Why do we make V signs in photographs?

Before you read: some questions to help you think about the topic and the words you might need.

How do you try to look in photographs? Why?

Why do you think people make a V sign when taking a photograph?

Don't say "Cheese", make a V!

Ever wondered why it is popular in Asia to make a V sign with fingers when posing for photographs?

It might not be as common as it used to be, but it's common to see in 'fun' photos of people in places like Korea, China, and Japan. The V sign denotes good feelings. It’s a signal that says "I feel happy. Things are okay. Life is good."

Usually, the V sign is made close to the face for females, but more to the side and away from the face for males.

Theses days, the normal happy V sign has evolved into a gangster style form that you sometimes see in America. That is palm inwards, fingers held sideways like scissors.

The trend never really took off amongst people in other places which is perhaps why I started to think about why people in Asia do it and how it all started.

A V sign made with the palm facing inwards is said to have started in England and has a bad meaning (an insult). You may have heard the story of the English V sign: The sign was used by English bow fighters at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 to insult the French army. The story is that the French promised to cut off the bowmens' arrow-holding fingers. But the story has not been proven.

In the West, the V sign with the palm facing outwards has two major meanings; Winston Churchill (England’s World War 2 leader) and the 1960s anti-war movement. Churchill wanted the sign to stand for 'Victory.' This V became an iconic signal that is now known all around the world.

In the 1960s, the American anti-war movement used the V sign to mean 'Vietnam' and would call for peace when making this signal. After some time the signal came to mean 'peace' and became popular by the hippie/peace movement and signers such as John Lennon. This was the beginning of the connection of the V sign with happiness and good feelings.

In Asia, the V sign first became popular in Japan in the 1970s and 80s and quickly came to the rest of Asia. But what triggered its popularity? Japan's love for the Beatles and the hippie/peace culture helps to explain why the V sign became popular. But there are two most common beliefs as to why it became so popular.

The first comes from a not famous (outside of America) ice skater named Janet Lynn.

Lynn competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo and was a huge hit with the Japanese viewers. Her skill as a skater, cute appearance, positive spirit and likeable attitude (she suffered an embarrassing fall during one of her important skating routines but remained smiling all the time) made her very popular in a country crazy about the Olympics.

When not skating, Lynn was a peace protestor and often showed the 'peace' V sign to photographers. People think that Lynn's popularity at this time started the Japanese love of the V sign.

The second idea, and the one that sounds most possible, was the Japanese entertainment show Downtown DX. In this show it was discovered that a popular actor named Jun  starred in some advertisements for Konica cameras, also in 1972. These advertisements all showed people making the V sign. It is said that he chose to do this, ironically, because he thought the sign was popular in the West.

Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending on how they are used.

 The answers are below the table.

A=1, B=8, C=4, D=2, E=7, F=3, G=6, H=5

Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.

1. I don’t like posing for photos, for example I find it hard to make a smile sometimes.

2. The color red is usually used to denote danger.

3. She was not pretty as a little girl, but she has evolved to be beautiful as she has grown older.

4. The trend these days is to do everything on a smartphone.

5. Psy was a huge hit a few years ago, and these days he is an iconic Korean rap singer.

6. Seeing her again triggered sad thoughts because we used to be a couple.

7. It is ironic to see our teacher eat junk food after he taught a class about healthy eating.

Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your answer.

1. Describe how you usually pose for a photograph.

2. Have you ever thought about what the V signal denotes when taking photos?

3. Now that you have read the story, how do you feel about what the V signal can denote in other cultures?

4. Do you think there will be different trends in posing for photos in the future? Describe if you can.

5. What is some place or food that is iconic to your culture?

6. When you see very old photos, what feelings does it trigger?

7. Describe someone who has been a huge hit from your country.

8. Describe something that you find ironic?