Snapping(orclicking) one'sfingersis the act of creating a snapping or clicking sound with one's fingers. Primarily, this is done by building tension between thethumband another (middle,index,orring) finger and then moving the other finger forcefully downward, so it hits the palm of the samehandat a high speed.
AGeorgia Institute of Technologystudy in 2021 analyzed finger snapping, and found that a given audible snap sound occurs in just seven milliseconds. For reference, theblinkof an eye takes place in 150 milliseconds.[1][2]
In culture
edit
InAncient Greece,snapping of fingers was used by musicians and dancers as a way to keep the rhythm[3]and it was known with the words "ἀποληκέω" (apolekeo),[4]"ἀποκρότημα" (apokrotema)[5](from the verb "ἀποκροτέω" -apokroteo,"to snap the fingers" )[6]and "ἐπίπταισμα" (epiptaisma).[7]Finger snapping is still common in modernGreece.
Finger snapping may be used as a substitute forhand clapping.A possible reason is that snapping is "less disruptive than clapping during speeches and announcements."[8]The practice of finger snapping is also popular within thepoetry slamcommunity, used by the audience as a spontaneous in-the-moment show of support or agreement with what is being shared by the poet. The practice has also infiltrated some conferences.[9]
Finger snapping played a prominent part in a series of charity appeal adverts forMake Poverty Historyin 2005. Many famous faces includingBono,Bob GeldofandKate Mosstook part in the appeals. They wore a white top and Make Poverty Historycharity wristbandand these appeals were filmed ingrayscaleon a white background, and they would click their fingers in the appeal to represent a child dying frompovertyevery three seconds in Africa.[10]During the opening of thePhiladelphiaLive 8concert, rapper and actorWill Smithled the combined audiences ofLondon,Philadelphia,Berlin,Rome,ParisandBarriein a synchronised finger snap.[11][12]
Pop culture
editFinger snapping at someone has long been used as a sassy diva gesture, done to express a taunting satisfaction following what one has considered to be an impressive insult or diss.[13]Sometimes finger-snapping is done in rapid succession for emphasis and combined with other types of sassy diva mannerisms, such asswivel-hippingand head-gyrating. It is largely associated withgay menandwomen,particularly gay black American men and black American women. It was derived in the 1980s and 90s from Black American gay male subcultures.[14][15]
In theMarvel Cinematic Universelive-action filmAvengers: Infinity War(2018),Thanossnaps his fingers causingthe Blip.[16]In the live-action film,Avengers: Endgame(2019),Bruce BannerandTony Starksnap their fingers, reversing the Blip and defeating an alternate Thanos, who also snapped his fingers to no effect.
In the manga and anime "Full Metal Alchemist"Colonel Roy Mustang activates his Alchemy by snapping his fingers.
In music
editIn many cultures, finger snapping is a form ofbody percussion.
Sounds of a fingersnap also are sampled and used in many disparate genres of music, used mostly as percussion; the works ofAngelo Badalamentiexhibit this in the soundtracks to, e.g.,Twin Peaks,Lost Highway,as doesthe theme songfrom the television seriesThe Addams Family.Furthermore, a subgenre ofhip hopknown assnap musicformed in the early 2000s in thesouthernUnited States.
Persian variant
editBeshkan(Persian:بشكن), also known as the "Persian snap", is a traditional Iranian finger snap requiring both hands. The snapper creates a clicking noise similar in mechanism to the normal snap but louder in practice.
Technique
editThere are two variations of the Persian snap. The most common of the two for a right-handed individual is as follows:[17]
- Place hands together and rotate until the three right hand fingers are at the junction of the hand and fingers.
- Rest the right middle finger on the left hand securely.
- Then using the tension provided by the left thumb, snap the right index finger onto the gap between the junction and right middle finger.
References
edit- ^Ouellette, Jennifer (2021-11-16)."Why Thanos couldn't have snapped his fingers while wearing the Infinity Glove".Ars Technica.Retrieved2021-11-18.
- ^Acharya, Elio; J. Challita, Mark Ilton, and M. Saad Bhamla (November 2021) [17 November 2021 (published online)]."The Ultrafast Snap of a Finger Is Mediated by Skin Friction".Journal of the Royal Society Interface.18(184).doi:10.1098/rsif.2021.0672.PMC8596009.PMID34784775.
{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Martin Litchfield West,Ancient Greek music,Oxford University Press, 199
- ^ἀποληκέω,Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,on Perseus Digital Library
- ^ἀποκρότημα,Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,on Perseus Digital Library
- ^ἀποκροτέω,Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,on Perseus Digital Library
- ^ἐπίπταισμα,Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,on Perseus Digital Library
- ^"University of Michigan Men's Glee Club || About | History_html_5".Ummgc.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2016-06-21.Retrieved2011-12-28.
- ^Rosman, Katherine (2015-11-21)."Why Snapping Is the New Clapping".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-10-20.
- ^Pearlman, Julia (31 March 2005)."Celebrities click their fingers for global end poverty ad campaign".Campaign Live.Retrieved16 April2024.
- ^"Bob Geldof/Will Smith - Speech (Live 8 2005)".Retrieved16 April2024.
- ^Manzoor, Sarfraz (3 July 2005)."T-shirts shout allegiances, but even warring stars reunite for this cause".The Guardian.Retrieved6 April2024.
- ^Offeh, Harold."Snap like a Diva".Harold Offeh.Retrieved2022-09-03.
- ^Schippers, Mimi (2016-01-01)."Beyond Monogamy".New York University Press.Retrieved2022-09-03.
- ^Beth, Jonathan (2020-01-01)."Beyond the Politics of the Closet".University of Pennsylvania Press.Retrieved2022-09-03.
- ^"Forget the Avengers, how fast can YOU click your fingers?".Newsround.17 November 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 9 March 2022.Retrieved9 March2022.
- ^"How To Beshkan, when you feel you beshkant".YouTube. 2009-04-15.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-19.Retrieved2011-12-28.