stoolpigeon's Journal: Southpaw Grammar

I was reading a short book written by a professor who spent time teaching in China (Where's The Duck In Peking ). One chapter that really caught my attention was the one that discussed the fact that there are no left handed people in China. He mentions that being a white foreigner made him the object of much attention but that being left handed was what propelled him fully into the 'freak' category. Being a leftie is kind of like being in a club - I've got a left handed mug, a fridge magnet and it gets mentioned pretty often when people see me writing. But to have a whole country without lefites? I can't imagine it. But hold on! This is not the end of the story.
 
I was in a co-workers office. He and his wife were there (her office is across the hall - we are a family oriented organization so that's not uncommon) They are Albanian - Beni and Bela Boboci. I started to jot down some notes. Bela noticed and said, "Hey, you are left handed." I had just read the book the night before so I said, "Yeah - and did you know that there aren't any left handed people in China?" I thought this would blow their minds like it had mine, but they were completely unphased and she said (I kid you not) with a completely straight face, "Yeah. There aren't any in Albania either." I almost said, "SHUT UP!" (picked that up from Seinfeld) but I caught it as I know it probably wont come across well to people who don't speak English as their first language - probably even English speakers who are not from the U.S. So I said, "No Way!"
 
So there it is - communists apparently hate left handed people along with all the other stuff they hate. And I've got to wonder - what would baseball be like if America had gone that route? Totally crazy.
 
oh - I should add that Albania isn't communist any more. Just in case someone reading this doesn't realize that. But they were up until 1990 and so I feel free to make the association.

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[stoolpigeon]

oh yeah - it has to be forced. Bela told me when she was in school kids that used their left hand had it smacked with a ruler. I had teachers when I was very young try to encourage me to switch to my right hand - but they never tried hard and quit by the time I was in second grade.

Last time I read (a while ago) one theory on handedness was that people are born right handed or with no preference - and of those with no preference some end up lefties. If that were true then it would make sense that if

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[Mantorp]

I've not looked at how this is passed down, but out of my three kids one is a lefty, and yes I am pretty sure they are all mine.

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[Eravau]

Slightly off-topic... but I find it amusing that the quote at the bottom of this page when I loaded it is: "Everyone was born right-handed. Only the greatest overcome it." My dad would have wholeheartedly agreed. Interesting topic, though. I'd never though about handedness in various countries... but then why would I... being a rightie.

Fun game to play

[Captain Splendid]

Next time you're watching TV or a movie, notice how many actors are left-handed.