A Lady's Guide To Fan Language: Revisited

[canaaa]

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ᴀ ʟᴀᴅʏ's ɢᴜɪᴅᴇ ᴛᴏ

ʀᴇᴠɪsɪᴛᴇᴅ

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With the release of the Souvereine Code and the allowance for noblewomen to gesture, if it is with a held fan, it seemed quite fitting to update and expand upon what Her Ladyship the Countess-Electress Peirgarten had laid out for the Peerage this time last summer in a loving homage to the steps taken to advance the Imperial Court. This will serve as a full compilation of both old and new expansion for ease of reference.

However, this edition carries one key difference: the lack of use of a fan by a noblewoman speaks nothing about her standing or wealth. This should be used more as a willing study of subtle language and communication, rather than a requirement; however, it is generally recommended to be semi-literate in fan conversation if only to know when you are being insulted.

Additionally, at the time of publishing, this edition of fan language does not have the backing of the Imperial Court, Gallovian Court, or State, and is instead being put out for enjoyment and embellishment rather than any organized pushes to have this adopted.

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• 《 ɢᴇsᴛᴜʀᴇs 》

• Fanning one's face at an easy pace is seen as the most basic gesture; nothing of note is being communicated.

• Fanning one's face notably slowly and gently communicates being married/courting/uninterested and therefore unavailable.
  • Generally, when communicating this way, the fanning seems to be an afterthought - as if to imply the lady's mind is on her spouse/fiancé/courtier/paramour.
  • If a lady fans her face this way with her spouse/fiancé/courtier beside her or within the room, she is implying she is having an affair and her thoughts are with the true object of her affections.

• Half-opening a fan over the lower half of her face to obscure the cheekbones and under communicates that the lady is feeling unsafe and suspicious at that moment.
  • If a lady performs this gesture while looking at one person in particular, she suggests that this person has done something to cause her to feel this way.
  • If a lady performs this gesture and then snaps her fan shut, she suggests that this person should be avoided by the ladies in the room as a direct result of whatever action has caused her to feel this way.
  • Leaning forward while performing this gesture communicates a fear that the same action will be committed upon the other ladies witnessing if they do not avoid the person.

• Resting the handle of a closed fan against one's lips communicates that a lady desires romantic relations with the person she looks at while performing this gesture.
  • If a lady performs this gesture and then taps her lips twice with the handle of the fan, she communicates that she desires to be kissed by the person she looks at while doing so.
  • If a lady performs this gesture without looking at anyone in particular, she instead suggests that she desires romantic relations with the person who is the current topic of conversation.

• Circling the tip of a closed fan around the rim of an emptied glass suggests that a lady would like another drink bought for, or asked to be brought to, her.
  • This gesture is often used particularly to invite single noblemen to buy or order drinks from bartenders/servants in order to open conversation between the two. It is up to the nobleman to select a drink he thinks the lady would enjoy, and it is seen as rude to refuse the selected drink - instead, a lady may have two sips and set the glass aside to leave it. If this is done, she cannot do the gesture again while the glass sits.
  • If no single noblemen respond to this gesture, then it is often the lady's friends who buy her the drink, and the lady will generally repay this favor with sweets, flowers, or a drink when her friend employs the same method.
  • Any nobleman who is courting or married that responds to this gesture invites rumor of an affair, or unhappiness in his current relations unless he is related to the noblewoman who performs it; however, it is seen as an act of pity if a male family member is the one who buys the drink, and should always be the last option. Ideally, the order would go as a single nobleman, a female friend of the lady, and, failing the two before, a male relative of the lady.
  • Married/engaged/courting women performing this gesture may only be responded to by their husbands/fiancés/courtiers, female friends, or male family members.

• Resting a fully opened fan against one's heart suggests feeling enamored by the person a lady is currently speaking to.
  • Fluttering the fan while in this position suggests that the person is further winning her favor, simulating the quickening of a heartbeat. The quicker the flutter, the more she communicates favoring the person.

• Suddenly and harshly snapping an opened fan from any position communicates that a lady has become angered and displeased with the person in front of her.
  • Performing this gesture, and then spreading her fan to cover the lower half of her face while half-opened communicates that the lady has become egregiously offended, and desires immediate reparation lest a grudge is held and/or political means pursued in vengeance.
• Clasping both hands together over an opened fan held downwards, with the patterning facing her gown, communicates that the lady is sorry and wishes to apologize.
  • By showing the bare side of the fan, the lady communicates an honest wish to repair the relationship and make up for whatever transgression has occurred. Showing the patterned side of the fan lends a sarcasm to the apology, and implies that the lady does not mean it in the slightest.

• Tapping the tip of a closed fan to either ear communicates a flirtatious manner or intent to the one the lady is looking to.
  • Tapping the tip of the closed fan to the cheekbone and then the ear is a clear offer for a midnight rendezvous to the one the lady is looking to while performing this gesture. It can be assumed that the night spent between this woman and the recipient is without virtue, and if not done tactfully, invites questions in the morning of the night's events from any and all who saw the gesture.

