10 hours ago, FauxPas said:@liuzhou, left-handedness is definitely not viewed very kindly in some cultures/countries. I do hear that left-handed Chinese table tennis players are seen in a very positive light though. They are thought to have an advantage.
https://www.seeker.com/why-are-there-so-few-lefties-in-china-1767526288.html
Yes, but remember it is not so long since the forcing of left-handed children to use their right hands to write was common in the UK and possible elsewhere in the western world. Certainly, within living memory. I remember a primary school classmate being scolded for just that.
As the article mentions the Chinese for 'left', 左(zuǒ) also means, among others, queer (not in the sexual orientation meaning); unorthodox; heretical; wrong; incorrect; different; contrary; opposite etc, just as the English 'sinister' is derived from the Latin for 'left'.
It doesn't however mention that the same Chinese word is also a common family name, where it is not seen negatively. Always dangerous to confuse etymology with meaning.
