I'm a southpaw and proud of it. The only thing I can do with my right hand is type and use a pair of scissors! I've been struggling with the right handed world all my life. Talk about discrimination! And, don't get me started with those little desks in school...
Lefty or Rightie?
- Thread starter cindylicious
- Start date
Completely left handed here.
My grandmother went to a Polish-Catholic school when she was younger in the 30's. The nuns would slap her hands with rulers and the like when they saw her writing. She's now 75 and the only right-handed task that she can do is write. My "cousin" (don't really know what to call her. She's my grandmother's, sister's, daughter--I call her cousin), who's 51 later went to the same school. She is also left handed. There was no punishment for writing left handed, BUT when the nuns saw her writing with the paper parallel to her left arm, they would tilt it hard to the right, as if she was right handed. Today, when she writes, it looks like she's writing up; I find it so weird. I'm always baffeled with the genetics aspect of it. Me, my grandmother and my cousin are the only lefties in the entire family. We were singled out! lol
Anyways, good luck with your paper!
P.S.- My cousin uses fountain pens a lot. She sends out the nibs to this website for left-handed adjustments. They have a whole page of interesting stuff and photographs. It might be helpful. BTW--I said my cousin wrote up...look at the picture of Linda Advanzino; that's what I meant. Here's the link http://www.nibs.com/Left-hand writers.htm
Kay. GL!
My grandmother went to a Polish-Catholic school when she was younger in the 30's. The nuns would slap her hands with rulers and the like when they saw her writing. She's now 75 and the only right-handed task that she can do is write. My "cousin" (don't really know what to call her. She's my grandmother's, sister's, daughter--I call her cousin), who's 51 later went to the same school. She is also left handed. There was no punishment for writing left handed, BUT when the nuns saw her writing with the paper parallel to her left arm, they would tilt it hard to the right, as if she was right handed. Today, when she writes, it looks like she's writing up; I find it so weird. I'm always baffeled with the genetics aspect of it. Me, my grandmother and my cousin are the only lefties in the entire family. We were singled out! lol
Anyways, good luck with your paper!
P.S.- My cousin uses fountain pens a lot. She sends out the nibs to this website for left-handed adjustments. They have a whole page of interesting stuff and photographs. It might be helpful. BTW--I said my cousin wrote up...look at the picture of Linda Advanzino; that's what I meant. Here's the link http://www.nibs.com/Left-hand writers.htm
Kay. GL!
Thanks so much for directing me to this website. It is super helpful. Im probably going to use some of the pictures to illustrate the different ways that lefties write. Thanks again.RobbieNEmmy said:
cindylicious said:Thanks so much for directing me to this website. It is super helpful. Im probably going to use some of the pictures to illustrate the different ways that lefties write. Thanks again.
No problem! Don't forget to cite the webpage where you got the photos from!
So is my husband!
absolutely, I also have to cite this website seeing as it is were I got some good information.RobbieNEmmy said:No problem! Don't forget to cite the webpage where you got the photos from!
When I started school, the nuns slapped my hand when I picked up the pen with my left hand. Mum went straight down and told them in no uncertain terms that NO ONE was to do that again. So, I did not have to suffer the same fate as my father.
As far as the left handedness being a bad thing, here's one theory: The Latin word for left is "sinis", something being on the left side and ultimately left handed is "sinister". Well, some people took this to mean "evil" or "demonic". Religion in the wrong hands can indeed be a demonic thing when those people try influence or enforce their perceptions of the world on others.
For those who are interested in such things, the word sinister originally had nothing to do with sin (a deliberate misinterpretation?), but with being on the left side of something.
Of course, another example of this unending bias against left handers is the French word "gauche". I know most of you know it to mean "tacky" or "lower class", but gauche really means left! And, yes, the French do use gauche in the same manner many English speakers do. But, they also use gauche to describe some one as being left handed.
I guess this means I'm more than just a little interested in the subject.
Good luck on your paper!
Kate
As far as the left handedness being a bad thing, here's one theory: The Latin word for left is "sinis", something being on the left side and ultimately left handed is "sinister". Well, some people took this to mean "evil" or "demonic". Religion in the wrong hands can indeed be a demonic thing when those people try influence or enforce their perceptions of the world on others.
For those who are interested in such things, the word sinister originally had nothing to do with sin (a deliberate misinterpretation?), but with being on the left side of something.
Of course, another example of this unending bias against left handers is the French word "gauche". I know most of you know it to mean "tacky" or "lower class", but gauche really means left! And, yes, the French do use gauche in the same manner many English speakers do. But, they also use gauche to describe some one as being left handed.
I guess this means I'm more than just a little interested in the subject.
Good luck on your paper!
Kate
^ Thanks Kate! That is really interesting. I would tell those Nuns, God made me a lefty, so I guess it was his will 
I know it's not looked down upon so much today but it really saddens me the mindset of people who in the past saw it as such a bad thing & those poor kids who got the crap slapped out of their hands
I know it's not looked down upon so much today but it really saddens me the mindset of people who in the past saw it as such a bad thing & those poor kids who got the crap slapped out of their hands
