Gestures of Russian people. Russian gestures: how women gesture. Middle finger up
We do not always express everything in words. Sometimes gestures are enough for us. In different situations, we tore the shirt on our chest, throw our hat on the ground and show the fig.
Kukish
In general, this gesture is typical for many cultures. In Russia, they probably learned about the fig from the visiting Germans, who with such a vulgar gesture tried to seduce Russian young ladies. There is even a version that the "fig" arose from german expression fick-fick machen (this was the traditional German invitation to intimacy). In the Russian tradition, the symbol of this gesture (probably thanks to highly moral Russian women) was transformed into a designation of a categorical refusal. And over time, "fig" began to be used as a protective tool against evil spirits: apparently, due to licentiousness, expats from German lands were equated with demons
Throat click
This gesture from the Russian drinking tradition articulated the phraseologism "to lay by the tie", which was widespread in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This expression was born among officers, and was invented by a certain Colonel Raevsky, "a rhetoric and a joker." By the way, he also "invented" another "drinking" phrase - a little sponsored (chauff?). It is interesting that this gesture was adopted by speculators in strong drinks during the "dry law", which Nicholas II established in Russian Empire in 1914.
Cap on the ground
An expressive gesture that articulated a desperate decision. The headdress (along with the beard) for Russian men symbolized dignity and integration in society. Removing the cap in public was considered a grave shame, a kind of civil execution. Usually debtors were subjected to this procedure. The voluntary throwing of a cap on the ground demonstrated a person's readiness to take the most insane risk, in which the cost of failure could be the expulsion of a person from society.
Scratching the back of the head
A Russian person scratches the back of his head when he is puzzled by something. The question is for what? Of course, not likely to stimulate the brain's circulation. One of the versions says that this gesture came from folk magic: in this way our ancestors called for help the ancestor, the genius of the family.
Tear the shirt on the chest
It was probably originally an impromptu oath. There is a hypothesis that with such an expressive gesture our ancestors showed their belonging to the Orthodox faith, showing the cross. In addition, it is known that during executions and some corporal punishment, the executors tore the top of the shirt off the punished. So, the voluntary tearing of clothes as a convincing argument was intended to show a person's willingness to climb the block for the truth.
Punch yourself in the chest
According to one version, this gesture came from the military tradition of nomads and was brought to Russia by the Tatar-Mongols. This is how the “steppe inhabitants” took an oath to their overlord. Punching the chest as a gesture was supposed to show the person's devotion.
Goat
As a rule, this gesture is mistakenly associated with a criminal "rasping" or fans of "metal". In fact, the "goat" is already several millennia, and it was associated with protection from black magic, from evil spirits. Probably, the older generation still remembers the nursery rhyme "There is a horned goat following the little guys ...", when an adult is shown how a goat butts, depicting goat's horns with the little finger and index finger of his right hand. In fact, this is not just a game with a child - this is how our ancestors removed the evil eye from children. In addition, ancient Greek orators accompanied their performances with the "goat" - this configuration meant "instruction". This gesture was adopted from the ancient rhetoricians by Christian priests, who often accompanied their sermons with a "goat". It is curious that on some Orthodox icons you can see the Savior and the saints with the little finger and forefinger put forward.
Flex your fingers while counting
Unlike the same French, who, when counting, unbend their fingers, starting with the thumb, the Russians bend them, starting with the little finger. It must somehow help us to concentrate, to take the situation "into a fist", and ourselves.
Wave your hand
A gesture similar to throwing a hat on the ground. In its meaning, it is also similar to this emotional manifestation of the Russian fatalistic beginning, but if, as a rule, decisive and often reckless actions take place after throwing the cap to the ground, then after a wave of the hand, the Russian person comes to humility and acceptance.
A finger to the temple
The finger to the temple is an international gesture. Among the Germans and Austrians, it means "crazy!", And in a number of African cultures it means that a person is deep in thought. In France, a finger to his temple means that a person is a fool, but in Holland, on the contrary, that he is smart. In Russia, they twist at the temple when they want to show that the interlocutor is "a little bit", that he has "balls for rollers".