• Constantly hitting any object, her knee, or her thigh with a closed fan communicates that a lady is growing very impatient in a negative sense.
  • The quicker the hits come, the more displeased a lady is. To be hitting a fan and then suddenly stop, only to let her fan fall from her hand and dangle from her wrist, communicates that the lady has reasoned that she has run out of time to debate a particular topic or entertain a particular matter or person and the person should remove themselves from her presence.
    • This is devastating in one-on-one conversations especially, as it says that the conversation is now closed. At her home estate, the lady is essentially politely demanding the person show themselves, or be shown, out of her home.
    • To perform this gesture in the home estate of another noble one does not share relations with is to imply the lady acts with the blessing of the Lord or Lady of the house in asking them to leave; if a member of the hosting family is in the room, then the lady performing this gesture implies that she has more control over the family than the family member(s) collected in the room - and is effectively belittling them.

• Pausing in wielding a fan and pressing the rounded edge to her collarbone communicates that a lady wishes to become friends with the person she is conversing with.
  • In cases where the two are already friends, the lady instead expresses that she would like to better their friendship and become closer in a platonic sense.

• Raising a closed fan to just under one's right eye and twirling it with the general motion of a wine glass being swirled communicates that the lady and those she converses with are being watched, or that the conversation is being listened to by an unwanted third party.
  • This is a suggestion to change the topic in a natural way so that the watcher/eavesdropper is unaware that their presence is seen.
  • Usually, this shifts discussions of politics and intrigue to discussions of the best pastries in town or outfits to be worn to upcoming events, essentially foiling would-be spies via generally useless information.

• Constantly and repeatedly hitting an open palm with a closed fan clearly communicates a lady being painfully bored and wanting to be entertained.
  • In group settings, it's common for this to turn into a sort of game - as each lady picks up on this behavior, they copy it. The last one in the conversation to adopt this gesture must come up with a new topic of conversation or a game to play to ease the boredom. If this game or conversation is not satisfactory, then the 'game' restarts until something to do is found.

• Covering one's entire face with an opened fan is an abrupt and crude message that a lady wants the person in front of her to go away immediately.
  • Turning her face away from the person while performing this gesture implies that the lady cannot bear even the sight of them, finding them so incredibly abhorrent.
  • If this gesture does not have the backing of a prior social instance where she implied feeling unsafe or suspicious of the person, the lady is instead saying that she herself does not have the faculties to explain her dislike of the person in front of her and is being incredibly rude.

• Bringing an open fan to cover the lips and the tip of the nose communicates that a lady wants the current conversation to be finished.
  • Wiggling the fan from side to side while performing this gesture communicates playfully that the lady would like to suggest the next topic and erases the gesture's negative connotations towards the conversation.

• Covering either the left or right side of the face, with no regard given to which side, implies that the lady is feeling shy in the moment.
  • Performing this and smiling communicates that this is a bashful shyness, and is a coy invitation for those conversing with the lady to continue, or be watching for more flirtatious signals as the interaction continues.

• The spread of the fan upon greeting suggests the warmth of a lady's welcome.
  • An opened fan suggests a positive demeanor towards the one being welcomed.
  • A half-opened fan suggests a neutral demeanor towards the one being welcomed.
  • A closed fan suggests a negative demeanor towards the one being welcomed.
  • Letting the fan dangle from its wrist-strap or sit in one's lap while greeting suggests that the lady is not acquainted with this person, and is waiting for their name and/or an introduction to begin these relations.

• Tapping a closed fan onto one's wrist or forearms communicates that the lady wishes to speak to them immediately and privately - urgently. Ideally, this is as soon as both of them can feasibly slip away.
  • Tapping a closed fan onto one's upper arm communicates a lady's wish to speak to them privately, but not urgently.
  • Tapping a closed fan onto one's shoulder communicates a lady's wish to speak to them generally, but not in the context of whatever event or conversation is currently going on. Usually, this entails a cheery conversation over tea at a later time or with gifts brought to one's estate in a now-expected visit.

• The place a fan is rested on when giving a response to a question suggests part of her answer.
  • Resting a closed fan on the left cheek when responding means the answer is no, despite whatever the lady says.
  • Resting a closed fan on the right cheek when responding means the answer is yes, despite whatever the lady says.
  • Resting a closed fan on the chin when responding means she is unsure of the answer, and clarification or further answer will arrive later in the conversation or by messenger bird and letter.

• Gesturing with a closed fan with the index finger extended flat over the side conveys that the fan is being used to point, wave, beckon, or otherwise gesture in accordance with the Souvereine Code.
  • This may be used to direct servants, commoners, or other nobles.

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OOC: This new lexicon is in no way binding or necessary for noble RP, it just seems fun and was written for additional flavor (since I really like doing fan RP but wanted to figure out more ways to tie it into scenes or say other things). When going by left/right, simply go as the emote is written rather than how it looks when viewing (i.e. if an emote says "She rests the closed fan on her right cheek," then the 'right cheek' interpretation is the meaning associated, rather than going off the left cheek or whatever).

This document is heavily inspired by, and based off of, @seoulmate's wonderful work last summer on the introduction to fan language! Without her hard work on the last version, this simply wouldn't exist, so the biggest thank-you in the world goes her way! Aesthetics by @Qoll!​

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[JResurrected]

This is very immersive! Thanks for putting this together.