The hand of an Italian
As we all know, Italians talk with their hands, not just their voices. Look at this man - he's standing, talking to a group of men who are sitting on a bench in front of him. You can see the head of one of them. That hand never leaves his chest except to express what he is saying.
I used to go to an Italian hairdresser and if he was talking to someone else in the salon, I got my hair washed with one hand. He was incapable of talking without using at least one hand. I adore Italians! And of course, Menton is so much Italian - all the French here speak Italian. You cross the border and they speak French. And many of the businesses in Menton are run by Italians or families that were originally Italian.
Do you use your hands when speaking?
I must have Italian blood!!!
ReplyDeleteStunning portrait Jilly.
Ma. Avete visto la loro stretta di mano magica ?
ReplyDeleteOh, my, Jilly, this is an excellent post with the portrait and the description.
ReplyDeleteTheir mommas swooned looking at the pictures. and stuffed crisp $10,000.00 bills into my shorts and hung the keys to a new Smart car on my ear. Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio.
Yes, I do....and probably even BEFORE I became an Italian citizen :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I think I do...!
ReplyDeleteToo quick...A very good portrait, Jilly. Did he know you take this photo?
ReplyDeleteAlice, no, he didn't. I was sitting at Le Balico having lunch. Similar position to the day I took the photo of the little boy eating the ice-cream. You can see eating at Le B has changed for me since CDP! anyway he didn't see me - too busy making his point to his buddies!
ReplyDeleteI even use my hands looking at your pictures!
ReplyDeleteTerrific bit of stalking I'd say! ;-)
If you tied their hands behind their backs they would be speechless.
ReplyDeletePortraits are always fun to snap and even more fun to view!
ReplyDeleteI'm not Italian but a lot of my friends are...you have to sit strategically at a table with them, or you'll end up with a black eye!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of body parts - did anyone notice his earing?
c'est vrai que les italiens parlent avec leurs mains (mais aussi les hommes du sud de la France). Je trouve cela très impressionnant a voir, ils vont aussi vite avec leurs mains qu'en parlant. Non moi je ne parle pas avec les mains, je tiens l'APN ;o)
ReplyDeleteWell, actually most people do use their hands when speaking. You see it all over Europe, Latin America; all over the world, in fact. However, it's mostly Brits and Americans who believe they don't speak with their hands. But they do, too! Perhaps in a more subtle way, but they do move their hands when speaking. You see it all the time on TV, in movies. Some notable examples of celebrities who talk with their hands a lot: Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, James Spader, Susan Sarandon, CNN's Paula Zahn.
ReplyDeleteSome look like they are directing an orchestra (one hand in their pocket, the other hand goes up and down or side to side). :D
Watch an old home movie, Jilly, and you'll see yourself using your hands when talking! >8D
Isabella, I'd not noticed the earring!
ReplyDeleteAnd Fenix, you are so right. and personally I use my hands all the time. I think what i should have said and referred to, are the specific gestures the guy is making. You'll notice he has thumb to forefinger which has a very specific meaning. In the other photo, he's making another gesture.
Sorry I didn't explain properly - mea culpa with my English!
Oh, you meant hand gestures! Yeah, that's right, Italians are professionals at that. :D
ReplyDeleteI suggest everyone Google "Italian hand gestures explained", an excellent video on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteJust last night my son, who is 8, asked me why some people "move their hands about while talking". I told him that they use their hands to help express their feelings. It's a emotion. That, and also out of habit.
ReplyDeleteFunny! Well, sometimes I do, not always.
ReplyDeleteI have a buddy who has to stop whatever he is doing to tell a story. Story is, a bunch of fishing buddies had to make it back to the portage before it closed. They had an hour left. All along the way he start talking, then stop the boat, shut it down so he could finish his story. When done, he would start the engine and continue on...until he started another story and shut the engine off again.
Your post made me remember this, thank you!
Great shot of the moment, Jilly! I can almost hear him saying, in his fervor, "Senti! Senti!...."
ReplyDeleteAh, specific gestures with meaning - not sure about whether I do that...
ReplyDeleteThat hand on chest is quite unusual - or at least I haven't noticed it so much. Bet now I will see it everywhere.
What a great post! I so enjoy "people photos", and the sociological side of photography.
ReplyDeleteI use my hands a little bit...
BTW, I share your friend's heartbreak. I'm still trying to get over that game.
This is what I love about DP Jilly. One person sees one thing; another person sees the next etc. This fellow has two earrings - the other ear sports a single ring.
ReplyDeleteHumans do use their hands to talk. My mother is notorious for spilling her glass (and anyone else's in near proximity) at the dinner table on occasion because she makes wide sweeping open-handed gestures to make a point when she is really wound up.
TV Newsreaders who do not gesticulate always look a bit odd to me.
I guess I'm going to have to learn some Italian for my trip. I studied it for about 6 weeks at a Uni intensive course but it was so long ago that I've forgotten most of it apart from some very simple phrases.
Anyway, well shot Jilly!
Great post and wonderful photo of the gentleman! I use my hands, but usually for gestures inappropriate for this blog, lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm kidding! I'm always a gentleman.