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Remember that sinister is the Latin word for left-handed.. Historically, the left side, and subsequently left-handedness, was considered negative in many cultu

Remember that sinister is the Latin word for left-handed.. Historically, the left side, and subsequently left-handedness, was considered negative in many cultures. The Latin word sinistra originally meant "left" but took on meanings of "evil" or "unlucky" by the Classical Latin era, and this double meaning survives in European derivatives of Latin, and in the English word "sinister". Meanings gradually developed from use of these terms in the ancient languages. In many modern European languages, including English, the word for the direction "right" also means "correct" or "proper", and also stands for authority and justice. In most Slavic languages the root prav is used in words carrying meanings of correctness or justice. Wikipedia also has a fun article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_against_left-handed_people https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_against_left-handed_peopl...

nickpeterson 9y ago
Because most people are right handed, there is a notion of it being 'natural' to use their right hand. This is probably where we get the overlap with words that mean 'correct'. Doing something left-handed, for most people, is doing it backwards. People are rarely left-handed, so there is an 'us verses them' notion behind the term. Right handed people are the default and left-handed people are different. Note phrases like "right hand man" describing someone you rely on. Finally, a large percentage of leaders seem to be left handed (for reasons I cannot fathom), so perhaps sinister meaning evil has some root in people's criticism of those with power?
- kls 9y ago
  Theory goes, left-handers have an advantage in battle (everyone has fought and trained against a right hander). Those that won, and had good political skills got to rule (and remain ruling) and reproduce, so it was self selecting for leadership. What is odd about that theory is our almost static percentage of the population thru the ages.
  - hghhhggv 9y ago
    > What is odd about that theory is our almost static percentage of the population thru the ages. > odd That simply means the theory is wrong, not "odd".

nickpeterson 9y ago

Because most people are right handed, there is a notion of it being 'natural' to use their right hand. This is probably where we get the overlap with words that mean 'correct'. Doing something left-handed, for most people, is doing it backwards. People are rarely left-handed, so there is an 'us verses them' notion behind the term. Right handed people are the default and left-handed people are different. Note phrases like "right hand man" describing someone you rely on. Finally, a large percentage of leaders seem to be left handed (for reasons I cannot fathom), so perhaps sinister meaning evil has some root in people's criticism of those with power?

kls 9y ago
Theory goes, left-handers have an advantage in battle (everyone has fought and trained against a right hander). Those that won, and had good political skills got to rule (and remain ruling) and reproduce, so it was self selecting for leadership. What is odd about that theory is our almost static percentage of the population thru the ages.
- hghhhggv 9y ago
  > What is odd about that theory is our almost static percentage of the population thru the ages. > odd That simply means the theory is wrong, not "odd".