Russian bow
In Russia, it was customary to bow at a meeting. But the bows were different. The Slavs greeted a respected person in the community with a low bow to the ground, sometimes even touching or kissing it. This bow was called "great custom."
Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a "small custom" - bowing at the waist, while strangers were greeted almost without custom: putting their hand to the heart and then lowering it down. It is interesting that the gesture "from heart to earth" is originally Slavic, but "from heart to sun" is not.
Any bow metaphorically (and physically too) means humility before the interlocutor. It also has a moment of defenselessness, because a person bows his head and does not see the one who is in front of him, substituting for him the most defenseless place of his body - the neck.
Hand on heart
Putting your hand to your heart used to often accompany any bow - it expressed cordiality and purity of intentions. Today bows are a thing of the past from everyday etiquette, but they still put their hand to the heart. The meaning of this gesture remains the same.
A little bit
This gesture is a gesture that is the antonym of a favorite gesture of fishermen, showing what kind of fish they caught today. It is used when you need to show that you no longer need to pour a lot, and also when you are asked what increase in your salary you have had over the past six months.
Ax-head
A similar gesture with a “fed up” gesture, but unlike it, it is usually not very peaceful in nature. During the performance of the “sekri-head” gesture (which came to Russian culture from the Caucasus), you need to run your thumb along the neck, imitating the movement of a dagger. As a rule, this gesture denotes an ultimatum request.
Hands on hips
This gesture, which women in Russian villages especially love, shows a person's confidence in a given situation, his readiness for decisive action (to stop the horse, enter a burning hut). When a person puts a hand on his hips, he expands the boundaries of his body, showing his dominance.
Cross hands on chest
The tradition of crossing your arms over your chest was a paris in Russia from the Old Believers. During the service in the Old Believer church, it is customary to fold your arms with a cross on your chest. Psychologically, this gesture is protective.
Show nose
The thumb gesture at the nose - "show the nose" - is one of the most widely known, but relatively rarely used. He is known not only in Russia. In Italy it has the name "palm on the nose", in France - "fool's nose", in Great Britain there are several at once - a five-finger greeting, a Shanghai gesture, a Queen Anne fan, a Japanese fan, a Spanish fan, coffee grinding. Associations of this sign with the grinding of coffee arose, in particular, by C. Dickens. There is an assumption that the gesture "show the nose" was originally a grotesque portrait of a long-nosed man. It is now considered a teasing sign in children, and the expression "show your nose" is synonymous with the verb "hold" meaning "to cheat."
Flip the glass
In Russia, the gesture in which a person turns the glass over is a limiting, stopping gesture. The glass is turned over with the meaning "that's enough", or "tied up". In England, this gesture is a call for a fight, like a jacket taken from the shoulders.
Pinky protrusion
A gesture with a protruding thumb and little finger in Russia can mean talking on the phone (with putting to the ear), an offer to drink (with a characteristic tipping over), or an offer to smoke non-tobacco. It was also used actively during Prohibition, when such a gesture was stopped by taxi drivers, from whom they could buy alcohol.
According to one version, this gesture comes from the Polynesians. Allegedly, the colonialists on the islands of Polynesia punished the local surfing by cutting off their fingers: for the first case - the index, for the second - the middle, for the third - the nameless, leaving only the big and little finger - in order to be able to pick up a luggage or tool. Therefore, those who greet in this way are inveterate surfers waving each other with an open palm.
It is believed that 80% of all information we transmit to each other with the help of gestures, and it is no wonder that this language also has a national flavor. Most of the gestures are deeply ingrained habits, often driven by historical events and personalities. Why a Russian person no, no, and even tear his shirt on, scratch the back of his head, and then show a fig - read in the article.
Tear a shirt on the chest
It was probably originally an impromptu oath. There is a hypothesis that with such an expressive gesture our ancestors showed their belonging to the Orthodox faith, demonstrating the cross. In addition, it is known that during executions and some corporal punishment, the executors tore the top of the shirt off the punished. So, the voluntary tearing of clothes as a convincing argument was intended to show a person's willingness to climb the block for the truth.
