Avoid This Southern European Gesture That Could Rub People The Wrong Way, Per Rick Steves

When we're traveling, a smile and friendly wave can go a long way to building rapport with locals, while other forms of body language can be perceived as downright rude. That's why it's important to spend time familiarizing yourself with commozn gestures and their meanings across different cultures before you depart for your European vacation.

The article Understanding European Gestures on travel influencer Rick Steves' blog highlights a gesture he calls the "forearm jerk," in which someone makes a fist, extends their arm, and then uses their other hand to slap the bicep of the extended arm while quickly bending the forearm arm upward. The movement ends with the fist in the air, palm facing inward, and is usually accompanied by a hostile grimace. 

The article explains that the forearm jerk is "a rude phallic gesture" used by Europeans that's even stronger and more obscene than Americans flipping the middle finger. It's a "jumbo version of 'flipping the bird'" that conveys a sense of inflated power and superiority. For this reason, it's sometimes used during tense moments in politics or sporting events, such as when Polish pole jumper Władysław Kozakiewicz infamously performed the jerk at the judges and jeering crowd at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

The gesture is most common in southern Europe — where it's referred to as the Italian salute in Italy, the Iberian slap in Spain and Portugal, and the "bras d'honneur" (arm of honor) in France. Don't be fooled by the French calling it the "arm of honor," though — they perceive it as extremely offensive.

Recently, an uproar ensued when French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti performed the "bras d'honneur" several times in parliament toward his political opponent. In response, his boss, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, seriously chewed him out, and many people called for his resignation. 

The Steves article also points out that unlike the forearm jerk — which universally has negative connotations — the meanings of other gestures are more context-dependent. For example, the "cheek screw" gesture can be used as an insult in Spain, whereas in Italy, it can be used to convey that a food or meal is "buono," or completely delicious. Another example: In the US, we often use the thumbs-up sign to indicate that everything is ok. But when traveling in Greece, you should avoid performing this common gesture, as it can be interpreted to mean "up yours." And that's probably not what you want to communicate to your tour guide or restaurant server.