10 Ways You've Been Accidentally Insulting People Every Day

9. The Peace Sign

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Flickr, @Erik F. Brandsborg

Be careful of how you flash your peace signs when touring new places. It might seem like an innocent and easy mistake to make, but if you reverse your "V" sign so that your fingers are facing you, it becomes an insult.

In places like the UK and Australia, this backwards peace sign basically means "up yours." This might not sound so bad, but imagine someone sticking their middle finger up at you. "Flipping" someone off is one of the rudest gestures out there, and mostly universal. Adding that second finger to what you think is a peace sign is only adding emphasis to the already offensive middle finger.

The "two-fingered-salute" has long been an insulting gesture in England and made its rounds in the UK, Australia and other areas soon after. On top of its vulgar meaning, it also has a double meaning signifying defiance against authority; it was used in November 1990 by newspaper The Sun to encourage readers to give the contemptuous salute to the president of the European Commission.

It may be an inappropriate gesture, but it will always be a useful way to show those you can't stand how you feel without words.

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