The Latin word ‘Sinistra” originally meant ‘left’ but also came to mean ‘Evil’. The English word ‘Sinister’ comes from the Latin… Are ‘lefties’ really sinister and evil?!
Left-handedness is considered something negative in many cultures. Especially in ancient times and the middle ages when left-handed people were considered to be different and were viewed with great suspicion. So are left-handed people really different?
‘Left’ is also derived from the anglo-saxon word ‘lyft’ meaning weak or broken…
Being that I myself am left handed I was fascinated to learn that my two colleagues in the office are also ‘lefties’. It got me thinking, 3 out of 3, what percentage of people are actually left-handed and what are the implications, if any, on their lives? Other than smudging the ink from my fountain pen at school as I wrote from left to right I feel normal….ish…
1: What percentage of people are Left-handed?
According to official estimates only about 10-12% of people are left-handed and woman are more likely to be right-handed than men. More accurately it is suggested that 12.5% of people are left-handed making them a relatively small proportion relative to right handed people.
2: Are ‘Lefties’ smarter than ‘Righties’?
Obviously I myself am biased on this one especially because me and my 2 left-handed colleagues are so clearly gifted. In terms of IQ (and not my wishful thinking) a study by St. Lawrence university in New York found that there were more left-handed people than right with IQ’s over 140. Studies have also suggested that left-handed people are more talented in spatial awareness and math while right handed people tend to be more verbally adept.
3: Are left-handed people insecure?
They should be! I was literally shocked to see what left-handed people are called from Latin to arabic you won’t believe the bad press us lefties get. In German the word is ‘linkisch’ meaning clumsy or awkward. In Italian its ‘Mancino’ which is derived from cooked or maimed. The Oxford English dictionary defines the word as crippled, awkward and even clumsy!
4: Left-handedness in religion
As you would expect lefties are spoken about throughout the Holy scriptures. From the Bible to the Koran religion is as weary as you would expect of us (evil) lefties. The Talmud discusses the angel prince of demons named ‘Samael’ similar to the Hebrew word ‘smol” meaning left. In Islamic countries people are not even allowed to eat with their left hands as it is considered unclean in Islam.
5: More random facts you should know about lefties
Even though humans are mainly right handed most in the animal kingdom are split 50/50 between left and right handed. Being left-handed is hereditary, Queen Elizabeth, her late mother, Prince Charles and Prince Harry are all Left-handed. Finally, studies suggest that far more babies who are born prematurely will be left-handed and are more likely to suffer from dyslexia and to stutter.
