What is "foot patting"?

NorthernLight

NorthernLight

Well-known Member
Location
Northern BC
I'm reading a novel in which a man "pats his ample belly." I understand that. You pat something with your hand.

But several times now, a woman "pats her foot." It doesn't make any sense, unless it means the same as tapping or stamping her feet. The meaning is not clear from the context.

I know there are many regional phrases and sayings in English, so maybe someone can help me out. The story is set in the US state of New Mexico.
 

NorthernLight said:
I'm reading a novel in which a man "pats his ample belly." I understand that. You pat something with your hand.
But several times now, a woman "pats her foot." It doesn't make any sense, unless it means the same as tapping or stamping her feet. The meaning is not clear from the context.
I know there are many regional phrases and sayings in English, so maybe someone can help me out. The story is set in the US state of New Mexico.
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There is a song with the line, Clap, clap "tap your feet" in it, (followed by "banging on the big base drum"), so this establishes "it's a thing", to use an awful expression, if you interpose tap and pat. :)

Another thought is someone in a mood may cross their legs and tap or pat their foot to show their irritation and impatience.

Those are my best shots at an answer!.
 
I've only heard of foot 'tapping' not 'patting'. I tried googling it and seems there is some jazz song called Foot Patting, so maybe the expression is used in the south or something. While googling it I discovered that 'pot liquor' is not a homemade alcholic drink which is what I always thought it was. Apparently it is just the water left after cooking vegetables, I guess like broth.
 
Born and raised in the South, I only know ”foot tapping”, usually to indicate impatience. I’m
well acquainted with pot liquor, usually with cooking collards or turnip greens. You are correct that it has nothing to do with alcohol.
HoneyNut said:
I've only heard of foot 'tapping' not 'patting'. I tried googling it and seems there is some jazz song called Foot Patting, so maybe the expression is used in the south or something. While googling it I discovered that 'pot liquor' is not a homemade alcholic drink which is what I always thought it was. Apparently it is just the water left after cooking vegetables, I guess like broth.
Click to expand...
 
NorthernLight said:
I'm reading a novel in which a man "pats his ample belly." I understand that. You pat something with your hand.

But several times now, a woman "pats her foot." It doesn't make any sense, unless it means the same as tapping or stamping her feet. The meaning is not clear from the context.

I know there are many regional phrases and sayings in English, so maybe someone can help me out. The story is set in the US state of New Mexico.
Click to expand...
Is it easy enough to show the sentence it is used in? Just to see the context. Thanks.
 
@palides2021 and others, here are a few examples.

1. A husband and wife discovered a neighbor's body and are talking to the policeman. (I think they're all sitting down.) The wife asks him a question. Then, "She patted her foot and wrapped her arms around herself."

2. They talk some more. The wife says she wishes she could be of more help, and "She patted her foot three times."

3. A minute later, the policeman tells them another body has been found. The wife is shocked and asks who, and "[She] patted her foot."

4. A few hours later, the couple attends a neighborhood meeting. As the president of the homeowners association begins to speak, the wife "patted her foot, surveying her neighbors."

5. The next day, the couple are discussing why there will be no autopsy. The husband says it makes sense. Then the wife "patted her foot" and disagrees with him.

Those are just from page 27 to page 50. It's bad enough that she keeps doing it, but I don't even know what she's doing!
 
You could write the author and ask the meaning.

Patting the foot seems like an irritating habit with this woman or more likely the author.
 
NorthernLight said:
@palides2021 and others, here are a few examples.
1. A husband and wife discovered a neighbor's body and are talking to the policeman. (I think they're all sitting down.) The wife asks him a question. Then, "She patted her foot and wrapped her arms around herself."
2. They talk some more. The wife says she wishes she could be of more help, and "She patted her foot three times."
3. A minute later, the policeman tells them another body has been found. The wife is shocked and asks who, and "[She] patted her foot."

4. A few hours later, the couple attends a neighborhood meeting. As the president of the homeowners association begins to speak, the wife "patted her foot, surveying her neighbors."