Scratching your head
A Russian person scratches the back of his head when he is puzzled by something. The question is for what? Of course, not likely to stimulate the brain's circulation. One of the versions says that this gesture came from folk magic: in this way our ancestors called the ancestor, the genius of the clan, to help.
Throw down your cap
An equally expressive gesture that articulated a desperate decision. The headdress (along with the beard) for Russian men symbolized dignity and integration in society. Removing the cap in public was considered a grave shame, a kind of civil execution. Usually debtors were subjected to this procedure. The voluntary throwing of a hat on the ground demonstrated a person's willingness to take the most insane risk, in which the cost of failure could be the expulsion of a person from society.
Punch yourself in the chest
According to one version, this gesture came from the military tradition of nomads and was brought to Russia by the Tatar-Mongols. This is how the “steppe inhabitants” took an oath to their overlord. Punching the chest as a gesture was supposed to show the person's devotion.
"Goat"
As a rule, this gesture is mistakenly associated with a criminal "rasping" or fans of "metal".
In fact, the "goat" is already several millennia, and it was associated with protection from black magic, from evil spirits. Probably, the older generation still remembers the nursery rhyme "There is a horned goat following the little guys ...", when an adult is shown how a goat butts, depicting goat horns with the little finger and forefinger of his right hand. In fact, this is not just a game with a child - this is how our ancestors removed the evil eye from children.
Kukish
In general, this gesture is typical for many cultures. In Russia, they probably learned about the fig from the visiting Germans, who with such a vulgar gesture tried to seduce Russian young ladies. There is even a version that "fig" arose from the German expression "fick-fick machen" (this is how the traditional German invitation to intimacy sounded). In the Russian tradition, the symbol of this gesture (probably thanks to highly moral Russian women) was transformed into a designation of a categorical refusal. Moreover, over time, "fig" began to be used as a protective tool against evil spirits: apparently, due to licentiousness, expats from German lands were equated with demons.
Neck flick
They say that Tsar Peter the Great once wanted to reward some talented artisan for special merit and asked him what he wanted as a reward. He asked for the royal privilege - to drink vodka for free in any tavern (vodka was already a state monopoly at that time). At the request of the master, a special stamp was put on the side of his neck in confirmation of the right to free drinks. He presented this "document" with a special gesture.
All textbooks on psychology and popular science publications say that in the process of communication between people, only about 10% of meaningful information falls on words. Gestures, facial expressions, postures, intonations and even hums (sounds that we fill in pauses) can say much more about a person than the text he uttered. Moreover, each nation has its own language of non-verbal communication, and Russians have characteristic features.
Understand without words
French psychologist François Suge wrote in his book "The Truth About Gestures" that gestures and facial expressions account for almost 55% of the information, another 38% of information during communication is acquired by people through intonation. The timbre of speech and its rhythm signal the emotional state of a person and his attitude towards the interlocutor. The tone of the spoken word corrects the meaning of the words, sometimes changing it to the opposite. Non-verbal communication arose much earlier than primitive people began to add the first words from short syllables. For a long time our ancestors communicated with gestures and facial expressions, the human body itself served as a tool for communication. Then mooing appeared - various sounds (uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, etc.), with which many people nowadays fill in the awkward pauses in conversation ... Mooing also carries a lot of information - through the intonation pattern of speech.
