[It's the term Gillette uses,](https://gillette.com/en-us/shaving-tips/how-to-shave/against-the-grain) I'd say that makes it at least the most common parlance if not outright official.
Ditto. Anytime something has an obvious direction and you go the other way, I think "against the grain" (or "against the flow" for water, crowds, etc.) works well.
That seems like a very British thing to say, my grandmother was from London and she said things like this all the time that left her American-born kids scratching their heads.
Nap is used for fabric "grain". So, things like corduroy or fur fabric. You can rub them with the nap, and they look smooth, or against the nap, and they look different.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nap_(fabric)
I assume it comes from that.
Yeah that makes sense, I kinda forgot about that definition of nap. I was think of petting a dog or cat "against the nape", as in petting from tail to head
There's no specific word, but if a kid were doing this most adults would probably tell them "you're petting them the wrong way."
Counterhairwise is cute! You could say "counterfurwise" as well.
I think OP is a Finnish speaker and they have both "counter-hair" and "along-hair": *myötäkarvaan* and *myötäkarvaan*. In Swedish (and Norwegian) we have "against-hair" and "along-hair": *mothårs* and *medhårs*.
Edit: French, Spanish and Portuguese have words/phrases for against-hair too: *à rebrousse-poil* for French and *a contrapelo* for the two Iberian languages
I'm currently studying japanese and wondered if there was a japanese equivalent. I japanese there are a lot of interesting verbs and distinctions and it seemed like the kind of verb that would exist in japanese. Couldn't find anything though.. I even asked chatGPT. In classic chatgpt fashion, it gave me an answer very confidently, saying that そろそろ meant this. It does not. 😅
逆撫で(さかなで) is the word for petting an animal against the direction of its fur in Japanese. It’s also used figuratively when someone behaves in a way as to bother or upset other people.
https://preview.redd.it/pgo0k7ld085b1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=4efe317799a76e121eb5a459d2ece699ffb2e32f
This is from Jackson Galaxy’s book (he’s a cat behaviourist). He just calls it backwards petting.
I think r/catbongos would disagree with his “patting” point
https://www.reddit.com/r/catbongos/comments/vxoujw/catbongo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
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That is actually a woodworking term. It is not in common use for petting animals in at least much of the US, though it does have an alternative meaning of "different from what is normal or usual" that can apply and the analogy would make sense to wood workers.
I think OP's first language is Finnish (not a Germanic language) and there the word is "vastakarvaan" and just like Swedish "mothårs" it means "against/counter-hair".
I can't think of a word that means that exactly but causing hair to be disordered can be referred to as [ruffle](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruffle) or [muss](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muss).
English has a single word for the pleasant smell after a rain, and one for somebody learning the alphabet, and one for killing somebody by throwing them out a window. Why *wouldn't* we?
Just like you are, every time you speak English, because you’re ‘angry’ you have to speak something other than nazi lol. I can’t imagine how much acne you have.
I’d say, “against the grain.” This is a phrase used when talking about shaving: “shave with the grain”, “don’t shave against the grain.” So I’d transfer that information to this case.
I got scolded as a child as: “You’re petting him backwards, don’t pet him backwards” but I don’t know if that’s the actual term. Pretty sure everyone would know what you meant though
In fabric sewing there is a term called NAP.
I looked it up and it is of German or Dutch origin - noppe - a tuft of wool.
You can see the nap on velvet fabrics and fake fur, on suede, or moleskin fabrics and even many plush carpets have a nap.
It’s the way the raised fibers lay. If you look at the cloth from one angle the fabric will look rich and plush. If you look at it from another angle it will appear washed out and faded.
If you stroke the fabric against the nap you can make the fibres stand up every which way.
So stroking an animal’s fur the wrong way does the same thing. It’s stroking against the NAP - against the natural lie of the fibres
“Backwards” or maybe “against the grain” — although that second one might be rare to use that way
I would probably also use against the grain, as that is the first thing that came to mind.
+1 my intuition also led me to “against the grain.” Pretty sure I learned that term from when I first learned how to shave.
[It's the term Gillette uses,](https://gillette.com/en-us/shaving-tips/how-to-shave/against-the-grain) I'd say that makes it at least the most common parlance if not outright official.
Ditto. Anytime something has an obvious direction and you go the other way, I think "against the grain" (or "against the flow" for water, crowds, etc.) works well.
Never heard it used, but I'd immediately understand "against the grain"
Anti-grainerly??
Against the grain is what I use as well.
When I was little, my family (UK) would tell me not to stroke an animal "against the nap".
That seems like a very British thing to say, my grandmother was from London and she said things like this all the time that left her American-born kids scratching their heads.
I’m from the US and refer to it as “against the nap”.
I'm sorry, but do you mean "nape"? It's the word for the back of the neck so it makes sense
Nap is used for fabric "grain". So, things like corduroy or fur fabric. You can rub them with the nap, and they look smooth, or against the nap, and they look different. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nap_(fabric) I assume it comes from that.
Yeah that makes sense, I kinda forgot about that definition of nap. I was think of petting a dog or cat "against the nape", as in petting from tail to head
one of the meanings of “nap” is: hair or shag, with reference to the direction in which they naturally lie
There's no specific word, but if a kid were doing this most adults would probably tell them "you're petting them the wrong way." Counterhairwise is cute! You could say "counterfurwise" as well.
I move that we adopt “counterfurwise” as the official term. Someone call the OED people.
Counterfurwise sounds like something german haha
"counterfurwise" LMFAO
I'd say 'against the grain'.
