To make a pinky promise, or pinky swear, is a traditional gesture most commonly practiced amongst children involving the locking of the
pinkies of two people to signify that a
promise
A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. As a noun ''promise'' means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give. It can also mean a capacity ...
has been made. The gesture is taken to signify that the person can break the finger of the one who broke the promise. The tradition appears to be a relatively modern invention, possibly as a continuation of older finger traditions.
Prevalence worldwide
In North America, it is most common amongst school-aged children or adults and close friends and has existed since at least 1860, when the ''Dictionary of Americanisms'' listed the following accompanying promise:
Pinky, pinky, bow-bell,
Whoever tells a lie
Will sink down to the bad place,
And never rise up again.
Pinky swearing has origins in Japan from 1600 to 1803, where it is called and often additionally confirmed with the vow
Recently, in South Korea, the hooked pinky has been followed by a "seal", wherein the thumbs touch each other while the pinkies are still hooked.
In Taiwan, stamping after hooking pinkies has been commonplace for over 30 years.
In
Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
it is referred to as a "piggy promise".
In Italy, a similar tradition is called "giurin giurello" or "giurin giuretto/-a".
In Maharashtra (India), this concept similarly using Marathi calls this "Gatti fu".
There is also another pinky swear promise made between children in the Isle of Man. It goes:
Make friends, make friends,
Never ever break friends,
If you do,
You'll catch the flu,
And that will be the end of you!
See also
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Children's games
This is a list of games that are played by children. Traditional children's games do not include commercial products such as board games but do include games which require props such as hopscotch or marbles (toys go in List of toys unless the toy ...
*
Jinx (game)
Jinx is a game, typically a schoolyard or children's game, with varying rules and penalties that occur when two people unintentionally speak the same word or phrase simultaneously. It can also be used to refer to the general phenomenon of utteri ...
References
External links
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Hand gestures
Oaths
Traditions
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