Facial expressions and gestures
Of course, knowing body language helps people understand each other better. True, each nation has developed its own characteristics of non-verbal communication over the centuries. For example, the same gesture in different cultures can mean opposite things. At the junction of ethnolinguistics and psychology, a new branch of science has been actively developing in recent years, called "intercultural communication". She explores the features of non-verbal communication, accepted in different parts of the world. Famous scientists Yuri Evgenievich Prokhorov and Iosif Abramovich Sternin jointly wrote the book "Russians: Communicative Behavior" (Moscow, 2006 edition), which was one of the first scientific works on intercultural communication in our country. The authors of the book believe that the language of non-verbal communication should be studied in the same way as Russian, English, Chinese, French. Otherwise, when communicating with representatives of other people, a communicative shock is possible: "He touched my hand \\ asked an inappropriate question \\ was offended by the manifestation of politeness \\ showed a strange gesture \\ did not smile." Of course, if you set a goal, you can understand the meaning of certain manifestations of body language in people of a different culture, but it is unlikely that you can do without funny situations.
Smile
According to Yu. E. Prokhorov and I. A. Sternin, it is not customary in Russia to smile at strangers, because such a mimic action is not considered an ordinary manifestation of politeness, but is regarded as a manifestation of sincere sympathy for a particular person. Therefore, even service workers (saleswomen, taxi drivers, waitresses) in our country do not smile at the clients they see for the first time in their lives. This greatly surprises foreigners who call Russians gloomy, impolite people. To show joy when communicating with compatriots, you definitely need a reason - positive news, a festive event, a meeting with good friends, etc. And then it is supposed to have fun in moderation, because "time is for business, and fun is an hour" and "laughter for no reason is a sign fools ".
Gesticulation
Scientists have calculated that calm and sensible Finns make on average 1 gesture per hour, while temperamental Italians manage to demonstrate 80 different movements of their hands, head and whole body to their interlocutors. The indicators of Russians against this background are very average - about 40 gestures per hour. At the same time, the inhabitants of our country, during non-verbal communication, move with a greater amplitude, wave their outstretched arms sharper and more emotionally than representatives of many other nations. For example, Americans are often shocked that, with gestures, a Russian can easily invade the interlocutor's personal space. In the USA, such movements are usually done with bent arms and only in the area of \u200b\u200bone's own face.
Distance
Tourists from Western Europe I am surprised by the contact that is allowed in Russia when communicating. In a conversation, a resident of our country can touch the hand of the interlocutor to cheer up or return attention to himself. An unfamiliar person considers it permissible to pat a fellow traveler on the shoulder. All this is absolutely unacceptable from the point of view of the mentality of the inhabitants of many other countries. British researchers have repeatedly noted that Russians often stand close to each other when speaking. For a Briton, a distance of less than 25 centimeters is considered an intimate area. He will decide that a woman will bother him if a native of our country comes very close, just to ask for directions to the museum.
Eye contact
It is not customary in Russia to look directly into the eyes of an interlocutor for a long time, but it is considered impolite to look away for a considerable time. Usually, at the beginning of a conversation, the Russians fix eye contact, and then look at each other's faces, while not focusing on the eyes.
Emotionality and sincerity
Sincerity in communication is one of the priorities for the people of our country. This explains the rejection of "duty" smiles, which are obligatory from the point of view of the Western mentality. Empty, imaginary benevolence towards everyone is condemned in society, like the mask of impassivity on the face, the refusal to demonstrate emotions. In this case, people think that the person is hiding something. But each medal has two sides: Russians often make offensive statements, obscene language in their speech, show uncompromising attitude in disputes, since such behavior in society is considered more acceptable than tolerance in its Western understanding. If in the United States or Great Britain a person, when communicating, can generally count on impersonal politeness ("You have everything o'key?" - "I have everything o'key"), then in Russia there is a higher probability of running into rudeness and outright rudeness. Foreign businessmen note that it is practically impossible to come to an agreement with Russian partners during official negotiations, when the conversation is in a formal vein. It is necessary to establish a personal acquaintance with the inhabitants of our country: to have a rest together, give and receive small presents, tell strangers about your personal life. And only in this way, in the course of informal communication, it is possible to establish business contacts.
Hum and talk
Scientific discipline studying different kinds mooing, as well as the intonation features of speech is called "paralinguistics" (from the Greek parа - "about" and lingua - "language"). This is a branch of linguistics that explores the means of communication that carry additional semantic information in the process of communication. Almost all sounds are suitable for mooing. Its main types, characteristic of the Russian speech cultureare:
- ekanye (uh-uh);
- meek (mmm);
- akane (ah-ah);
- chuckle (gh-hmm);
- hoot (ooh).
