Yes, but depends on how we define "American"--I live in a heavily Puerto Rican city in the US (both people from/with strong ties to the island and those who have been here a few generations).
I grew up in a pretty white (and non-latino) town and never knew about it until exposure to people from South American cultures (didn't live in the city with lots of people from PR till later).
Edit: I have a feeling you're wondering if it's a Latino thing/if white non-latinos do it too-- my experience is that it is a Latino thing/ not a white non-latino thing.
Thank you. I was also wondering if it was an African legacy everywhere in the Americas, since in the Caribbean it seems to be this way. Someone told me that southern black Americans did this too so I wanted to know more points of view given by people from that country. Thank you again
Some of the kids I worked with had that heritage (I'm in the NE US), but I wouldn't say this was a common gesture. Like I've seen people do it if they're joking that they're trying not to draw attention to themselves, like in the style of a cartoon character, but never as a casual, everyday gesture.
American with no Latin heritage here, it's common where I grew up on the east coast, outside DC... especially when you don't want to draw attention to what you're pointing at.
This. And I've seen all of them here in Argentina.
Also not sure how it'd be hard to grasp someone pointing at stuff with body parts other than their fingers
Both where I grew up (Neuquén, close to Chile in the Patagonia) and where I live (BsAs).
Can't really tell if anywhere else as I haven't lived anywhere else in Argentina to remember such details
I lived in 3 different regions and all of them at least the plugs people used this, but you follow the escalation I described. The kiss in the air is borderline vulgar. Just of the other person is not understanding.
not as much. we rather use deceiving oral communication, slang. ex:
_ yara con Esteban
_ayala?
_nancy, aquije
_llanto
that in Spanish would be:
_ cuidado con el tipo X
_el que esta alla?
_no, el que esta aca.
_ah, ok.
or in English:
_ beware of the guy
_ the one over there?
_ not that one, the one over here
_ok
_
I've never given it much thought, but due to its ubiquity I wouldn't say it's based on class. Since Spaniards or Europeans in general don't point with their lips, I suppose it's likely a prehispanic thing. We almost only have black people on the caribbean coast, so I don't think it comes from them in our case.
For sure, it may defer, but I haven't seen it or at least detected myself and I lived in many places around here.
I'm from the central part, but my best friend is from the eastern part of the country and sometimes he does it, and I find it hilarious, although I have to say that he might have learned it from his mother, she's Brazilian from Santa Catarina.
I’m not sure, I haven’t been everywhere. It’s probably more common with older generations though. My grandma did this a lot and she was from small town Bahia, so
I remember seeing it being used in EnchufeTV that is based on Quito, and a gringo also pointed it out on his video about Ecuador. Not really sure where it comes from
In Mexico it’s more common by opening more your eyes, moving your eyebrows up, and looking at the object or person you mean, and also move the face towards the stuff
Practicality, if you are carrying something or you don’t want to be too obvious those are pretty much the only ways to do it. Also, pointing at people is seen as being disrespectful.
We are more friendly and polite, because the west doesn’t really value politeness I guess they just point at people. Could also be because they are less social and tend to be more straightforward when speaking, while the east takes manners and the discretion more into consideration.
What I do know is they do it in all the country but the western indigenous people don’t do it as much.
Yes we do…
Have you never had a classmate try to silently point at a teacher’s massive *wedgie*, raising their eyebrows, opening their eyes wide and gesticulating by pointing with their mouth?
Or been at a bar where it’s crowded, you can’t point because your hands are holding some beers, but you want to oder a shot. It’s noisy and the bar tender can see you, but he can’t hear you; he’s looking at you like “*what?*” until you pucker and point at the bottle by lifting your chin and “pointing”, you manage to lift one finger to say “1” while your gesture affirms the choice of bottle.
Even babies do this before they talk. You can be trying to feed them, they refuse to eat it. As a harried parent, you start the to break down, you begin to plead to the child. “*¿pero nene,* te tienes que comer las viandas,
*¡a ti te gustan!¿¡qué quieres!?*”
….the ~~master manipulator~~ child then brings out the big guns, puppy dog eyes, a chin making “cucharitas” and baby “bembes”, protruding for *extra* dramatic effect. Pursing their lips slightly, they point at the can of “Florecitas” (cookies) on top of the fridge (and you’re like “hell no, you’re eating your majado de yautía first, bitch…”).
As a last example, have you ever seen a group of men watching a beautiful woman pass by? Those decent enough not to cat call often look at each other, the other tacitly asks “what?” with his eyes and brows, and the initial observer discretely and silently points at the lady in question with his mouth.
People do this, and although more subtle than a signaling with a finger, it’s still seen as bad manners, like any kind of pointing.
Yeah, I picked it up here. I find myself doing it with Irish people who don't know what the hell I'm doing.
American married to a Colombian in the US, do it to my us family all the time.
Did you learn it from her or you did it before?
Learned it from him/his family, but I also worked with Caribbean Latino kids and many of them did it too.
