Why nowadays the name handanalysis and not Chirology?

Hello Martijn and colleagues,

Offen, when I use the word handanalysis they said: " Is that like a chiripodist but than with hands?" So I have always wondered, why nowadays we use the name handanalysis and not the beautifull name Chirology (like Astrology, Numerology)? Why we disown the name Chirology? Chirology sound more as a science and is more stylish. What do you think about it?

Magda

Hello magda,

The word 'cheirology' resembles like a kind of divination or occult sciences. but, martijn want to give it as a impression 'science'. Hence, he choose and use the word hand reading instead of cheirology. However, As concerned by easterns, It is ever to be a divination. Hence, Palmistry is the name will be perfect to the easterns.

Magda van Dijk-Rijneke wrote:Hello Martijn and colleagues,

Offen, when I use the word handanalysis they said: " Is that like a chiripodist but than with hands?" So I have always wondered, why nowadays we use the name handanalysis and not the beautifull name Chirology (like Astrology, Numerology)? Why we disown the name Chirology? Chirology sound more as a science and is more stylish. What do you think about it?

Magda

Hi Magda,

I think it's because those who are wanting to be accepted in the medical and scientific communities have difficulties with acceptance because of the wide spread use of the terms chirology or chiromancy and palmistry. These terms have become inclusive of so many methods which include reading intuitively and psychicly, without any real knowledge of the hands, that the academic communities wouldn't touch the terminology with a 10 foot pole.

You will see palmistry and chirology mentioned in scientific documents, but mostly to make sure the reader is aware that the author is not talking palmistry but is 'qualitatively and quantitatively' making observations. They want consistant repeatable results.

I smiled when I read a post here recently from Ron (hi Ron - nice to meet you ) making sure he set the work of Arnold Holtzman apart from palmistry.

I think we've become much more holistic in our hand reading approaches and seeing beyond just the hands but the whole body, mind and spirit.

Perhaps we should come up with an even newer more representative name of what we do. I agree with Chirology or Chirologist (if I could easily get the 'Chir-ol'sound out of my mouth) as a good terminology.

oh yeah, I forgot - there are names out there! Biometrics for one.

Magda van Dijk-Rijneke wrote:Hello Martijn and colleagues,

Offen, when I use the word handanalysis they said: " Is that like a chiripodist but than with hands?" So I have always wondered, why nowadays we use the name handanalysis and not the beautifull name Chirology (like Astrology, Numerology)? Why we disown the name Chirology? Chirology sound more as a science and is more stylish. What do you think about it?

Magda

Hi Magda,

Huh...???

The word 'chiropodist' refers to the science of podiatry, which relates to... the feet.

Sorry, I think the association that you descrided - that 'handanalysis' is associated with a 'chiropodist' ... is probably not very common at all. It would actually make much more sense if people had been telling you that they had this assocation regarding the word 'chirology'...!

Because 'chirology' sounds quite like 'chiropodiatry', but obviously... only the latter relates to the feet!!!



Beyond this first consideration... my thought is that the word 'chirology' (or: 'cheirology') actually CREATES more confusion!! Especially compared to the more traditonal vocabulary ('palmistry').

Basically, I think there are two major disadvantages regarding the word 'chirology':

1 - The word 'chirology' does not directly refer to the hand (one needs to know Greek language in order to understand the vocabulary behind the word: the word 'cheir' [χειρ] is the Greek word for: 'hand').

2 - The word 'chirology' reminds many people about 'chiropractic' - which concerns a health care discipline and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine.


Actually, it takes little efforts to connect 'hand analysis' with the classic word 'palmistry':

'Palmistry' => 'palm reading ' => 'hand reading' ... and 'voila': there is 'hand analysis'!


Additonally, all modern variants of 'palmistry'... sort of require the application of analytic abilities and principles. Therefore the word 'hand analysis' is probably even more suitable than the word 'hand reading'.


Edit: by the way, 'reading' suggests that only observation is required, but we know that is not true... because the ability to see connections & combinations IS required.

However... the word 'handanalysis' ('hand analysis') never became very popular (though Richard Unger's efforts has changed the situation a little bit): the words 'palm reading' & 'palmistry' are far more popular.

More details regarding the popularity of the words are provided by: Google trends


PS. Finally, I would like to add another interesting alternative name for 'hand analysis' - which was introduced Gerald Picard: 'handology' (which concerns a mix of scientific materials & modern hand reading).

Recently I introduced his Gerald Picard's book & website at this forum, see:
https://www.modernhandreadingforum.com/iiia-modern-palmistry-general-topics-questions-f4/handology-by-gerald-e-picard-t286.htm