So, here is a cultural question. I’ve seen various videos on YouTube but I cannot find a consensus.
When you count on your fingers, how do you do it — and what country are you in? (I am particularly interested in how it is done in Spain.) Which finger do you start with? And what is the sequence? I know that this differs from country to country.
In the US, the typical way is the following:
We start with the hand closed, that is, in a fist. Then the index finger/forefinger is extended. That is one. Middle finger is two. Ring finger is three. Little finger is four and thumb is five.
In Germany (and elsewhere), one is with the thumb. The index finger is two. The middle finger is three. This is where I get confused. I have seen four as: all four fingers and no thumb OR the thumb and the index, middle and ring fingers (and no little finger). Are both ways done?
I have seen other places where counting starts with the hand open and the fingers are drawn in until the end result is a closed fist. When this is done, I believe the process starts with the little finger.
There are other techniques, to be sure. One is with designating points in sporting events. Another is in «hand signals» in the commodity markets.
Any and all comments are appreciated.
Buenos días:
Es curioso pero nunca me lo había planteado, Gerardo, así que para saber cómo hago yo ese gesto tan habitual he tenido que realizar una prueba real, ja ja, (no me acordaba) de la que he sacado la siguiente información:
Si es con una sola mano, observo que utilizo preferentemente la izquierda, a pesar de que no soy zurdo, y con la mano cerrada levanto el pulgar en primer lugar (enérgicamente, jeje), sigo con el índice y así hasta llegar al meñique.
Sin embargo, no sé por qué, si me ayudo de la otra mano, primero toco con la derecha el meñique izquierdo, y voy subiendo en sentido contrario al del caso anterior hasta llegar al pulgar.
En fin, son actos reflejos en los que tú nos has hecho pensar. Muchas gracias. 🙂
Hola, muy buenas tardes:
Supongo que aquí cada maestrillo tiene su librillo, porque yo tampoco soy zurda y, sin embargo, cuando cuento con una sola mano siempre lo hago con la izquierda. Comienzo por poner tieso el dedo pulgar, que inmediatamente va a buscar al meñique, luego al anular, el corazón, el índice… y finalmente vuelta a levantar el pulgar, que hace el quinto.
Si cuento con las dos manos, lo hago con el pulgar de la izquierda que toca primero el meñique de la mano derecha, el anular, corazón, índice… y termino en el pulgar, es decir, que sigo la misma dirección con una que con las dos.
Curioso, porque nunca me había parado a pensar en cómo lo hacía.
Un abrazo
Hello, Gerardo and everyone,
The way I usually count on my fingers is the following: all fingers closed except for the thumb. So I start with my right thumb and then each finger extends as I count (from the
index to the little finger).
Interesante todo lo que habéis dicho, Robin y Madri. Si yo uso las dos manos a la vez para contar —lo que no hago a menudo— creo que empiezo tocando el índice de la mano izquierda con el meñique de la mano derecha y, después de acabar con la mano derecha, continúo tocando el índice de la mano derecha con el pulgar de la mano izquierda, aunque puedo hacerlo de otras formas. Estoy de acuerdo con lo que ha mencionado Madri y, así, creo que lo de que cada maestrillo tiene su librillo es aplicable a este caso, Gerardo. Me parece que más que una preferencia regional, puede tratarse de una personal, al menos en España.
But let’s see what others have to say.
Un abrazo
This is fascinating and what a complicated lot you are! I’m much more orderly 😀
I start by lifting my thumb (from the fist position, and always looking at the palm of my hand, not the back) and then lift the rest of my fingers in order (index, middle, ring, little) so for me, a number four is all fingers extended except the little one. (It is true that sometimes my thumb relaxes a little but it’s meant to be extended).
I’m a right-hander too, but I begin with my left hand. If the number is over five, I just repeat the process with my right hand. If it’s over ten, I invariably get lost and have to go and fetch a piece of paper!
(I have no idea whether I do it «the Spanish way» or «the English way».)
Hello everyone!
First of all, many thanks to all of you. This has certainly been interesting to read.
I know this will afford all of you a good laugh…
I have been sitting here at my computer counting on my fingers in all of the manners which have been described. My wife thinks I have lost my mind.
Just a couple of comments, for completeness sake and clarification.
Yes, the orientation of the hand is always looking at the palm, as you said nibbles.
I start counting with my right hand. (I am right-handed.)
When using two hands, I extend my right index finger and use it to point to/touch my left little finger (one), then the left ring finger (two), etc. until the thumb (five).
One of the main reasons I wrote my initial post is this:
I can count starting with my thumb on my right hand as described. If I start on my left hand I can not form the number four. I can not keep my little finger down while my ring finger is up. That is, four looks like «four and a half»! I just don’t have the manual dexterity on that hand.