Gestures Among American children, a "
pinky swear" or "pinky promise" is made when a person wraps one of their pinky fingers around another person's pinky and makes a
promise. Something similar is also seen in China and Korea, where people link their pinky fingers and then stamp their thumbs together to make a
yaksok (promise). Other gestures where the little finger is extended include the
shaka sign and
sign of the horns. Among members of the
Japanese yakuza (gangsters), the penalty for various offenses is removal of parts of the little finger (known as
yubitsume). It is a common joke that one should extend their little finger when drinking from a teacup in imitation of a passé upper-class tradition. This practice is generally deprecated by etiquette guides as a sign of snobbery amongst the socially inferior, with various cultural theories as to the origin of the practice including the idea that finger food should be eaten with only the first three digits.
Rings The
signet ring is traditionally worn on the little finger of a gentleman's left hand, a practice still common especially in the
United Kingdom,
Australia, and European cultures. A signet ring is considered part of the regalia of many European monarchies, and also of the Pope, with the ring always worn on the left little finger. In modern times the location of the signet ring has relaxed, with examples worn on various different digits, although little fingers still tend to be the most usual. The
Iron Ring is a symbolic ring worn by most
Canadian engineers. The Ring is a symbol of both pride and humility for the engineering profession, and is always worn on the little finger of the
dominant hand. In the
United States, the
Engineer's Ring is a
stainless steel ring worn on the fifth digit of the working hand by engineers who belong to the
Order of the Engineer and have accepted the Obligation of an Engineer.
Utility The little finger is often used as a support when
smartphone users type one-handed. The little finger is positioned underneath the phone, allowing it to be propped with the three middle fingers, and the user to type with their thumb. Some users reported dents on their little finger and pain in the hand after prolonged use in this way, doctors referred to this as "iPhone pinky" or "smartphone pinky". The skin indentations were reported to be nothing of alarm, as they disappeared on their own after a short while without cell phone use. ==See also==