Forums → The Tavern → Is a Thumb a Thumb, or is a Thumb a Finger? You Decide!
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I was curious as to what you the users of AG think on this matter.
What do I think on this matter? Why I'm glad you asked. I think every thumb is a finger, but not every finger is a thumb. My brother and I were debating this issue, so I decided to look up the definition of finger and thumb in the dictionary. The definitions they used made me want to smack the dictionary and yell at it. Finger is described is: the four slender jointed digits on ones hand. Meanwhile thumb is defined as (I quote): A short thick finger.
Grrrrrrr, the definition of finger says that there are four on each hand, meanwhile the definition of thumb was and I quote: a short thick finger. I curse this self-contradicting dictionary!!!
So what do you the users of AG think?
- 34 Replies
Your thumb is actually a digit, the same as all your fingers, so I would assume that it's safe to assume that your thumb can be classified as a finger.
Yes but the thumb has 2 metacarpophalangeal joints (MPJ's) while the pinky only has 3 metacarpophalangeal joints (MPJ's).
Actually they both only have one MPJ each. What you meant are interphalangeal articulations.
Which is much easier to just say a thumb because if all these fingers are not the same why bother call it a finger if they are different.
I see finger as a more general term, the specific fingers being thumb, index, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky.
And I think I have to correct myself; I said that for me finger=digit, which is not quite true.. all fingers are digits, but not all digits are fingers, as the toes are also digits. So I should say 'fingers=digits of the hand'.
I see finger as a more general term, the specific fingers being thumb, index, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky.Ok I agree, but hear this out, a thumb, an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger and a pinky. Then you could say everything any1 says is false and a thumb and a pinky is not a finger do to the name.
well I'll put it this way: would you call your first toe a, I don't know, thumb toe?
NO!
thats right, it may be thicker, but its still a toe.
I rest my case.
well I'll put it this way: would you call your first toe a, I don't know, thumb toe?LMFAO that is a terrible comment 'no offense', but we are talking about the hand not the feet, they are not alike, there are both used for different things, so therefore there is no case.
NO!
thats right, it may be thicker, but its still a toe.
I rest my case.
Hopefully I did not offend you, if i did I am sorry
This has got to be the most aimless discussion I have ever seen in this forum...
Also the thumb is more dextile than the pinky.
Now we're making up words? =P
if all these fingers are not the same why bother call it a finger if they are different.
Lol, I think you just contradicted your own point there. From that logic, why bother calling any of the fingers fingers since they're all different? According to you, none of them are qualified to be fingers. xD
a thumb, an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger and a pinky.
So just because two of them don't have the word "finger" in their name mean they aren't fingers? What if you called the main three "Ring", "Middle", and "Index" instead of those three being succeeded by the word "finger"? It would be unclear what you were talking about since all three of those words already have everyday meanings.
So just because two of them don't have the word "finger" in their name mean they aren't fingers? What if you called the main three "Ring", "Middle", and "Index" instead of those three being succeeded by the word "finger"? It would be unclear what you were talking about since all three of those words already have everyday meanings
Ok then look at the structure of the thumb and the other 4 fingers, The 4 fingers; index, middle, ring and pinky have 3 MPG's while the thumb has only two MPGs also the thumb is more dextile than all of the fingers. So in my opinion a thumb is not a finger, fingers are fingers and thumbs are thumbs, I would be scared if the doctor said that my kid 5 fingers in the future LoL
Now we're making up words? =PSynonym in my dictionary to another word that I cannot think of at the moment DARN! But the definition of it is that it can do a lot more things than something else.
i guess from what you say i have no finger then/
Well I guess from what you say I have no finger
This has got to be the most aimless discussion I have ever seen in this forum...Aren't most tavern discussions aimless? Except for the relationship and bullying thread of course...
LMFAO that is a terrible comment 'no offense',You just know the comment is going to be offensive if it says 'no offense'.
thats right, it may be thicker, but its still a toe.I agree with this statement whole-heartedly
P.S. I guess I'm making up words to, saying things like "heartedly" =)
Ok I agree, but hear this out, a thumb, an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger and a pinky. Then you could say everything any1 says is false and a thumb and a pinky is not a finger do to the name.
Linguistic artifact. In French you call them pouce, index, majeur, annulaire, auriculaire. The international anatomical terminology uses I, II, III, IV, V. German however calls them Daumen, Zeigefinger, Mittelfinger, Ringfinger, kleiner Finger. Thus I wouldn't attach much importance to names alone.
Linguistic artifact. In French you call them pouce, index, majeur, annulaire, auriculaire. The international anatomical terminology uses I, II, III, IV, V. German however calls them Daumen, Zeigefinger, Mittelfinger, Ringfinger, kleiner Finger. Thus I wouldn't attach much importance to names aloneOk the name does not matter, I already know that, the international anatomical terminology is roman numerals, so that does not matter either then.
I just found a few medical definitions of finger (see below). Though all that prooves is that everyone is right depending on the definition they use :P
finger /fin·ger/ (fing´ger) one of the five digits of the hand.
fin·ger (fnggr)
n.
One of the five digits of the hand, especially one other than the thumb.
finger
Etymology: AS, fingar
any of the digits of the hand. The fingers are composed of three bony phalanges. Some anatomists regard the thumb as a finger, since its metacarpal bone ossifies in the same way as a phalanx. Other anatomists regard the thumb as being composed of a metacarpal bone and two phalanges. The digits of the hand are anatomically numbered 1 to 5, starting with the thumb.
Source
One of the five digits of the hand, especially one other than the thumb.I like that one, so fro reading it all I guess we are all right
Well I guess from what you say I have no finger
What I said? Lol, that's what you said...
if all these fingers are not the same why bother call it a finger if they are different.
Your logic states that since all of the fingers are different, none of them should be called "fingers"... which basically contradicts everything else you've said so far but makes about as much sense. =P
LoL simply said I guess it is up to the persons to decide whether or not it is a thumb or a finger in some defninitons.
Your logic states that since all of the fingers are different, none of them should be called "fingers"... which basically contradicts everything else you've said so far but makes about as much sense. =PAt least I make sense
At least I make sense
All you've done so far is insult people and tell them they're wrong without any factual basis to back you up... so I guess what you say does make sense, but at the same time it's complete nonsense. =P
And if you say everyone else here isn't making sense, you clearly don't understand the majority of the discussion that's taking place.
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