Different meanings of gestures in different cultures.

The Different Gestures in Different Cultures

Body language , which of course gesture is a vital part , is important in communication . It may or may not be accompanied by spoken language , and just as language varies from culture to culture so does the language of gestures

Some cultures use gesture more than others . The Italians for instance would find it a great handicap if they were unable to use their hands when speaking . The Irish , with their tradition of dancing with arms stiffly at their sides , use far less although all cultures do

use gesture to some extent . Some naturally suppress their emotions as in China . The web page `Non-verbal communication ' puts this down to the influence of Confucian philosophy

The most common are hand gestures as the anatomy of the human hand lends itself to a number of easily discerned positions . However the whole body is used , even to the extreme of revealing the buttocks mooning

Just as certain professions use certain jargon so there are gestures allied to certain professions and groups e .g . in the military certain signals are used to pass on information when spoken communication would be dangerous or impossible - as above the noise of an engine or when creeping up on the enemy

Some gestures are restricted to the head , the nod or shake , the pointing with the chin , eye rolling and so on . Which of these are universal and which are specific ? Pointing for instance is universal , but the way it is done can vary . To point with only one finger as in common in Europe is considered offensive in Asia . In Indonesia the thumb is used to point according to Judy Haynes in her article `Communicating with gestures

Some gestures have reverse meanings in certain cultures , for example in Sri Lanka a nod is a negative gesture rather than the positive one it is in most other cultures . To beckon someone forward in Pakistan as one would in Britain or the U .S .A . with the palm more of less upright and facing the beckoner would not be understood , even if accompanied by the correct language . One must place the hand palm down and just bend the fingers

Using the wrong gesture can lead to people feeling insulted , as when the sole of the foot or shoe is revealed in many Asian countries , but also in France . To take off your shoe and hold it up sole towards someone is extremely insulting and liable to provoke violence

So not to know a country 's gestures can mean that one 's words , however correct , are incomprehensible . To speak Italian without gestures can mean you are taken for a German for instance , however correct your accent

All peoples use smiles to signal , but one should not judge people from another culture by how or when they smile . In some cultures smiles are reserved for those one is close to only , not more or less universally as in other cultures . The Japanese smile when they are...