 |
In Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria and parts of Italy and Greece it is an obscene insult, especially when combined with a sweep of the arms. It most places it roughly means, “Sit on my phallus, asshole,” and carries the same stigmatism as the middle finger. |
 |
In 1998, a newly married American couple went to New Zealand for their honeymoon. They rented a car and toured until they missed a stop sign. A police officer pulled them over. They explained that they were new in town and didn’t know about the local traffic so were given a warning instead of a ticket. As a “thank you” gesture, the husband gave the “thumb up” sign. The police officer called for back up and hand cuffed the American man. (A “thump up” is seen as a rude gesture in New Zealand.) |
 |
 |
In North America, this gesture is usually used in HITCHHIKING.
In some other parts of the world, it’s more common to use the index finger pointed at the road. This happens partly because of an alternate offensive meaning for the thumbs up. |
|
|
|
 |
In scuba diving, the thumbs-up gesture is a specific diving signal given underwater, in which the diver indicates they’re about to stop their dive and ascend. This occasionally causes confusion in new divers, who might automatically gesture thumbs-up when trying to indicate approval — actually indicating a desire to stop diving and to ascend. |
|
|
|
 |
|