Usually, people replace pauses during a conversation or speech with indistinct hums. Former television and radio announcer Oleg Ivanovich Druzhbinsky wrote the textbook "Speech Technique for Self-Study" (Moscow, 2013 edition), in which he strongly condemned people who let hum in their speech. He believes that people start to ekat and badmouth from self-doubt and indecision. The author of the textbook on speech technique advises people to speak in short phrases, between which pauses are acceptable, but not hum. OI Druzhbinsky wrote: “Why is this happening? From unwillingness to think! We let our thought "take its course"! We don’t want to think at first, to clearly build a thought into clear and formalized phrases, and then also clearly and intelligibly pronounce them ”. But this is said by a specialist who stands up for the purity of the language. Meanwhile, many paralinguists believe that humming carries a considerable semantic load in people's speech, including: additional information ("Mmm, how delicious"); substitution of the verbal element ("Uh-uh, maybe later" - in the meaning of negation); expression of emotions ("Oooo" - with an intonation of disapproval). Mooing can indicate the speaker, reflecting his cultural and educational level, features of temperament and character. For Russians, who in communication, above all, value sincerity and allow an open display of emotions, echoing and chuckling are as much a part of the conversation as clearly pronounced words.
We do not always express everything in words. Sometimes gestures are enough for us. In different situations, we tore the shirt on our chest, throw our hat on the ground and show the fig.
In general, this gesture is typical for many cultures. In Russia, they probably learned about the fig from the visiting Germans, who with such a vulgar gesture tried to seduce Russian young ladies. There is even a version that "fig" arose from the German expression fick-fick machen (this is how the traditional German invitation to intimacy sounded). In the Russian tradition, the symbol of this gesture (probably thanks to highly moral Russian women) was transformed into a designation of a categorical refusal. And over time, "fig" began to be used as a protective tool against evil spirits: apparently, due to licentiousness, expats from German lands were equated with demons
Throat click
This gesture from the Russian drinking tradition articulated the phraseologism "to lay by the tie", which was widespread in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This expression was born among officers, and was invented by a certain Colonel Raevsky, "a rhetoric and a joker." By the way, he also "invented" another "drinking" phrase - a little sponsored (chauff?). It is interesting that this gesture was adopted by speculators in strong drinks during the "Prohibition" period, which Nicholas II established in the Russian Empire in 1914.
Cap on the ground
An expressive gesture that articulated a desperate decision. The headdress (along with the beard) for Russian men symbolized dignity and integration in society. Removing the cap in public was considered a grave shame, a kind of civil execution. Usually debtors were subjected to this procedure. The voluntary throwing of a cap on the ground demonstrated a person's readiness to take the most insane risk, in which the cost of failure could be the expulsion of a person from society.
Scratching the back of the head
A Russian person scratches the back of his head when he is puzzled by something. The question is for what? Of course, not likely to stimulate the brain's circulation. One of the versions says that this gesture came from folk magic: in this way our ancestors called for help the ancestor, the genius of the family.
It was probably originally an impromptu oath. There is a hypothesis that with such an expressive gesture our ancestors showed their belonging to the Orthodox faith, showing the cross. In addition, it is known that during executions and some corporal punishment, the executors tore the top of the shirt off the punished. So, the voluntary tearing of clothes as a convincing argument was intended to show a person's willingness to climb the block for the truth.
Punch yourself in the chest
According to one version, this gesture came from the military tradition of nomads and was brought to Russia by the Tatar-Mongols. This is how the “steppe inhabitants” took an oath to their overlord. Punching the chest as a gesture was supposed to show the person's devotion.
