Hey, is it true that a "thumbs up" sign means "up yours" in Australia?

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mightygoose

Apparently years ago - probably 50 or so - putting your thumb out and giving it a quick, upward jerk was meant to mean "up yours". According to my mother, it specifically meant "up your bum" whereas the middle finger is supposedly indicating elsewhere....
Nowadays, giving someone the thumbs up means "great", "good stuff", "way to go" etc.

holly

Yes the thumbs up "Sit on it and spin " was used long before the middle finger, but I believe it died out with past generations.
See this link for more indepth details and scroll to number 3
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sit+and+spin

peter g

No, up yours is using the middle finger.
Thumbs up means good job etc.

spakkat

no not at all. it means beauty mate

parminderrr_27

Wow, I laughed the first time I read your question, but seriously I don't think so. I'm pretty sure the middle finger means up yours (almost anywhere)!

Ozmaniac

Back in the olden days (50s) when I was a kid in Victoria, 'thumbs up' did mean 'up yours' though the movement was vertical and agressive. The middle finger 'up yours' is more recent.

dingleberrys

no, not in Australia.

using a thumbs up in Saudi Arabia, or any muslim middle eastern country does mean "F--K YOU!!"

using a middle finger in Saudi Arabia means nothing to them.

If you flick your teeth with your thumbnail towards somebody, that is the biggest disrespect in Saudi Arabia. Thats worse than UP YOURS lol

Elizabeth

In Australia thumbs up means well done or to give the go ahead for something to happen.

The only person I ever knew who put a negative conotation in it was a girl I knew 30 years ago.
She would stuck up her thumb and say "Sit on this and spin!". She did this to anyone who really annoyed her.
I've never known anyone else to do that.

The middle finger or the reverse Victory sign means "up yours" here.

Asgre

Years ago a thumbs up while moving it up an down abruptly was definitely a way of saying "up yours" My mother used to use it. Then there was " Sit on it and rotate" which was used when I was a kid. I think that derived from the show Happy Days when Fonzie used to say " Sit on it" we just extended it a tad further.

But in todays society it is the middle finger that is used.

I hope that that help to solve your question.

Blood Makes Noise

Not true....In the 50's maybe.
Where did you read this?
Means: well done/beauty mate/good job.

CARROT cake

no thats bull ****...

Edward Cullen Bites My Pillows.

Not from what i've heard of

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