In 1958 Bruno Munari published the Supplemento al dizionario italiano, a small book that treats Italian hand gestures as words: one photograph for each, explained in four languages.
A photograph can only hold a gesture still. Yet its meaning lives in the movement: how fast the hand shakes, snaps or waves away.
Very Cool Italian Hand Gestures picks up Munari’s dictionary where the printed page stops. Every gesture becomes a card, and every card moves.
Very Cool Italian Hand Gestures
A dictionary in motion
Moodboard
Fingertips pinched upward, hand shaken: “what do you want?”, “what are you saying?”. The harder it shakes, the more impatient.
References
History Bruno Munari, Supplemento al dizionario italiano, 1958: “very common in Naples”
Film Totò, cited in the 2019 proposal for its emoji
Abroad In Argentina it asks “¿qué te pasa?”; in Israel and the Arab world it means “wait a moment”
Emoji 🤌 Pinched Fingers, Unicode 13.0, 2020
Two index fingers joined side by side: those two get along, or they’re together. Done quietly, with a knowing look.
References
Study La gestualità italiana e romena, Meridian Critic, 2017
The open, empty hand turns on the wrist: nothing, there’s nothing here, I didn’t get a thing.
References
Study La gestualità italiana e romena, Meridian Critic, 2017
One hand slides away from the other: we’re leaving, time to go.
Index and little finger out. Against bad luck it’s a charm; pointed at someone it means “cornuto”, cuckold.
References
History President Giovanni Leone makes the corna behind his back while shaking hands with cholera patients in Naples
Politics Silvio Berlusconi, behind Spanish minister Josep Piqué at an EU meeting, February 2002
Film Marlon Brando singing “Luck Be a Lady” in Guys and Dolls, 1955
Music Ronnie James Dio brings it to metal in 1979, learnt from his Italian grandmother against the malocchio
Emoji 🤘 Sign of the Horns, Unicode 8.0, 2015
The thumb rubs the index and middle fingers: money, it’s expensive, someone has to pay.
References
Sport Johnny Manziel’s touchdown celebration, 2012–2015
Sport Luka Dončić, fined $35,000 by the NBA for making it at the referees, 2023
The hands cross and open: “un mazzo così”, a huge effort. Two cards, because it’s a double gesture.
The open hand swings in the air: the threat of a slap, “mo’ le prendi”, you’re going to get it.
Index and middle finger crossed: let’s hope. It comes from the sign of the cross, used by early Christians for protection.
References
History Early Christians crossed their fingers to call on the protection of the Holy Cross
Childhood Hidden behind the back, it cancels a white lie or a promise
Abroad In German-speaking countries, Sweden and Poland luck is wished by pressing the thumbs instead
Emoji 🤞 Crossed Fingers
Thumb to the mouth, little finger up: it’s the flask. Let’s go for a drink, or: he’s had too much.
References
History Munari’s book was born in 1958 as a gift from Carpano, maker of Punt e Mes, a vermouth you could order at the bar with a gesture
The back of the hand pushes away: go away, get out of here. For animals, and for annoying people.
References
Folklore Sciò Sciò, a Neapolitan folk figure against bad luck
The thumb flicks as if on a lighter wheel: got a light?
The fist pumps to a rhythm: a vulgar, cheerful allusion to sex.
The index finger taps the wrist, where the watch is: it’s late, hurry up.
The ballot drops into the box: the gesture of voting.
References
History 2 June 1946: Italians, women included for the first time in a national vote, choose the Republic
Hands shaped into a heart: I love you, thank you. A special card made with the Italian illustrator Biacca, who drew these hands.
References
Pop Taylor Swift, who in 2011 said she had invented it
Sport Gareth Bale’s “Eleven of Hearts” celebration, trademarked in 2013
Not an Italian gesture: a special card made to celebrate the Co’Sang, the Neapolitan rap duo of Ntò and Luchè, back together in 2024 after twelve years apart.
References
Music Co’Sang reunion concert, Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples, 17 September 2024
Music Co’Sang, Dinastia, 2024: number one in the Italian album chart
The back of the Neapolitan playing cards is the key reference for this card back.