Goat
As a rule, this gesture is mistakenly associated with a criminal "rasping" or fans of "metal". In fact, the "goat" is already several millennia, and it was associated with protection from black magic, from evil spirits. Probably, the older generation still remembers the nursery rhyme "There is a horned goat following the little guys ...", when an adult is shown how a goat butts, depicting goat's horns with the little finger and index finger of his right hand. In fact, this is not just a game with a child - this is how our ancestors removed the evil eye from children. In addition, ancient Greek orators accompanied their performances with the "goat" - this configuration meant "instruction". This gesture was adopted from the ancient rhetoricians by Christian priests, who often accompanied their sermons with a "goat". It is curious that on some Orthodox icons you can see the Savior and the saints with the little finger and forefinger put forward.
Flex your fingers while counting
Unlike the same French, who, when counting, unbend their fingers, starting with the thumb, the Russians bend them, starting with the little finger. It must somehow help us to concentrate, to take the situation "into a fist", and ourselves.
Wave your hand
A gesture similar to throwing a hat on the ground. In its meaning, it is also similar to this emotional manifestation of the Russian fatalistic beginning, but if, as a rule, decisive and often reckless actions take place after throwing the cap to the ground, then after a wave of the hand, the Russian person comes to humility and acceptance.
The finger to the temple is an international gesture. Among the Germans and Austrians, it means "crazy!", And in a number of African cultures it means that a person is deep in thought. In France, a finger to his temple means that a person is a fool, but in Holland, on the contrary, that he is smart. In Russia, they twist at the temple when they want to show that the interlocutor is "a little bit", that he has "balls for rollers".
In Russia, it was customary to bow at a meeting. But the bows were different. The Slavs greeted a respected person in the community with a low bow to the ground, sometimes even touching or kissing it. This bow was called "great custom."
Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a "small custom" - bowing at the waist, while strangers were greeted almost without custom: putting their hand to the heart and then lowering it down. It is interesting that the gesture "from heart to earth" is originally Slavic, but "from heart to sun" is not.
Any bow metaphorically (and physically too) means humility before the interlocutor. It also has a moment of defenselessness, because a person bows his head and does not see the one who is in front of him, substituting for him the most defenseless place of his body - the neck.
Hand on heart
Putting your hand to your heart used to often accompany any bow - it expressed cordiality and purity of intentions. Today bows are a thing of the past from everyday etiquette, but they still put their hand to the heart. The meaning of this gesture remains the same.
This gesture is a gesture that is the antonym of a favorite gesture of fishermen, showing what kind of fish they caught today. It is used when you need to show that you no longer need to pour a lot, and also when you are asked what increase in your salary you have had over the past six months.
Sign of satiety
This gesture is usually used half an hour after a Russian person visits his grandmother and sits down at the table. The "fed up" gesture is indicated by holding the hand to the neck, palm down.
Ax-head
A similar gesture with the “fed up” gesture, but unlike it, it is usually not very peaceful in nature. During the performance of the “sekri-head” gesture (which came to Russian culture from the Caucasus), you need to run your thumb along the neck, imitating the movement of a dagger. As a rule, this gesture denotes an ultimatum request.
This gesture, which women in Russian villages especially love, shows a person's confidence in a given situation, his readiness for decisive action (to stop the horse, to enter a burning hut). When a person puts his hands on his hips, he expands the boundaries of his body, showing his dominance.
Cross hands on chest
The tradition of crossing your arms over your chest took root in Russia from the Old Believers. During the service in the Old Believer church, it is customary to fold your arms with a cross on your chest. Psychologically, this gesture is protective.
The thumb gesture at the nose - "show the nose" - is one of the most widely known, but relatively rarely used. He is known not only in Russia. In Italy it has the name "palm on the nose", in France - "fool's nose", in Great Britain there are several at once - a five-finger greeting, a Shanghai gesture, a Queen Anne fan, a Japanese fan, a Spanish fan, coffee grinding. Associations of this sign with the grinding of coffee arose, in particular, by C. Dickens. There is an assumption that the gesture "show the nose" was originally a grotesque portrait of a long-nosed man. It is now considered a teasing sign in children, and the expression "show your nose" is synonymous with the verb "hold" meaning "to cheat."