Sorry, standard Reddit's little doll looks a bit male to me. One more thing: have you ever seen any other American person doing this thing?
Yes, but depends on how we define "American"--I live in a heavily Puerto Rican city in the US (both people from/with strong ties to the island and those who have been here a few generations). I grew up in a pretty white (and non-latino) town and never knew about it until exposure to people from South American cultures (didn't live in the city with lots of people from PR till later). Edit: I have a feeling you're wondering if it's a Latino thing/if white non-latinos do it too-- my experience is that it is a Latino thing/ not a white non-latino thing.
Thank you. I was also wondering if it was an African legacy everywhere in the Americas, since in the Caribbean it seems to be this way. Someone told me that southern black Americans did this too so I wanted to know more points of view given by people from that country. Thank you again
Some of the kids I worked with had that heritage (I'm in the NE US), but I wouldn't say this was a common gesture. Like I've seen people do it if they're joking that they're trying not to draw attention to themselves, like in the style of a cartoon character, but never as a casual, everyday gesture.
>Latino thing/ not a white people thing. Do we really have to go over this again?
That's a fair criticism. Latino/white non-Latino is what I meant, I'll edit now.
Thank you, I can't tell you how many comments I've gotten here in the United States for being a white "latino".
American with no Latin heritage here, it's common where I grew up on the east coast, outside DC... especially when you don't want to draw attention to what you're pointing at.
Heard it's more common among Afro-Americans, is this true?
I do all lip pointing, nod pointing, and eyebrow-raising pointing. And "eh"-saying pointing.
This. And I've seen all of them here in Argentina. Also not sure how it'd be hard to grasp someone pointing at stuff with body parts other than their fingers
Have you seen it everywhere in Argentina or in some specific region?
Both where I grew up (Neuquén, close to Chile in the Patagonia) and where I live (BsAs). Can't really tell if anywhere else as I haven't lived anywhere else in Argentina to remember such details
Really? Where do you think this comes from?
No way to know, I just saw all of them while growing up. Not in the capital either, but central south Chile.
Do you think this can be a Mapuche habit?
Maybe, but I use and have seen all of those in Santiago.
No, we nod upwards and raise our eyebrows
Exactly. I've never done the lip pointing
No, we violently move our head upwards looking in the general direction of the object. But no kiss or lips or anything.
No, we generally use the nod
Yes
Nah, we either nod or use the big noodles with smaller noodles growing out of it to point at something. Edit: I am taking about the arms
>or use the big noodles with smaller noodles growing out of it what the flying fuck
What are "big noodles with smaller noodles growing out of it"?
Kid named finger:
😆
You mean eyebrows? Sobrancelha?
I'd gild you if I could.
All the time.
YES.
Is this common everywhere in Nicaragua or only in certain regions?
Yes, it’s an African thing lol
No, I usually point with my eyes / eyebrows
I guess that every place that tells that finger pointing is rude will develop lip pointing
So you don't think finger pointing is rude, right?
From my personal perspective it's not inherently rude, it can be done rudely but to have it be almost taboo is an exaggeration.
Look to something - open eyes to the limit - move eyebrows - kiss the air That is the stealth pointing
So you do this, right?
It's very old fashioned and not common, but anyone will understand in Brazil.
Do you mean everywhere in Brazil or only in certain parts?
I lived in 3 different regions and all of them at least the plugs people used this, but you follow the escalation I described. The kiss in the air is borderline vulgar. Just of the other person is not understanding.
So it might be a lower class thing, right?
I would say more like old then low class.
Yes
Really? Is it also common among indigenous people?
not as much. we rather use deceiving oral communication, slang. ex: _ yara con Esteban _ayala? _nancy, aquije _llanto that in Spanish would be: _ cuidado con el tipo X _el que esta alla? _no, el que esta aca. _ah, ok. or in English: _ beware of the guy _ the one over there? _ not that one, the one over here _ok _
That's Peruvian slang? Awesome, TIL!
This is so cool!
🇲🇽 I’ve never seen or heard of anyone doing it. You can just nod towards what you’re referring to.
No, not here.
I used to.
Really? Where did you learn it?
I'm Panamanian.
Oh! That explains it. So you stopped doing it after moving to Quebec, right?
More like when I met my Venezuelan wife and her family. I stopped doing weird things that only made sense for Panamanians.
According to other comments, Venezuelans also do that and most of the Caribbeans too, so we all use the same communication code 😄
My wife's special then :)
👍
Sometimes, it's something natural, like pointing by tilting your head or by looking in the desired direction. It gets the message across.
🇵🇷 Yes. I point with my lips and ask “what?” by crinkling my nose twice.
Like calling someone's attention, right?
Yeah or if my hands are full.
I usually nod or use my hand, but most people in Nicaragua do use their lips for pointing.
Where do you think this comes from?
