'Talk to my hand' vs 'Speak to my hand'

[BobSmith]

It's a rude expression in AmE, too.

It's one of those "expressions" you see on TV (comedies, etc) that no one really uses. And if they do, it's rather ironic, or tongue in cheek.

[Olympian]

It's one of those "expressions" you see on TV (comedies, etc) that no one really uses. And if they do, it's rather ironic, or tongue in cheek.

@BobSmith, thank you.

[emsr2d2]

I think it's humorously rude. If someone said it to me seriously, along with the palm of the hand shown to me, I would be rather offended. However, I hear it quite a lot and not only from the younger generation (surprisingly) and it's usually said with a wry smile.

[bhaisahab]

I think it's humorously rude. If someone said it to me seriously, along with the palm of the hand shown to me, I would be rather offended. However, I hear it quite a lot and not only from the younger generation (surprisingly) and it's usually said with a wry smile.

Is this a relatively new expression? I've only been back in the UK for eighteen months after many years away and I've have never heard it.

[emsr2d2]

Is this a relatively new expression? I've only been back in the UK for eighteen months after many years away and I've have never heard it.

My flatmate and I think it's probably been around about 8-10 years. We can't remember exactly where it came from although we're pretty sure it came from an American TV show. The full statement was "Talk to the hand cos the face ain't listening", accompanied by the speaker holding one hand up with the palm facing the other person's face. It quickly got shortened to just "Talk to the hand" (with or without the hand movement) and can actually be done without saying a word, but by simply holding your palm right up to someone's face.

It basically means "I'm not interested in listening to you so feel free to keep talking but you'll just be talking to my hand".

[bhaisahab]

My flatmate and I think it's probably been around about 8-10 years. We can't remember exactly where it came from although we're pretty sure it came from an American TV show. The full statement was "Talk to the hand cos the face ain't listening", accompanied by the speaker holding one hand up with the palm facing the other person's face. It quickly got shortened to just "Talk to the hand" (with or without the hand movement) and can actually be done without saying a word, but by simply holding your palm right up to someone's face.

It basically means "I'm not interested in listening to you so feel free to keep talking but you'll just be talking to my hand".

Oh, OK.

[Tullia]

I tend to associate it with people appearing on, for example, the Jeremy Kyle show. I think I first heard it on an American version of that sort of show, possibly Jerry Springer.

[Olympian]

I tend to associate it with people appearing on, for example, the Jeremy Kyle show. I think I first heard it on an American version of that sort of show, possibly Jerry Springer.

@Tullia, I have seen it on The Jerry Springer Show. The usage has spread to India and I saw a couple of instances of that on the web -

Talk to the hand (GQ India magazine)
"But even as Modi’s lawyers argued that the BCCI wouldn’t hand him a clean chit, the judges weren’t playing ball. In fact, at one point, one of them is believed to have put up his right hand and muttered “Talk to the hand”, but confirmation on that is still pending"

It is hard to imagine a judge doing this, if it is true. The BCCI is the Board of Cricket Control for India, a body headed by controversial people, some of them politicians.

Here is another instance -
Talk to the Hand (and other ways of talking to Indian MPs)
It appears to me that the writer is saying that Indian MPs are asking people to 'talk to the hand', and not even providing an email address, for example.

But I don't know what this advertisement means:
Talk to the hand

Thank you

[Tdol]

They're just using the phrase as a convenient title- this watch will talk to the owner's hand in a positive way by looking good.

[Olympian]

They're just using the phrase as a convenient title- this watch will talk to the owner's hand in a positive way by looking good.

@Tdol, thank you. Sorry, but I still did not understand. Do you mean the watch will talk about the owner's hand in a positive way?

I would have understood if the title was (were?) 'Talk to the Hands' (the hands on the watch).