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> instead of using his thumb, index and middle fingers (as Germans do), he uses his ring, middle and index finger. I'm not German but I also find the "thumb, i

> instead of using his thumb, index and middle fingers (as Germans do), he uses his ring, middle and index finger. I'm not German but I also find the "thumb, index and middle" method to be the most natural, curious why people in the Anglo world have a different way for doing this.

ducktective 5y ago
Obligatory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznppzkyqa0&t=97s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznppzkyqa0&t=97s
gavanm 5y ago
I find that if you lead with the thumb-as-1 - then I can't use my little finger held down for 4. I naturally use my thumb to hold down the other fingers leading with index-as-1. I'm not sure what the thumb-as-1 does for 4 though. Since the thumb is the first digit on the hand (depending on the way you go) I can see it being a logical choice - but not necessarily the most convenient once you get to 4.
- toxik 5y ago
  If I count things, I tend to extend the thumb first, then the index finger, then the long finger, etc. This I think naturally leads you to make 3 by extending the thumb, index and long finger.
  - tsimionescu 5y ago
    That's OK, but can you then extend the ring finger but not the pinky to make a 4? For me it's almost impossible.
    - toxik 5y ago
      Fairly easily yeah, on either hand
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- ziml77 5y ago
  I just tested different ways of displaying numbers with fingers and the most comfortable way is to start with the pinky finger and then go in order from there. But I guess the downside to that is a raised pinky isn't as clear as a raised index finger or thumb due to it being so short.
  - toxik 5y ago
    I feel like it's important whether you're tallying things, or presenting a quantity by hand gestures, for example to a bartender. Then 1 is a single index finger raised, with the thumb and other fingers pinched together. 2 the same, but also long finger. For 3, I would use the ring finger, and similarly for 4, using the pinky. However, if I was tallying, I'd do thumb, index, long, ring, pinky. I have a Chinese colleague, and he always goes pinky, ring, long, thumb.
- jhgb 5y ago
  For that reason I always count as \.... \\... \\|.. .\|// \\|//, if that makes any sense to you.
tsimionescu 5y ago
I'm Romanian, so hardly in the anglosphere, but extending the thumb is not natural for me. I would always start with the index finger for 1, then continue with the long finger, ring finger, and pinky for 2, 3, 4, and extend the thumb only for 5. Sticking out just the thumb for 1 would look like an OK kind of sign to me, not at all as 1. I guess this is all just culturally acquired, no deep reasons necessarily. Still, as someone else was pointing out, sticking out all fingers except the pinky for the "German" 4 seems hard to do.
Aerroon 5y ago
I find it physically difficult to fully extend my middle finger while my ring finger is curled up. If I put my thumb on it I have no issues, but otherwise it feels uncomfortable.
- AussieWog93 5y ago
  >I find it physically difficult to fully extend my middle finger while my ring finger is curled up. Definitely sounds like a cultural thing. In Australia, this is an extremely common gesture. :^)
  - Aerroon 5y ago
    It works fine if my thumb even taps my ring finger, but without it the ring finger doesn't like staying down.
samatman 5y ago
I taught myself to count from the pinky, because each of the gestures for 1-5 is quite natural: the thumb retains the bent fingers and releases them one by one. It's, er, culturally variant, but not in a way that raises eyebrows.

ducktective 5y ago

Obligatory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznppzkyqa0&t=97s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznppzkyqa0&t=97s

gavanm 5y ago

I find that if you lead with the thumb-as-1 - then I can't use my little finger held down for 4. I naturally use my thumb to hold down the other fingers leading with index-as-1. I'm not sure what the thumb-as-1 does for 4 though. Since the thumb is the first digit on the hand (depending on the way you go) I can see it being a logical choice - but not necessarily the most convenient once you get to 4.

toxik 5y ago
If I count things, I tend to extend the thumb first, then the index finger, then the long finger, etc. This I think naturally leads you to make 3 by extending the thumb, index and long finger.
- tsimionescu 5y ago
  That's OK, but can you then extend the ring finger but not the pinky to make a 4? For me it's almost impossible.
  - toxik 5y ago
    Fairly easily yeah, on either hand
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
ziml77 5y ago
I just tested different ways of displaying numbers with fingers and the most comfortable way is to start with the pinky finger and then go in order from there. But I guess the downside to that is a raised pinky isn't as clear as a raised index finger or thumb due to it being so short.
- toxik 5y ago
  I feel like it's important whether you're tallying things, or presenting a quantity by hand gestures, for example to a bartender. Then 1 is a single index finger raised, with the thumb and other fingers pinched together. 2 the same, but also long finger. For 3, I would use the ring finger, and similarly for 4, using the pinky. However, if I was tallying, I'd do thumb, index, long, ring, pinky. I have a Chinese colleague, and he always goes pinky, ring, long, thumb.
jhgb 5y ago
For that reason I always count as \.... \\... \\|.. .\|// \\|//, if that makes any sense to you.

tsimionescu 5y ago

I'm Romanian, so hardly in the anglosphere, but extending the thumb is not natural for me. I would always start with the index finger for 1, then continue with the long finger, ring finger, and pinky for 2, 3, 4, and extend the thumb only for 5. Sticking out just the thumb for 1 would look like an OK kind of sign to me, not at all as 1. I guess this is all just culturally acquired, no deep reasons necessarily. Still, as someone else was pointing out, sticking out all fingers except the pinky for the "German" 4 seems hard to do.

Aerroon 5y ago

I find it physically difficult to fully extend my middle finger while my ring finger is curled up. If I put my thumb on it I have no issues, but otherwise it feels uncomfortable.

AussieWog93 5y ago
>I find it physically difficult to fully extend my middle finger while my ring finger is curled up. Definitely sounds like a cultural thing. In Australia, this is an extremely common gesture. :^)
- Aerroon 5y ago
  It works fine if my thumb even taps my ring finger, but without it the ring finger doesn't like staying down.

samatman 5y ago

I taught myself to count from the pinky, because each of the gestures for 1-5 is quite natural: the thumb retains the bent fingers and releases them one by one. It's, er, culturally variant, but not in a way that raises eyebrows.