Daniel Sandoval

Dr. B. Laga

February 22, 2005

Different use by different groups

Whistle While You Watch

Whistling has been a common gesture in many societies and cultures throughout

history and even into the present day. Typically whistles are a public gesture and carry a

variety of meanings and connotations. With all of the variations of whistles and the

connotation each variation carries it becomes very difficult to establish how a whistle

gesture actually functions. In The Theory Toolbox Nealon argues that the functioning of

a text or in this case gesture “is about the social effects or certain meanings and policies

in specific contexts” Nealon further explains that “it’s the consequences (of the function)

that are good or bad” (27). Nealon basically is stating that in order to determine how a

whistle gesture functions, the society and culture in which the gesture appears must be

examined and the consequences of that gesture will be determined to be bad or good

depending of the context where the whistle gesture appears. By using three distinct

groups that currently use the whistle gesture it can be determined that the context in

which a whistle gesture appears can have significantly varying consequences.

One of the largest groups that use the whistle gesture is the professional sports fan

community. Globally and regionally this group can be divided into several sub-groups

but for the purpose of determining a consequence of the function of the whistle gesture

this group will be restricted to American baseball fans of professional teams and

European football/soccer fans of professional clubs. The purpose in using two sub-

groups of the larger group is to demonstrate that the whistle gesture has polar varying

consequences even when used in the same group.

Baseball has long been regarded as America’s favorite past time. Icons such as

Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Cy Young decorate this sport while giving it an almost

mythical ambience to it. Writers throughout the past two centuries have written poems,

novels, and articles on this beloved American sport. Within the sport there is a

community fan base in each city where a professional team is located that attends the

games of their home baseball team. While attending these games the whistle gesture can

be frequently heard. The whistle gesture is most commonly heard during player

introductions of the home team, after the national anthem, and after a good play by the

home team. Within this context the whistle gesture can be determined to have a positive

consequences. Regardless of the tone, volume, or length the whistle gesture in the

American baseball fan community is meant to be positive and carries good connotations.

Commonly I hear the gesture referred to as an applause or accolade for the actions on the

field of play.

Football is a more global sport than baseball and in Europe it is considered to be

more iconic than baseball is to Americans. Stories of pandemonium seem to constantly

surround the football fan community and football is currently speculated to be the most

recognized sport in the world. Within this community of European football fans of

professional clubs the whistle gesture is also present. The whistle gesture can be heard at

football matches and are most often heard when the visiting team is introduced, when the

visiting team makes a good play, and when the home team makes a bad play. This

context demonstrates that the whistle gesture has a negative impact in this community.

After speaking with several European football fans I have come to understand that the

whistle gesture is negative and that it is a mockery of the team or person it is directed

against.

Negative connotations help introduce the second group to be examined. This

second group of people is the homeowners of Moscow, Russia. While very few actual

single-family homes are owned in Moscow many apartments are owned and these

apartment owners refer to themselves as homeowners. When visiting these apartments

there are certain rules of etiquette that must be followed to insure the “home” is

respected. Upon entering the apartment shoes should be removed immediately and coats

should be properly hung in the entryway. Any food or drink offered to the visitor should

be accepted and consumed and you should never whistle while in an apartment. It seems

rather odd that a whistle gesture is considered bad in this context. People all over the

United States whistle while the clean house or whistle popular song tunes. However, in

Moscow, Russia whistling inside someone’s apartment or home signifies that you are

bestowing financial disparity on their home. The root of the superstition of this gesture is

unknown but I heard one Russian describe it to me as “blowing money out your

window”. The whistle gesture while negative in this connotation signifies more than just

a cheer or disgrace it actually implies a consequence of financial despairity to come upon

a household.

Off the coast of West Africa on one of Spain’s Canary Islands named La Gomera

there is a group of people who have a unique variation of the whistle gesture. Unlike the

aforementioned groups who don’t distinguish between varying tones, volumes, and

lengths the people of La Gomera have a very delicate form of the whistle gesture.

According to CNN.com the people of La Gomera know and use a “language that’s

whistled, not spoken, and can be heard more than two miles away…” the language is

called “silbo” and first originated over 2500 years ago (cnn.com). Due to the hilly terrain

on La Gomera, silbo was developed to “save(ed) peasants from trekking over hill and

dale to send messages or news to neighbors” (cnn.com). Currently silbo is a required

language in La Gomera’s grade schools as the small island is trying to retain the native

whistle language among its future citizens. One resident of La Gomera named Juan

Cabello says he uses silbo to “call to my wife, to tell my kids something, to find a friend

if we get lost in a crowd…” (cnn.com). Because silbo is such a delicate form of

communication there are few expert silbadors but most of the people on La Gomera still

understand what is being whistled and therefore understand the function of the whistle

gesture as a form of communication.

Groups all over the world use different gestures and symbols that result in

different consequences. I’m sure when Walt Disney screened “Snow White” they

weren’t thinking of all the connotations and contexts the whistle gesture was associated

with. In fact outside of specific societies and cultures symbols and gestures are rarely

thought of having different meanings. However, the whistle gesture is just one example

of the importance of context when examining gestures and symbols. In the professional

sports world whistiling distinguishes applause or humiliation, in Moscow, Russia it

insults and degrades, while in La Gomera it communicates different messages through a

variation of tones, volumes, and lengths. Regardless of what the whistle gesture means it

can be concluded that pending on your group or location the gesture will ultimately

signify varying degrees of consequences.