Re: fingers

# 1 wrote at 2005-06-24 03:17:13 (-0400)
 > David J. Peterson wrote:
 >
 > >Max wrote:
 > ><<
 > >I know that there aresuch names in French but not English.
 > > >>
 > >
 > >Can't speak for anything but English, but English *does* have
 > >specific names.  Using the right hand, and proceeding from
 > >left-to- right, starting from the thumb, with the palm facing
 > >away, you have:
 > >
 > >1.) thumb
 > >2.) index/pointer
 > >3.) middle
 > >4.) ring
 > >5.) pinky
 > >
 > >You can add the word "finger" after (2)-(5), but you don't need
 > >to.
 >
 > Ho sorry, you really teach me something there because I had never
 > heard these before
 >
 > Even my English-French dictionary gives "little finger" for the
 > french word "auriculaire"

I'd recognize "pinkie" as an Americanism* - the normal term in British
English is "little finger".  "Index finger", "middle finger" and "ring
finger" are equally valid on either side of the Atlantic, although I'd
be unlikely to omit "finger" from them.  Not sure I've encountered
"pointer" for the index finger, though the sense would be obvious.


* Although my dictionary doesn't.

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