The document examines the varying meanings and consequences of the whistle gesture across different groups and cultures. It discusses the whistle's use among American baseball fans, European soccer fans, homeowners in Moscow, and the people of La Gomera who have developed a whistle language called "silbo". The whistle has positive connotations for baseball fans but negative ones for soccer fans and Russians. In La Gomera, complex tones and variations allow silbo to communicate specific messages over long distances. Overall, the document argues that gestures and symbols must be understood within their proper social and cultural contexts to determine their true functions and consequences.

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. can be concluded that pending on your group or location the gesture will ultimately
signify varying degrees of consequences.

6. can be concluded that pending on your group or location the gesture will ultimately
signify varying degrees of consequences.