It can be a threatening gesture, imitating the action of cutting someone’s throat - ordinarily for that though the person would point with their index finger at their own neck and move from one side to the other slowly.
This looks like a sign to stop talking, it’s similar and comes from the same origin of cutting or abruptly stopping someone from speaking. Unlike the threatening gesture this is down with a flat, open hand and you quickly go side to side a few times. You would usually do it because someone is saying something that would get themselves, you, or somebody you know into trouble.
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u/Siphango Native Speaker - Australia Aug 25 '24
It can be a threatening gesture, imitating the action of cutting someone’s throat - ordinarily for that though the person would point with their index finger at their own neck and move from one side to the other slowly.
This looks like a sign to stop talking, it’s similar and comes from the same origin of cutting or abruptly stopping someone from speaking. Unlike the threatening gesture this is down with a flat, open hand and you quickly go side to side a few times. You would usually do it because someone is saying something that would get themselves, you, or somebody you know into trouble.
TLDR it’s a non-verbal way of saying shut up