Pointing is not allowed

[JackSkellington]

I don't know what culture thinks pointing with one finger is impolite. But if Disney CM's do it, there must be a good reason.

 

[EeK]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy
According to Gestures by Roger E. Axtell, published as a revision in 1998:

Virtually all over the world, the Victory or Peace sign is ok. However in England and Austrailia, doing it with the PALM FACING TOWARD THE FACE is considered rude and "Up Yours".

In Brazil, the "OK sign" is considered to be rude and a vulgar gesture, because it refers to a part of the female anatomy.

Hi, this is my first post here. As a HUGE Disney fan, I think I'm really going to like this forum.

Since I'm from Brazil, I think I can explain the whole signs thing, turkey leg boy. The "american OK sign", here in Brazil, is (or at least was, since many people are starting to use it as a OK sign in here too) considered rude because it represents the same as the classic "middle-finger sign" (wich has the same meaning all over the world, I suppose ). It does not refer to any part of the female anatomy, though (there is another gesture that refers to that, but let's just skip it ).

Hope this info proves itself useful. :animwink:

P.S.: NOW I understand why a friend of mine that worked as a CM at WDW kept pointing things with two fingers, lol!

P.S.2: Please excuse my English, since it's not my native language (that would be Portuguese). Feel free to correct me anytime, though.

 

[luvJC4saken]

Well, from what my art history professor told me last semester, the "thumbs up" gesture in the days of the ancient Roman Collusseum, wasn't a sign of approval, but rather a sign that the crowd wanted the person executed....



"TWO THUMBS UP FOR EISNER!" :lol:

(Please note the humor of the above statement. I don't want anyone executed. "Must we always end in violence?" --Scar)

 

[JackSkellington]

I mean there are many ways and different gestures that offend all kind of cultures. Disney HAS to be careful not to use Any one offensive gesture.

 

[bgraham34]

I never point with more than 1 finger. And I dont care if someone is offended by it. 1 I am in America dont care if you are offended by that. But I understand Disney's point and dont have a problem with that. But when I worked for them we did not have that.

HMMM thinking.,

 

[Pigtails]

It took me about 2 years after quitting to stop doing the "Disney Point". I think I've returned to normal now. Well, normal pointing anyway.

 

[trainertj]

None! I didn't have the urge to use it once!

Once I got on the turnpike heading home, however...

I hear you on that one!!! I have shown a few on the turnpike that I thought they were "#1" in my book!!

 

[phillipsa9]

the idea of the two finger point is not only that it is impolite in some cultures to point with one finger but also that a guest may believe that you are pointing at them with your single finger... the disney roots of this, as posted above, are definetly because of walt smoking. he would point with a cigarette in his hand and anytime this would be photographed they would erase the cigarette from the picture leaving only the two fingered point remaining

 

[ZambeziZelda]

Hehe, after reading this thread several weeks ago, I started using the 2 finger point at the theater I work for ("Salt, napkins, and condiments are down at the end" *cue2fingerpoint*) so that it will be a habit by the time I'm (hopefully) working for Disney in August. The other night, one of my managers got slightly mad at me, saying *two* fingers was offensive, and to use one. I told him he was an idiot, and that if Disney does it, it sure as heck isn't going to be offensive...and don't worry, I have been friends with this manager since before his managerialment (haha, new word), so I didn't get in trouble for insubordination or whatever

 

[pintraderpayee]

I can't believe this thread is still here! It's great. I told my students about the Disney point as we were on our way during Easter break. Once we got there my students watched for it and were amazed that they never saw one CM forget.

 

[The Quest!]

yea i heard that....every time im in disney and someone asks me for directions, i use the "disney point"

 

[Kam]

It's also impolite to show two fingers (as if you were saying two with your palm faced towards you) to a Brit.
I guess the rudeness behind it is that during a war with the French, the French would cut off two fingers of the British archers. So, as in insult, the French would hold up two fingers.

True the two fingers comes from Long bowmen, the french would cut off the fingers.

But Pointing your index finger was an insult to long before then, its just been forgotten over the years and replaced by the american middle finger,

 

[Dagger]

I think the open-handed "point" is so much more welcoming anyway, like, "Right this way to magical bliss *open-handed gesture*"

Ahhhhhhh, yes, thank you!

 

[Dagger]

the idea of the two finger point is not only that it is impolite in some cultures to point with one finger but also that a guest may believe that you are pointing at them with your single finger... the disney roots of this, as posted above, are definetly because of walt smoking. he would point with a cigarette in his hand and anytime this would be photographed they would erase the cigarette from the picture leaving only the two fingered point remaining

Wow, that sounds crazy...but interesting either way!

 

[madtheswine630]

I'm surprised so many people don't realize that it's considered impolite, even in America, to point with just one finger. Or, at least, it used to be. I'm only 25 (or will be, in another couple of weeks), but I remember being about 3 and pointing at a bolt of lightning during a storm, and my mom told me not to point. She said it was rude, but I'm sure in that particular situation she was being superstitious and didn't want me to go attracting bolts of electricity from the sky!

I guess, as someone else mentioned, it's just one of those things that's kind of fading out. I don't think I really follow it (though I don't point at people; I tend to just gesture), but it's not a surprise to me that Cast Members are taught not to do it.

As for the two-fingers-are-rude-in-the-UK thing...I never knew what it stemmed from, but I always think of that nice "up yours" gesture I've seen them do on "Are You Being Served?" complete with raspberry sound. :lol: (But then, I didn't realize that some people did the peace sign with their palm facing toward them!)

 

[simple]

uhm... i'm quite new on this...
does it mean, that you can't point one finger when you are inside the Disney?

 

[illuminations25]

uhm... i'm quite new on this...
does it mean, that you can't point one finger when you are inside the Disney?

Guest can, it's just Disney policy that no Cast Member (Disney Employee) may point as it's considered rude in some cultures. They must use two fingers, and "direct" a Guest.

 

[simple]

Guest can, it's just Disney policy that no Cast Member (Disney Employee) may point as it's considered rude in some cultures. They must use two fingers, and "direct" a Guest.

I see... thanks for explaining

 

[hypercatmatt04]

I do it at work (six flags) without even realizing.

 

[hypercatmatt04]

Guest can, it's just Disney policy that no Cast Member (Disney Employee) may point as it's considered rude in some cultures. They must use two fingers, and "direct" a Guest.

What if the CM has 1 finger?