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Originally Posted by juanita
Why is it that so many Dominicans (and Haitians) have 12 fingers; one extra tiny hanging finger on each hand? And why won’t they cut it off if it’s only hanging by a hair? Could it be because they have so many “primos” and have kids with a family member without knowing it, and therefore the deformation? Why? Mirador you probably have the answer! Weird question for Monday morning but had to ask!  |
Contrary to popular belief, I was born with all my fingers, all TEN of them ;-). I would tend to think that a person who has 12 fingers would be more rapacious than the normal kind, considering that an 'enhanced' hand conjures an extra ability at plunder and thievery, at least in Spanish ("le echó mano"). Anyway, "polydactylism", or having one or more extra fingers or toes, is probably the most common abnormality of development found at birth. Polydactylism is reported in about 2 per 1000 children. I've notice in the DR that the first thing a mother does at the birth of her child is count his/her fingers, and they seem less concerned for extra ones than missing ones. However, this problem is usally taken care of at birth, and if bone is involved, one the child is about a year old. My guess is Dominicans are a less self-conscious about this. Come to think of it, may come in handy when you have to count by the dozen, like in inches/ft, etc.
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Why 12 fingers?
