THE AMATEUR WORD NERD: Can you be left-handed and still be adroit?

By Barbara McAlister
Word of the Day: Adroit

“Adroit” means skilled, and comes from the French à droit — to the right. It is similar in meaning and origin to dexterous, also a word that means skilled, nimble or capable, from the Latin “on the right.” Conversely, the word sinister is from the French word for left and means evil or threatening. Sorry lefties, it’s a right-handed world.
Scientists estimate between 70 to 90 percent of the world’s population is right-handed, resulting in everything from guitars to scissors being made for right-handers. Medieval castles developed circular staircases that typically curve clockwise going up so that invaders rushing up the stairs would have trouble using their swords because of the walls. Since most people are right-handed, it gives advantage to defenders charging down the stairs, whose sword arm would have full movement. Roads were typically traveled on the left for the same reason and remains the practice in countries like England, India, Japan and Australia.
Scientists believe that left-handed people tend to be more independent as a result of having to adapt to a world built for right handers. Prominent left-handers include Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon, Bill Gates and Barack Obama. International Left Handers Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 13.