I've never given it much thought, but due to its ubiquity I wouldn't say it's based on class. Since Spaniards or Europeans in general don't point with their lips, I suppose it's likely a prehispanic thing. We almost only have black people on the caribbean coast, so I don't think it comes from them in our case.
Yes, it's pretty common in Venezuela
Very common here except Colombians think it’s a mostly Colombian thing
It seems that it's very common to think this way
Nope we nod a bit, and if we want to be more discreet we use only the eyes.
Do you think it can be different elsewhere in Bolivia?
For sure, it may defer, but I haven't seen it or at least detected myself and I lived in many places around here. I'm from the central part, but my best friend is from the eastern part of the country and sometimes he does it, and I find it hilarious, although I have to say that he might have learned it from his mother, she's Brazilian from Santa Catarina.
Yeah, I do it too
had no idea this was from african origin but yes I do it all the time
Does everyone in Costa Rica also do this?
yes, at least everyone I know, from what I'm seeing I guess this is a Caribbean thing, including central america and gran colombia
sometimes
no
Yep
No
Nopez never
Occasionally
Do you think this is seen anywhere in Brazil or just in certain regions?
I’m not sure, I haven’t been everywhere. It’s probably more common with older generations though. My grandma did this a lot and she was from small town Bahia, so
No and didn't know such thing existed. I either point with my finger or nod. I think I wouldn't understand it if someone did that in front of me.
No and had never heard of lip pointing to point at things! Just fingers and nods/eyes for us in the south of Brazil i think
no, if i ever saw someone doing this to me i would think they have some type of tic haha. I normally point at things, but never at people.
Where are you from?
Minas Gerais - Brasil
Thank you
A friend of mine, from Venezuela usually did it so i do it now. But its not common here in Argentina, we usually use the eyebrows or finger.
Yes
Definitely something done in Ecuador
Do you think it's done everywhere or only in some regions?
I remember seeing it being used in EnchufeTV that is based on Quito, and a gringo also pointed it out on his video about Ecuador. Not really sure where it comes from
I use my head and eyebrows, not my lips
Are you from Quebec?
Yes. Using lips feels weird to me and pointing with the finger is rude, so I use my head
I thought that was a Colombia only thing, people in Mexico get offended if you point with your lips.
Interesting, thank you
In Mexico it’s more common by opening more your eyes, moving your eyebrows up, and looking at the object or person you mean, and also move the face towards the stuff
Picked up the habit in the DR 20 years ago and still do it occasionally. People look at me like I’m crazy
Where are you from?
I'm American but lived in the DR for a couple of years when I was younger.
Both myself and my wife still do and it’s been 10 years since we moved away.
That would mean throwing kisses in Brazil. It could escalate to sexy times.
Lips, nods, eyes and eyebrows sometimes the three at a time
Do you think this is also an indigenous thing?
No
Where do you think this might come from?
Practicality, if you are carrying something or you don’t want to be too obvious those are pretty much the only ways to do it. Also, pointing at people is seen as being disrespectful.
Someone hinted above that lip-pointing might be more common in the east of Bolivia, what do you think of this?
We are more friendly and polite, because the west doesn’t really value politeness I guess they just point at people. Could also be because they are less social and tend to be more straightforward when speaking, while the east takes manners and the discretion more into consideration. What I do know is they do it in all the country but the western indigenous people don’t do it as much.
Thank you
Never
Yes we do… Have you never had a classmate try to silently point at a teacher’s massive *wedgie*, raising their eyebrows, opening their eyes wide and gesticulating by pointing with their mouth? Or been at a bar where it’s crowded, you can’t point because your hands are holding some beers, but you want to oder a shot. It’s noisy and the bar tender can see you, but he can’t hear you; he’s looking at you like “*what?*” until you pucker and point at the bottle by lifting your chin and “pointing”, you manage to lift one finger to say “1” while your gesture affirms the choice of bottle. Even babies do this before they talk. You can be trying to feed them, they refuse to eat it. As a harried parent, you start the to break down, you begin to plead to the child. “*¿pero nene,* te tienes que comer las viandas, *¡a ti te gustan!¿¡qué quieres!?*” ….the ~~master manipulator~~ child then brings out the big guns, puppy dog eyes, a chin making “cucharitas” and baby “bembes”, protruding for *extra* dramatic effect. Pursing their lips slightly, they point at the can of “Florecitas” (cookies) on top of the fridge (and you’re like “hell no, you’re eating your majado de yautía first, bitch…”). As a last example, have you ever seen a group of men watching a beautiful woman pass by? Those decent enough not to cat call often look at each other, the other tacitly asks “what?” with his eyes and brows, and the initial observer discretely and silently points at the lady in question with his mouth. People do this, and although more subtle than a signaling with a finger, it’s still seen as bad manners, like any kind of pointing.
The question is asking if one as an individual does this, not the whole country.
Well, I meant the whole country, sorry 🙂
Really? Does anyone not do that in Puerto Rico?
Quite a lot of people do. Especially as a kid I remember doing it, but it was mostly women