V-Signs
semper_te_fallant
October 19, 2008, 07:20 PM posted in General DiscussionHi,
Nothing to do with the language, but does anybody know why so many Zhongguoren use the Churchillian V for Victory sign when being photographed? When I was in Hangzhou for the national holiday everyone from 3 year old kids to very old ladies seemed to pose with a V-Sign.
RJ
October 19, 2008, 08:15 PMIts just a fad to flash the peace sign:
During the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, figure skater Janet Lynn stumbled into Japanese pop culture when she fell during a free-skate period—but continued to smile even as she sat on the ice. Though she placed only 3rd in the actual competition, her cheerful diligence and indefatigability resonated with many Japanese viewers, making her an overnight celebrity in Japan. Afterwards, Lynn (a peace activist) was repeatedly seen flashing the V sign in the Japanese media. Though the V sign was known of in Japan prior to Lynn's use of it there (from the post-WWII Allied occupation of Japan), she is credited by some Japanese for having popularized its use in amateur photographs.[citation needed]
Through the 1970s and 1980s in Japan, the V sign was often accompanied by a vocalization: "piisu!" This gairaigo exclamation, which stood for "peace", has since fallen into disuse, though the V sign itself remains steadfastly popular. It is especially popular in photography, as it is a favorite pose of both teens and adults - in Japan, China and elsewhere in Asia.
the above reference is from http://www.answers.com/topic/v-sign