I'm very curious to know how people use their fingers to count in other countries!
Here in the US, we use both hands, and we begin with the index finger. So, the index finger is 1. The index finger and the middle finger are 2. Index, middle, and ring are 3. Index, middle, ring, and pinky are 4. Index, middle, ring, pinky, and thumb are 5. All five fingers on one hand and the index finger of the other hand are 6. And so on.
I've also learned a system which also uses both hands, but begins with the thumb. In this system, the thumb is 1. The thumb and the index finger are 2. Thumb, index, and middle are 3. And so on. I personally prefer this system over the usual American system, because I play piano and in piano the thumb is the first finger.
How do people count on their fingers in your country?
:)
Interesting discussion, Amy! Thumbs up, as Hanaa remarked so appropriately. And an extra thumbs up for Linda's comment about German finger-counting being a serious business to be done in an orderly fashion. The world would be a better place if we could all laugh at ourselves like that.
Now, this has nothing to do with counting, but it is in the general area of finger-related potential for cross-cultural misunderstanding....
I've noticed that some Asian members have profile pictures featuring a two-fingered gesture in which they display the index and middle finger of one hand, with the back of their hand facing the onlooker. I presume this is meant as a cheery 'OK' sign, but that is NOT how this would be interpreted in Britain. In Britain this is one of the most vulgar gestures you can make - the equivalent of the American one-finger salute. Just thought these members might like to know this.
Germans start with the thumb and then the other fingers follow one after another. The number six would be the fingers of one hand plus the thumb of the other, and then again index finger, middle finger, and so on, thus the number nine would be all fingers without one pinky. Finger-counting is serious business and has to take place in an orderly fashion. ;))
Thumbs up for the question, I like it.
In French, you start with the thumb, as you described, bandwhen you get to the number four you use just the four fingers -- not the thumb would you add when you get 25. Then when you get to six, you add the thumb on the second hand. For nine, you use one hand and four fingers from the second hand.
This is an excellent question.
I can report of myself and some friends I've asked to demonstrate, and figured that this type of finger counting is done 1 to 5 in at least two variations, and four variations when counting to ten.
Variations:
1. Beginning with the thumb-, index-, middle-, ring- and ending with the little- finger, 1 to 5 as well as 6 to 10. (German example)
2. Beginning with the thumb-, index-, middle-, ring-, and ending with the little- finger 1 to 5 and from 6 to 10 in reverse order.
3. Beginning with the little-, ring-, middle-, index- and ending with the thumb, 1 to 5 as well as 6 to 10.
4. Beginning with the little-, ring-, middle-, index- and ending with the thumb, 1 to 5 and from 6 to 10 in reverse order.
Some placed their thumb finger on their index finger or in between their index- and middle- finger, and beginning with their index and counts five raising the thumb, but I've seen some ignore the thumb, and counting to four, and they say the thumb is not a finger, but they were just playing around, I guess it's just unusual to them also.
I seriously count sometimes using only hand to eleven or even forty. And often people of older generation has the tendency to point to their fingers, having them raised at one hand, usually the left one, except the left handed.
I like this question thumbs up!