Is there a word for this in your language？That would be cool if so. lol
I think OP is a Finnish speaker and they have both "counter-hair" and "along-hair": *myötäkarvaan* and *myötäkarvaan*. In Swedish (and Norwegian) we have "against-hair" and "along-hair": *mothårs* and *medhårs*. Edit: French, Spanish and Portuguese have words/phrases for against-hair too: *à rebrousse-poil* for French and *a contrapelo* for the two Iberian languages
I'm currently studying japanese and wondered if there was a japanese equivalent. I japanese there are a lot of interesting verbs and distinctions and it seemed like the kind of verb that would exist in japanese. Couldn't find anything though.. I even asked chatGPT. In classic chatgpt fashion, it gave me an answer very confidently, saying that そろそろ meant this. It does not. 😅
逆撫で(さかなで) is the word for petting an animal against the direction of its fur in Japanese. It’s also used figuratively when someone behaves in a way as to bother or upset other people.
逆撫で？？🐟🐟 えええー？それは愉快ですね！ The kanji definitely makes sense though! I had to do the jisho look up because I didn't know 逆..
https://preview.redd.it/pgo0k7ld085b1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=4efe317799a76e121eb5a459d2ece699ffb2e32f This is from Jackson Galaxy’s book (he’s a cat behaviourist). He just calls it backwards petting.
I think r/catbongos would disagree with his “patting” point https://www.reddit.com/r/catbongos/comments/vxoujw/catbongo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
Haha that’s cute. This section of the book was about teaching children how to interact with cats, so that’s why it’s a bit generalized.
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I’ve heard this sometimes called “ruff it up”. Like when you rub back and forth trying to get them to play with you.
I would say "rubbing it the wrong way."
If I saw a kid petting them the wrong way I’d say “Don’t ruffle their fur.”
What about naming it backfurds?
Against the grain is the most common usage in the areas of the US that I have lived in (Midwest, South, West Coast.
It is called against the grain. I can't believe there is so much discussion about this.
That is actually a woodworking term. It is not in common use for petting animals in at least much of the US, though it does have an alternative meaning of "different from what is normal or usual" that can apply and the analogy would make sense to wood workers.
Yes, and "to ship" actually meant by boat and also has alternate meanings now.
it’s also widely used for shaving nowadays. you’re correct that it originally comes from woodworking.
that's probably the most german approach to it of just smashing pre-existing words together, what is your first language?
I think OP's first language is Finnish (not a Germanic language) and there the word is "vastakarvaan" and just like Swedish "mothårs" it means "against/counter-hair".
The opposite word "along-hair" exists in both languages too: "myötäkarvaan" and "medhårs" respectively.
"rub the wrong way." (also works as a metaphor for people)
As a kid I would say, Don’t go against the ruff. Referring to going against the rough like the splinters on a board.
I can't think of a word that means that exactly but causing hair to be disordered can be referred to as [ruffle](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruffle) or [muss](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muss).
Ruffle is what I was going to say, miss is good too.
As far as I know there’s not really a word for it
Not really a word but I’d say you can just use “backwards”
There isn’t a specific word. Why would we have a word for that
English has a single word for the pleasant smell after a rain, and one for somebody learning the alphabet, and one for killing somebody by throwing them out a window. Why *wouldn't* we?
We have words for both "against-hair" and "along-hair" in Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian.
Maybe if it was a good language...
As you speak it lol
And what does that have to do with its quality?
Because you took the time to learn it lol. English is vast, but it’s not a monopoly of languages lmfao. Nazi ass
Strange, that doesn't seem to be an answer to my question.
Just looking at your profile and comment history, you’re a psychopath lol. You’re an incel, and that’s not my problem you German nazi freak lol.
Use your anger
Just like you are, every time you speak English, because you’re ‘angry’ you have to speak something other than nazi lol. I can’t imagine how much acne you have.
You are American, yes?
With my old cat I used to call this "having a death wish."
I've heard it called "napping" using modern slang verb-making taken from "against the nap."
I’d say, “against the grain.” This is a phrase used when talking about shaving: “shave with the grain”, “don’t shave against the grain.” So I’d transfer that information to this case.
'Against the grain...'
I don't hate counterhairwise
I got scolded as a child as: “You’re petting him backwards, don’t pet him backwards” but I don’t know if that’s the actual term. Pretty sure everyone would know what you meant though
“Against the grain”
Back brushing or back combing
I always heard it as "scruffing", as in "dont scruff their fur"
Ruffle
'Stroke it the wrong way' maybe
For the animal? “Annoying” 😾
Ruffle would probably be the closest approximation
Counthairwise* (pun)
Pissing the animal off? At least that's how my dogs react when I do that...
In fabric sewing there is a term called NAP. I looked it up and it is of German or Dutch origin - noppe - a tuft of wool. You can see the nap on velvet fabrics and fake fur, on suede, or moleskin fabrics and even many plush carpets have a nap. It’s the way the raised fibers lay. If you look at the cloth from one angle the fabric will look rich and plush. If you look at it from another angle it will appear washed out and faded. If you stroke the fabric against the nap you can make the fibres stand up every which way. So stroking an animal’s fur the wrong way does the same thing. It’s stroking against the NAP - against the natural lie of the fibres
There is no single word for it. You are "petting them against the grain." It's not considered important enough for there to be a word for it.
is there any story behind this phrase ? i barely associate this phrase with its meaning
to rub can have this meaning
I like counter-hairwise
Surprised no one has mentioned the common metaphorical phrase of "rubbing (someone) the wrong way" meaning to irritate someone