To pinky swear, or to make a pinky promise, is the entwining of the pinkies of two people to signify that a promise has been made. Both alterations, "pinky swear" and "pinky promise" are accepted although "pinky promise" is most commonly used.
In the United States, the pinky swear has existed since at least 1860, when Dictionary of Americanisms listed the following accompanying promise:
- Pinky, pinky bow-bell,
- Whoever tells a lie
- Will sink down to the bad place [sic]
- And never rise up again.
Pinky swearing presumably started in Japan, where it is called yubikiri (???, "finger cut-off") and often additionally confirmed with the vow "Finger cut-off, ten thousand fist-punchings, whoever lies has to swallow thousand needles." (????????????????, "Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu"). The gesture may be connected to the Japanese belief that soulmates are connected by a red string of fate attached to each of their pinkies.
Recently in South Korea, the hooked pinky has been followed by a "seal," wherein the thumbs touch each other while the pinkies are still hooked.
In Japan, the pinky swear originally indicated that the person who breaks the promise must cut off their pinky finger. In modern times, pinky swearing is a more informal way of sealing a promise. It is most common among school-age children and close friends. The pinky swear signifies a promise that can never be broken.
Video Pinky swear
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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