On Russian Gestures, Тьфу, Тьфу, Тьфу!

 

Russian Gestures

Extend your right hand over the top of your head and scratch your left ear. This conveys the idea that someone does everything backwards, or needlessly complicates things, is incapable of doing anything in a direct way. Try this out on your American overcomplicator-friends. For extra effect stick your tongue out when performing the gesture.

 Spit over your left shoulder three times to ward off bad luck. Do this instead of knocking on wood. In fact, nowadays Russians do not actually spit over the shoulder; they make a spitting sound three times: Tfoo, tfoo, tfoo. A Russian acquaintance of mine, Tanya Gromova, once told me I was doing the sound wrong: instead of saying Tfoo, tfoo, tfoo over the shoulder, I was saying simply Foo, foo, foo. Incorrect spitting won’t work to keep the bad luck away.

 Try it then, Bobby. Тьфу, Тьфу, Тьфу! You got it!

 

[excerpted from book by U.R. Bowie, Here We Be. Where Be We?]