Talk:Rock paper scissors
What about history and geographical spread of the game? Did the game exist before the invention of paper and scissors? In Denmark the game is played as defined here (same "weapons"), but is this true for everywhere? (The CIA factbook seems a little sparse on this topic).
Obviously it is also played here in Australia, yet I've only ever known it as "Scissors, paper, stone". I wonder why we reverse the order of objects...? MMGB
Because you are antipodean. Doesn't your water run out the tap backwards, too? --MichaelTinkler
- I am NOT anti-podean. I am quite fond of anything with feet. - MMGB
Here in my part of Canada we call it "Paper, Scissors, Rock". Guess I'll set up another redirect... --Stephen Gilbert
Here (in the UK) I've always come across it as "scissor, paper, stone" --AdamW
Here in the US, I've always heard it "Rock, paper, scissors." --Chuck Smith
- That could be seen as psychologically revealing... ;-) In the UK we give the order with strongest first, in the states you have weakest first... Tarquin
No one will ever know what the real name of the game is. I have had this argument numerous times and noone seems to agree. About half of Chicago says its "paper, scissors, rock" and the other half says its "rock, paper, scissors". Any other combination doesn't quite roll off the tongue. -- Moe from Chicago
A similar game called hunter, shotgun and tiger uses more exaggerated gestures. The players turn away from each other. On the count of 3, the players both turn around towards each other showing one of the three gestures. An aiming gesture is the shotgun. A roar with two raised craws is the tiger. No gesture is the hunter. Since the gesture requires big movements, it is more appropriate then Stone Paper Scissors when there is an audience watching from a distance. It is funny to watch the cheaters trying to change a gesture at the last minute. Hunter wins shotgun; shotgun wins tiger; tiger wins hunter. -Kowloonese
Thanks for the mention of Billings' competition, but that link was already covered, and I really don't think it deserves a whole paragraph treatment here. Perhaps an article of its own, though... --LDC
Interesting combination is fictional version in one of the Piers Anthony books, probably Xanth series, of mermen and dragons who play in different elements. Also of interest are other games of chance you can play with your hands and simple elements, one of those is matching: one person (authority) grabs sand in one, both, or no hands, holds it up in a closed fist and next person either tries to match or not match in order to gain inclusion to a select group. ~ender 2003-04-15 03:51
What is the etymology of roshambo? It sounds like it might be French, but I cannot think of anything in French that sounds like that and that relates to the game in any way I can imagine. It might be an Oriental language, but by my understanding of the phonology syllable-final /-m/ means that it cannot be the original form of a Japanese word. -- IHCOYC 02:48 22 Jun 2003 (UTC)~
The website at http://www.emf.net/~estephen/roshambo/ says ""The name comes from "phonetic French for Rock Paper Scissors" or so we are told". RickK