Merkel-Raute, or Merkel rhombus, describes what German Chancellor Angela Merkel does with her hands in public. She holds her fingers together and pointing down, with thumbs touching, making a small parallelogram in front of her belly. Asked about the gesture, she has said it is difficult to know what to do with her hands, and the shape has been widely parodied. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “German “Merkel-Raute” Is the Diamond-Shaped Hand Gesture Angela Merkel Makes”
A new German expression I just learned is Merkel-Rauter.
So Angela Merkel something.
Yes, yes, yes.
Rauter?
Yes, Rauter.
Rauter?
Path?
I don’t know.
I have no idea.
Rauter means rhombus.
Rhombus?
Or like a diamond shape.
I have no idea what this is.
The shape of her lectern when she gives speeches?
You’re so close.
She stands there. She’s got this gesture that’s been widely, widely reproduced and parodied.
And it’s the Merkel rauta or the Merkel rhombus.
And it’s her fingers together, pointing down and the thumbs together.
They form sort of this little parallelogram.
And she holds them just sort of in front of her belly there.
And she’s been asked about it and said, yeah, it’s difficult to know what to do with your hands.
That’s the problem for all of us.
Yeah.
She needs some business, like a cup or something, right?
Yeah, exactly.
And Bob Dole in his pen or something.
Yeah, that would work.
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