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> Every time I rewatch the Sopranos

Those are Americans, not Italians.


Thanks for the clarification, I hadn't realized. Was it their command of English that tipped you off, or the New Jersey scenery in the intro sequence?

The hand gesture in question appears to be common to both "real" Italians and Italian-Americans as depicted in the show. Not sure what your point is.


Not really. You've mentioned you associate the pinched fingers with vaffanculo but it's a "mistranslation" spread by Sopranos, because they're not actually first generation Italians.

The meaning of the pinched fingers is surprised interrogative, like "what?!" Or "wtf?!". Like "what are you doing here?" or "what do you mean?" It is very informal but doesn't imply profanity at all.

Sadly, all foreigners that have seen Sopranos tend to imitate the gesture and saying "vaffanculo!" which is just plain wrong.


I was probably overly snarky. Apologies. I know next to nothing about what hand gestures actual Italians make so I'm willing to admit I'm wrong.

That said, when you say "pinched fingers", it makes me wonder if we're talking about the same gesture. The gesture from TFA labeled "non ne me importa" (English: I don't care) doesn't look like what I think of when I read "pinched fingers". "Pinched fingers" makes me picture the gesture shown on the cover of the book at the top of the article. (This is annoying to try to describe in plain text :) )

The gesture in the article doesn't demonstrate this, but the one I associate with "vaffanculo" (which sounds more like "vafungool" on the Sopranos) is a quick brush off the knuckles on the bottom of the chin outward. From some quick googling it does appear to have a mild offensive "get lost" type of meaning.

I'm actually probably mistakenly confusing it for the non ne me importa gesture, as the one I'm thinking of seems to usually be performed with the thumb out, unlike the one pictured.

Again, apologies for the snark. I'd rather learn something than gain internet dunk points. :)


thanks we didn't know


I wish I could upvote you twice.


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