Most universally recognized symbol?

[kranky]

At lunch today we were debating what symbol - not pictures/illustrations - could be understood by the most people around the world. Some of the ones discussed were a circle with lines radiating from it (the Sun), the cross (Christianity) , the circle-with-slash, and the thumbs-up gesture. We decided circle-with-slash was out because it's primarily used for traffic control and there are plenty of people in third-world places who might never see one.

Our final (unscientific) decision was the arrow, figuring that anyone anywhere in the world would understand it indicates a particular direction.

Agree? Disagree?

 

[FoBoT]

the bird ?


maybe not

if you mean pointing towards something, or pointing which direction to go, then yes

the other would be nodding agreement, i think that is common , or some gesticulating or disagreement, like waving your arms back and forth and shaking your head back and forth with a scowl on your face.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the bird ?


maybe not

if you mean pointing towards something, or pointing which direction to go, then yes

the other would be nodding agreement, i think that is common , or some gesticulating or disagreement, like waving your arms back and forth and shaking your head back and forth with a scowl on your face.

the finger means different things in different places, you know.

 

[BatmanNate]

I vote for the circle. It doesn't always have the same interpretation but it has meant something to pretty much every society in history.

 

[tweakmm]

The arrow.

 

[Broohaha]

bewbes

 

[kranky]

Not actual gestures, but symbols.

What would a circle represent?

 

[Maetryx]

What about pointing at oneself and saying one's name?

 

[DrPizza]

I'd have to go with either the symbol for the Artist formerly known as Prince... (j/k)

circle with a slash through it meaning "No"?

 

[rocadelpunk]

smile?

mooning someone?

 

the :beer:

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: kranky
Not actual gestures, but symbols.

What would a circle represent?

Repitition, a cycle, infinity, revolution, the basis for spherical bodies like the sun and moon, perfection, could mean a lot of things really.

 

[MaxDepth]

<^>

 

[TommyVercetti]

the "V" symbol?

Ok someone explain me this. Whenever you see pictures from Japan, China or Taiwan, say it's a group of people, one of them will always have the "V" sign? What is the deal with that?

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: TommyVercetti
the "V" symbol?

Ok someone explain me this. Whenever you see pictures from Japan, China or Taiwan, say it's a group of people, one of them will always have the "V" sign? What is the deal with that?

i think it stands for "victory". somehow it caught on and everybody in east asia does it...

 

[Bootprint]

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: TommyVercetti
the "V" symbol?

Ok someone explain me this. Whenever you see pictures from Japan, China or Taiwan, say it's a group of people, one of them will always have the "V" sign? What is the deal with that?

i think it stands for "victory". somehow it caught on and everybody in east asia does it...

Or something like "Up Yours"

 

[spaceman]

a smile

 

[dartworth]

$

 

[Spoooon]

What about a smile or other facial expressions indicating an emotion?

 

[tweakmm]

The palm-out "V' waved back and forth basicly means "your wife is a whore" in certain parts of the world. That's why I think that the most universaly regonized symbol will be an actuatly symbol and not a hand gesture. There is somewhere in the Medeterianian where people shake their heads up and down for "no" and shake them back and forth for "yes".

 

[GroundZero]

i think that dropping trow and hanging a juicy b.a. is pretty universally recognized

 

[BigSmooth]

How about a stick figure? It's just a circle and four lines, yet I think any human being (civilized or not) would recognize what it represents. Or is that considered a picture?

 

[upsciLLion]

Originally posted by: ncircle
a smile

rgr

ups

 

[fs5]

oh man where do you guys have lunch? can I come? sounds like you guys had a great time!

 

[squirrel dog]

A piece sign with a tongue thru it would symbolize thanksgiving for the holidays and what have you.