Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. Most left-handed people exhibit some degree of ambidexterity. Left-handedness is relatively uncommon; seven to ten percent of the adult population is left-handed.
Causes of left-handedness
Main article: Handedness
- Hand orientation is developed in fetuses, most commonly determined by observing which hand is predominantly held close to the mouth.
- In 2007, researchers discovered LRRTM1, the first gene linked to increased odds of being left-handed.
- Long-term impairment of the right hand: People with long-term impairment of the right hand are more likely to become left-handed, even after their right hand heals. Such long-term impairment is defined as eight months or more.
- Testosterone: Exposure to higher rates of testosterone before birth can lead to a left-handed child. This is the Geschwind theory, named after the neurologist who proposed it, Norman Geschwind. It suggests that variations in levels of testosterone during pregnancy shape the development of the fetal brain. Testosterone suppresses the growth of the left cerebral hemisphere and so more neurons migrate to the right hemisphere. The highly developed right hemisphere is now better suited to function as the center of language and handedness. The fetus is more likely to become left-handed, since the right hemisphere controls the left half of the body. The theory goes on to tie the exposure to higher levels of testosterone and the resultant right-hemisphere dominance to auto-immune disorders, learning disorders, dyslexia, and stuttering, as well as increased spatial ability.
Social stigma and repression of left-handedness
Negative associations of left-handedness in language
There are many colloquial terms used to refer to a left-handed person, e.g. "southpaw" or "goofy". Some are just slang or jargon words, while other references may be offensive or demeaning, either in context or in origin (e.g. the British "cack-handed"). In more technical contexts, 'sinistral' may be used in place of 'left-handed' and 'sinistrality' in place of 'left-handedness'. Both of these technical terms derive from sinestra , a Latin word meaning 'left'. Left hand shakes are a sign of disrespect – however the left hand shake is the standard in the international Scouting movement. In Hebrew, as well as in other ancient Semitic and Mesopotamian languages, the term "left" was a symbol of power or custody. The left hand symbolized the power to shame society, and was used as a metaphor for misfortune, natural evil, or punishment from the gods. This metaphor survived ancient culture and was integrated into mainstream Christianity by early Catholic theologians as Ambrose of Milan to modern Protestant theologians such as Karl Barth to attribute natural evil to God in explaining God's omnipotence over the universe.
Meanings gradually developed from use of these terms in the ancient languages. In many European languages, "right" is not only a synonym for correctness, but also stands for authority and justice: German recht , French droit , Spanish derecho , Portuguese direito ; in most Slavic languages the root prav is used in words carrying meanings of correctness or justice. The right hand has also historically been associated with skill: the Latin word for right-handed is dexter , as in dexterity; indeed, the Spanish term diestro and the Italian's destro , mean both "right-handed" and "skillful". In Irish, "deas" means "right side" and "nice". "Ciotóg" is the left hand and is related to "ciotach" meaning "awkward"; in French, "gauche" means "left" and is also a synonym of "maladroit", meaning "clumsy". Same for the Italian "maldestro" (literally "bad right" or "not right" with the term right here used as opposed to left and not to wrong ) and the Dutch word "links".
Meanwhile, the English word sinister comes from the Latin word sinestra , which originally meant "left" but took on meanings of "evil" or "unlucky" by the Classical Latin era. Alternatively, sinister comes from the Latin word sinus meaning "pocket": a traditional Roman toga had only one pocket, located on the left side for the convenience of a right-handed wearer. The contemporary Italian word sinistra has both meanings of sinister and left (the masculine adjective for sinister being sinistro ). The Spanish siniestra has both, too, although the 'left' meaning is less common and is usually expressed by izquierda, a Basque word that made its way into Portuguese too. In Portuguese, the most common word for left-handed person, canhoto , was once used to identify the devil, and canhestro , a related word, means "clumsy" ( sinistro means only "sinister"). Furthermore, in English, the expression "To have two left feet" refers to clumsiness in the domains of football or dancing.
The left side is often associated with awkwardness and clumsiness. The English expression "having two left feet", the Dutch expression " twee linkerhanden hebben ", the Spanish expression " tener dos pies izquierdos ", the German expression " zwei linke Hände haben ", the Bulgarian expression " dve levi ratse ", the French expression " avoir deux mains gauches " and the Czech expression " Mít obě ruce levé " ("to have two left hands") all mean being clumsy. Moreover, the German idiom " mit dem linken Fuß aufgestanden sein ", the Spanish expression " levantarse con el pie izquierdo " and the french one " s'être levé du pied gauche " (literally, to have gotten up with the left foot) means to have a bad day and do everything wrong or unsuccessfully (like "to get out of the wrong side of the bed" in English).
In ancient China, the left has been the "bad" side. The adjective "left" (Chinese character: 左 , Mandarin: zuǒ) means "improper" or "out of accord". For instance, the phrase "left path" ( 左道 , Mandarin: zuǒdao) stands for illegal or immoral means. The pictograph for "left", 左 depicts a left hand attending to work. In contrast, the pictograph for "right", 右 (Mandarin: yòu) depicts a right hand in relation to the mouth, suggesting the act of eating. Contrast this pattern with the Muslim example below. At the same time, in modern Chinese conscience the left is firmly held as the dominant and "male" side, epitomized in the formula "man-left, woman-right".
In Welsh, the word chwith means left, but can also mean strange, awkward, or wrong. The phrase tu chwith allan (left side out) refers to an object being inside-out.
In some Spanish-speaking countries, to do something por izquierda means to engage in corrupt conduct or employ illegitimate means; whereas por derecha or a derechas means to do it the right (legitimate) way.
In Dutch, "twee linkerhanden hebben" (having two left hands) means that one is clumsy or is a very poor handyman. The English equivalent of the phrase is "being all thumbs".
In Finnish, the word oikea means both right (okay, correct) and right (the opposite of left).
In Hungarian, the word for right is jobb which also means better . The word for left is bal , and is used in expressions such as kétbalkezes ("having two left hands"), balszerencse (bad luck), bal lábbal kel fel ("get up (from bed) with the left leg", an omen that predicts a bad day coming up).
In Swedish, vänster means left. The term vänsterprassel means infidelity, adultery; cheating. From this term the verb vänstra (lit. "lefting") is derived.
In Ireland left handedness is called a "ciotógach" (kitt-OHG-och) which is the Irish language term for left-handed. It is frequently used amongst Irish people, e.g. "she gave him a slap of the ciotógach after he insulted her at the bar" the word ciotógach is not derogatory and is held with affection amongst left-handed people.
The Scots term for left-handedness is corrie fistit . The term can be used to convey clumsiness.
In some parts of the English-speaking world 'cack-handed' is slang for left-handed (it is also used to mean clumsy). The origin of this term is disputed, but some suggest it is derived from the Latin cacare , in reference to the habit of performing ablutions with the left hand, leaving the right hand 'clean'. However, other source suggest that it is derived from the Old Norse word keikr , meaning "bent backwards" Australians frequently use "cacky-handed". A less common Australian slang word for a left-handed individual is the term Molly-Dooker , whose origins cannot be ascertained for certain.
Amongst Muslims, and in some societies including Nepal and India, it is customary to use the left hand for cleaning oneself with water after defecating. The right hand is commonly known in contradistinction from the left, as the hand used for eating.
Even the word "ambidexterity" reflects the bias. Its intended meaning is, "skillful on both sides". However, sinc
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