Flip the glass
In Russia, the gesture in which a person turns the glass over is a limiting, stopping gesture. The glass is turned over with the meaning "that's enough", or "tied up". In England, this gesture is a call for a fight, like a jacket taken from the shoulders.
Pinky protrusion
A gesture with a protruding thumb and little finger in Russia can mean talking on the phone (with putting to the ear), an offer to drink (with a characteristic tipping over), or an offer to smoke non-tobacco. It was also used actively during Prohibition, when such a gesture was stopped by taxi drivers, from whom they could buy alcohol.
According to one version, this gesture comes from the Polynesians. Allegedly, the colonialists on the islands of Polynesia punished the local surfing by cutting off their fingers: for the first case - the index, for the second - the middle, for the third - the nameless, leaving only the big and little finger - in order to be able to pick up a luggage or tool. Therefore, those who greet in this way are inveterate surfers waving each other with an open palm.
Why are we tearing the shirt on our chest and showing the fig? We decode Russian sign language. It is believed that 80% of all information we transmit to each other with the help of gestures, and it is no wonder that this language also has a national flavor. Most of the gestures are deeply ingrained habits, often driven by historical events and personalities. Why a Russian person no, no, and even tear his shirt on, scratch the back of his head, and then show a fig - read in the article.
Tear a shirt on the chest
It was probably originally an impromptu oath. There is a hypothesis that with such an expressive gesture our ancestors showed their belonging to the Orthodox faith, demonstrating the cross. In addition, it is known that during executions and some corporal punishments, the executors tore the top of the shirt off the punished. So, the voluntary tearing of clothes as a convincing argument was intended to show a person's willingness to climb the block for the truth.Scratching your head
A Russian person scratches the back of his head when he is puzzled by something. The question is for what? Of course, not likely to stimulate the brain's circulation. One of the versions says that this gesture came from folk magic: in this way our ancestors called the ancestor, the genius of the clan, to help. Throw down your cap
An equally expressive gesture that articulated a desperate decision. The headdress (along with the beard) for Russian men symbolized dignity and integration in society. Removing the cap in public was considered a grave shame, a kind of civil execution. Usually debtors were subjected to this procedure. The voluntary throwing of a cap on the ground demonstrated a person's readiness to take the most insane risk, in which the cost of failure could be the expulsion of a person from society. Punch yourself in the chest
According to one version, this gesture came from the military tradition of nomads and was brought to Russia by the Tatar-Mongols. So the "steppe people" took an oath to their overlord. Punching the chest as a gesture was supposed to show the person's devotion. "Goat"
As a rule, this gesture is mistakenly associated with a criminal "rasping" or fans of "metal". In fact, the "goat" is already several millennia, and it was associated with protection from black magic, from evil spirits. Probably, the older generation still remembers the nursery rhyme "There is a horned goat following the little guys ...", when an adult is shown how a goat butts, depicting goat's horns with the little finger and index finger of his right hand. In fact, this is not just a game with a child - this is how our ancestors removed the evil eye from children. Kukish
In general, this gesture is typical for many cultures. In Russia, they probably learned about the fig from the visiting Germans, who tried to seduce Russian young ladies with such a vulgar gesture. There is even a version that "fig" arose from the German expression "fick-fick machen" (this is how the traditional German invitation to intimacy sounded). In the Russian tradition, the symbol of this gesture (probably thanks to highly moral Russian women) was transformed into a designation of a categorical refusal. Moreover, over time, "fig" began to be used as a protective tool against evil spirits: apparently, because of licentiousness, expats from German lands were equated with demons. Neck flick Neck flick
They say that Tsar Peter the Great once wanted to reward some talented artisan for special merit and asked him what he wanted as a reward. He asked for the royal privilege - to drink vodka for free in any tavern (vodka was already a state monopoly at that time). At the request of the master, a special stamp was put on the side of his neck in confirmation of the right to free drinks. He presented this "document" with a special gesture.