My Dearest Jonathan,

You, an English Gentleman. Ask about the use of the thumb? Ack! Phttt! (Bill the Cat gobs everywhere )

Well you can give the "thumbs up" or the "thumbs down" I suppose? Italians like that sort of stuff...........errrr they don't understand their old language, but are at least "politely embarassed" when you translate for them. The Greeks are much more impressed in my experience.........I only have minimalistic modern Greek so I could only translate the old stuff into modern English........I did tell them that they could not have the Elgin Marbles back, as I had not finished playing with them yet

You can certainly "**** a snoot"

And the thumb can be used in boxing?