Fig sign

The dulya (Дуля) or fig sign.

The dulya (Belarusian: дуля; Czech: fík; Hungarian: fityisz, füge; Lithuanian: špyga; Macedonian: шипка; Montenegrin - šipak; Polish: figa; Croatian: figa, figu; Russian: кукиш, шиш, дуля, фига, фиг; Slovak: figa; Slovene: figa; Serbian: шипак; Turkish: Nah; Ukrainian: дуля; Yiddish: פייג), or the fig sign, is a mildly obscene gesture used in Turkish and Slavic cultures and some other cultures that uses two fingers and a thumb, but not equal to the finger in Anglo-American culture.

The finger position is an approximate representation of glans penis, which is reflected in the name (in Russian "шиш", literally "pine cone", is a metonym for penis or tip of the penis), or of a clitoris, also reflected in the name (in many languages fig is a euphemism for vulva). This gesture is most commonly used to refuse giving of aid or to disagree with the target of gesture. Usually it is connected with requests for a financial loan or assistance with performing physical work.

Another use of this gesture is for warding off evil eye, jealousy, etc.

Recently, it has also become a common term in Padonkaffsky jargon to refer to Control-Alt-Delete. Svitlana Pyrkalo, a producer at the BBC World Ukrainian Service, explained that "you need three fingers to press the buttons. So it's like telling somebody (a computer in this case) to get lost."

The letter "T" in the American manual alphabet is identical to this gesture.

International nomenclature

• In Italy this sign, known as "fica", or "far le fiche" (cunt gesture), for the resemblance to female genitalia, was a common and very rude gesture in past centuries, similar to the finger, but has long since fallen out of use. Notably, a remnant of its usage is found in Dante's Divine Comedy (Inferno, Canto XXV).

• In Turkey this sign, known as "nah", is a widely known and highly offensive gesture that is generally done to reject an offer from someone.

• In Macedonia this gesture is known as шипка ("rose hip") and this is the expression that often accompanies the gesture: на, шипки!, literally meaning "here's some rose hips!" and figuratively "no way!".

• In Greece and particularly in the Ionian Islands this gesture is still used as an alternative to the moutza.

See also

• I've got your nose