Index finger

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Index finger
dorsal digital veins
NerveDorsal digital nerves of radial nerve, proper palmar digital nerves of median nerve
Identifiers
Latindigitus II manus, digitus secundus manus, index
TA98A01.1.00.054
TA2152
FMA24946
Anatomical terminology]

The index finger (also referred to as forefinger,[1] first finger,[2] second finger,[3] pointer finger, trigger finger, digitus secundus, digitus II, and many other terms) is the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the thumb and the middle finger. It is usually the most dextrous and sensitive digit of the hand, though not the longest. It is shorter than the middle finger, and may be shorter or longer than the ring finger (see digit ratio).

Anatomy

"Index finger" literally means "pointing finger", from the same Latin source as indicate; its anatomical names are "index finger" and "second digit".

The index finger has three

phalanges. It does not contain any muscles, but is controlled by muscles in the hand by attachments of tendons
to the bones.

Uses

A man pointing at a woman during an argument

A lone index finger held vertically is often used to represent the

American Sign Language alphabet
.

Pointing

Pointing with the pointer finger may be used to indicate or identify an item, person, place or object.[4]

Around age one, babies begin pointing to communicate relatively complex thoughts, including interest, desire, and information. Pointing in human babies can demonstrate the theory of mind, or ability to understand what other people are thinking. This gesture may form one basis for the development of human language.

Non-human primates, lacking the ability to formulate ideas about what others are thinking, use pointing in much less complex ways.

corvids, dogs[6] and elephants[7]
do understand finger pointing.

In some cultures, particularly the

Malays and Javanese[8] in Southeast Asia, pointing using index finger is considered rude, hence the thumb
is used instead.

Index finger in Islam

In Islam raising the index finger signifies the Tawhīd (تَوْحِيد), which denotes the indivisible oneness of God. It is used to express the unity of God ("there is no god but God").[citation needed]

In

Subḥāna Allāh
" (سُبْحانَ الله)

Index finger in archaeoastronomy

Before the advent of GPS and compass, early humans used index finger for pointing direction of objects with the help of stellar objects during night time.[11]

Gestures in art

The index finger pointing up is a sign of teaching authority. This is shown in the depiction of

School of Athens by Raphael.[12]

Plato detail from the School of Athens
Plato, detail from the School of Athens, Raphael, 1509
Detail from The Creation of Adam, a fresco painting by Michelangelo
A detail from The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, 1512

As a modern artistic convention, the index finger pointing at the viewer is in the form of a command or summons. Two famous examples of this are recruiting posters used during World War I by the United Kingdom and the United States.

Britons Lord Kitchener wants you
Recruitment poster, Alfred Leete, 1914
Uncle Sam wants you
Recruitment poster, James Montgomery Flagg, 1917

See also

References

  1. ^ "forefinger - definition of forefinger in English | Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  2. ^ "first finger - definition of first finger in English | Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  3. ^ "second finger". Medical Dictionary. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  4. ^ Gary Imai. "Gestures: Body Language and Nonverbal Communication" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  5. ^ Day, Nicholas (26 March 2013). "Research on babies and pointing reveals the action's importance". Slate. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  6. PMID 22347411
    .
  7. PMID 19926857
    .
  8. ^ Scott, David Clark (12 April 1990). "A Thumb Points the Way in Java". The Christian Science Monitor. ...figures in some reliefs can be seen pointing - with their thumbs. "Pointing with the index finger is a terrible thing to do. It means death or violence. People used their thumb for polite pointing and it's still the same today, notes Jan Fontein, curator of the exhibition of ancient Indonesian sculpture sponsored by Mobil Indonesia...
  9. ISBN 978-1530860180
    .
  10. ^ "What does it mean when a Muslim raises the index-finger?". Arabic for Nerds. 2016-12-31. Archived from the original on 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  11. ^ "Using The Stars For Direction, Latitude, And Time". Astronomy Trek. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  12. ISBN 978-9004215153
    .

External links

Look up index finger or Wikisaurus:index finger in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Media related to Index fingers at Wikimedia Commons

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