Left-Handers Facts Pt.7

In Japanese, the word for left is hidari. It also means “sun” and “on.”

When trying to determine if your child is left-handed, don’t try to steer him or her one way or the other. Let nature take its course, gradually. When handing your child a spoon or a toy, place it in whichever hand is extended, in spite of your own instincts.

Does left-handedness run in families? The Scottish Kerr clan is often offered as evidence. Centuries later, an international survey found that Kerrs (and Carrs, the Anglicized version of the name) are three times more likely to be left-handed.

Lefties Playing Lefties
Lord Voldemort (Tom Riddle) from the Harry Potter series
Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), and Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) on House
George Costanza (Jason Alexander) on Seinfeld

Study of cave drawings indicates a preference for the left hand.

Although funnyman Will Ferrell was not a class clown in high school, he did become interested in performing while a student at University High School in Irvine, California. This southpaw scholar and athlete also made his school’s daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. Ferrell spent seven seasons, from 1995-2002, as feature cast member at Saturday Night Live before moving into acting in such films as Bewitched, Stranger Than Fiction, Blades of Glory, and Semi-Pro.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” –Lefty, Thomas Edison

Did you know that there is no culture known in which there are equal numbers of left- and right-handed people? This is a strong argument that the cause of handedness is biological, not cultural.

About 15 percent of the world’s population is left-handed. It’s possible, some scientists believe, that half of humanity would be left-handed if they hadn’t been trained to use their right hands as children.

Although Charles Darwin was right-handed, his wife, Emma, was left-handed. Darwin studied handedness in all his children and commented that it is “well-known to be inherited.” Of the eight Darwin children who survived to an age where handedness could be determined, two were left-handed, a typical proportion for one right-handed and one left-handed parent.

Zuni Indians believe that the left side of the body symbolizes wisdom and contemplation, while the right side represents impulsiveness and desire for action.