 23, 2006, at 2:03 AM, Julie Stanford wrote:
> 
>> 1) Am I totally wrong? Should I be really concerned that thumbs up/ 
>> down is
>> offensive?
> 
> If you are looking to an international audience, I believe the thumbs  
> up/ down will be perceived differently.

Indeed. Quoting Wikipedia "Gesture" article:

"'Thumbs up' traditionally translates as the foulest of Middle-Eastern 
gesticular insults — the most straightforward interpretation is 'Up 
yours, pal!' The sign has a similarly pejorative meaning in parts of 
West Africa, South America, Russia, Iran, Greece, and Sardinia, 
according to Roger E. Axtell's book Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of 
Body Language Around the World."