5. The next day, the couple are discussing why there will be no autopsy. The husband says it makes sense. Then the wife "patted her foot" and disagrees with him.

Those are just from page 27 to page 50. It's bad enough that she keeps doing it, but I don't even know what she's doing!
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All very suspicious in my view, (the likes of Hercule Poroit, or Miss Marple will have noticed the involuntary actions, and be drawing some conclusions as to who the guilty party might be!).
 
NorthernLight said:
I'm reading a novel in which a man "pats his ample belly." I understand that. You pat something with your hand.

But several times now, a woman "pats her foot." It doesn't make any sense, unless it means the same as tapping or stamping her feet. The meaning is not clear from the context.

I know there are many regional phrases and sayings in English, so maybe someone can help me out. The story is set in the US state of New Mexico.
Click to expand...
A synonym for pat is tap..means the same thing. Perhaps the author just preferred the word pat to tap.

An example: She absent-mindedly patted (or tapped) her foot
 
In the UK there used to be something called "The wheel tappers and shunters club"! (not connected with feet at all, they were the guys who went along the railway lines tapping everything to make sure wheel etc., were not broken, and made the correct "ring" when hit).

(Forgot to mention a tv comedy club in the 1970s used the name "Wheeltappers and shunters club too)

Not very helpful piece of information there, (he says as everyone around is patting their feet in annoyance!) :)
 
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Depends what author is trying to convey to reader - either a nervous reaction to something startling (involuntary foot jiggle) OR a deliberate gesture meant to convey impatience. Which fits the context of the story?
 
Thank you all for your guesses and info!

I flipped forward through the book, and she does it several more times. I felt sure that this habit would be a clue to her having done the crimes (or at least being suspected of the crimes). But that was not the case at all.

I can only guess that this is the author's attempt at "developing the character." She has a nervous habit, how interesting. (Not.) And "patting her foot" must be a synonym for "tapping her foot," as several of you have suggested.

But it really ruined the book for me.
 
NorthernLight said:
Thank you all for your guesses and info!
I flipped forward through the book, and she does it several more times. I felt sure that this habit would be a clue to her having done the crimes (or at least being suspected of the crimes). But that was not the case at all.
I can only guess that this is the author's attempt at "developing the character." She has a nervous habit, how interesting. (Not.) And "patting her foot" must be a synonym for "tapping her foot," as several of you have suggested.
But it really ruined the book for me.
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Skipping through the book to maybe find out "who done it" is cheating you know! :)
 
NorthernLight said:
@palides2021 and others, here are a few examples.

1. A husband and wife discovered a neighbor's body and are talking to the policeman. (I think they're all sitting down.) The wife asks him a question. Then, "She patted her foot and wrapped her arms around herself."

2. They talk some more. The wife says she wishes she could be of more help, and "She patted her foot three times."

3. A minute later, the policeman tells them another body has been found. The wife is shocked and asks who, and "[She] patted her foot."

4. A few hours later, the couple attends a neighborhood meeting. As the president of the homeowners association begins to speak, the wife "patted her foot, surveying her neighbors."

5. The next day, the couple are discussing why there will be no autopsy. The husband says it makes sense. Then the wife "patted her foot" and disagrees with him.

Those are just from page 27 to page 50. It's bad enough that she keeps doing it, but I don't even know what she's doing!
Click to expand...
This sounds like a detective story. First of all, there are dead bodies in the story. Wouldn't the police want to know who did it? Either she knows or is the culprit, and this is a "tic" that gives her away. I'm surprised no one has noticed it in the book, like the husband. If this is something she does normally, he will say nothing because he's familiar with it. But the policeman is not. So this is highly unusual. Skip the page and read the ending. Haha. Now I'm curious....
 
I didn't care who done it. The real mystery was what "patting her foot" had to do with the story. As it turns out, nothing!

They find the killer, and Ms. Patty and her husband live happily ever after.
 

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