"Don't point your finger, it's bad manners!"
Our parents told us many times.
Why is this handy sign impolite?
In
The origins of the 100 superstitions that haunt or delight our daily lives
(Literary Figaro, 2022), Laurence Caracalla returns to these mysterious uses that frame our way of life.
This week, return to the evil symbolism of the pointing finger.
To discover
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This gesture is not trivial because it brings bad luck.
The explanation lies in an old superstition that dates back to the Middle Ages.
We then firmly believed in the evil powers of witches.
However, the supernatural magic "of these ugly sorcerers went through the evil eye", says the author.
But also by their finger, which she held out to the person she wanted to captivate.
This is why pointing a finger at a person is very frowned upon... She could then believe that someone wants to hurt her.
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before having a drink?
One last piece of advice for Cartesian minds who sigh and roll their eyes at his superstitions.
It is better that they abstain from designating a boat with the index finger.
Just as it is forbidden to say "rabbit" on a boat, pointing the finger at a ship is very frowned upon.
“The sailors see it as the disastrous sign of an upcoming shipwreck”, underlines Laurence Caracalla.
The maritime world is full of superstitions, and beware of anyone who ignores them.
He could well end up overboard...