The word "left hand" is spelled as /lɛft hænd/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "left" is pronounced with an open-mid front unrounded vowel /ɛ/, followed by the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/. The second syllable "hand" is pronounced with the open front unrounded vowel /æ/ and the voiced alveolar nasal /n/, followed by the voiced alveolar stop /d/. Together, the word "left hand" is pronounced as "left" with the same vowel sound as "eh" and a "f" sound, and "hand" with an "a" sound like "cat" and a "d" sound.
Left hand refers to the hand positioned on the left side of the body when the body is facing forward. It is one of the two hands present in humans and many other vertebrates, along with the right hand. The left hand is characterized by being controlled primarily by the right hemisphere of the brain in right-handed individuals, and by the left hemisphere in left-handed individuals.
In most individuals, the left hand is considered the non-dominant hand, meaning it is typically not as proficient or skilled as the dominant hand. For the majority of the population, the right hand serves as the dominant hand for activities such as writing, grasping objects, and performing various fine motor tasks. However, in approximately 10% of the population, the left hand functions as the dominant hand, making them left-handed.
The left hand plays a crucial role in everyday tasks and activities. It is used for functions such as writing, eating, gesturing, and performing many other manual tasks. Additionally, its position in opposition to the right hand allows for greater versatility and dexterity, allowing individuals to engage in tasks that require both hands working simultaneously.
Culturally, the left hand has been associated with several symbolic meanings. In various societies, the left hand has been considered lesser or more taboo than the right hand. It has also been associated with concepts such as clumsiness, untrustworthiness, or even supernatural powers in different cultural contexts.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "left" comes from the Old English word "lyft", which means "weak" or "foolish". This derives from the Proto-Germanic word "*luftaz", meaning "left" or "idle". In many ancient societies, the left hand was considered less skilled or clean compared to the right hand. Therefore, the word "left hand" likely originated from the perception of the left hand being less dominant or less virtuous than the right hand.