Are There Right or Wrong Hand Gestures?
(Image by Andrea Jacobs)
Remember what your mom would say, actions speak louder than words, she was right. From eye contact to posture, nonverbal details reveal who we are and impact how others see you.
Is non-verbal communication important in a conversation? Absolutely, words are important, but it turns out, we communicate most of the meaning of our conversation via body language and gestures.
The way you move, the way you stand and the way you listen tells others whether or not you care about what they are saying. When your words match your body language, they increase trust, clarity and rapport.When they don’t, they trigger tension, distrust and confusion.
Unfortunately, many people send negative and confusing nonverbal signals without even knowing it when speaking with someone from another country. When this happens, both clarity and rapport may be irreversibly damaged.
To become a better communicator, it’s important to become sensitive not only to the nonverbal cues of others, but also to the nonverbal cues you may be sending.
As you can imagine, communicating with someone from your own culture can be challenging but when speaking with a foreigner it can perplexing. Nonverbal communication gestures do not translate across cultures easily and can lead to serious misunderstanding.
While translation systems are available for verbal communication, translators for nonverbal communication do not exist.
Nonverbal communication is composed of facial expressions, body movements, posture, gestures, eye contact, touch, space and voice. We must appreciate and identify that in one country a respectable gesture may mean something completely different in another country. In this article we will focus on 5 different hand gestures that are commonly exchanged:
• “Ok” sign
• Thumbs up
• Finger snap
• Beckoning sign
• Corona
Understanding the different meaning these signs may have in other cultures, will not only enhance your conversation but may keep you out of trouble while talking to someone from another part of the world.
OK Signs
In the US, we use it to convey agreement, it assures people things are fine or when everything is perfect.
In Brazil, Greece and Spain it conveys a different meaning! This sign is used to call someone an a**hole. While visiting Brazil in the 1950’s, Richard Nixon flashed the OK sign to the crowed and they responded with boos!
In Turkey and Venezuela the sign is used as an insult toward gay people.
In France and Australia it means zero or worthless.
Lastly, in Japan this gesture means money.
Thumbs Up
We use this gesture a lot in the US it means it is all great.
But I recommend you do not use it among Middle Easterners and people from West Africa.
People from Bangladesh, Australian and South Americans also find this gesture hideously offensive. It is assumed to mean that you want the receiver to stick it where the sun don’t shine, up yours or sit on it.
Finger Snap
Where I am from in Latin America, snapping your finger meant to hurry up.
In the US and Great Britain, it usually is used when someone remembers something or gets an idea.
some cultures it used to get someone’s attention but in many cultures it is just rude.
So, to keep it safe, snap your fingers for the same reason the Ancient Greeks did -- to keep the rhythm set by musicians and dancers
Beckoning Sign (come here)
In the Philippians the beckoning sign is impolite and can be a cause for being arrested.
In the USA it is used often to call someone over here.
Careful by using this gesture in Japan. It is very rude and only fit for a dog and or other animal.
In Singapore, beckoning is an indication of death.
The Corona
This gesture has been adopted by rockers and it is a sign of approval “rock on” for most Americans. Except in Texas, where football fans use it as a sign representing the horns of a bull.
In other cultures, this is not the horn of a bull but instead of the devil and representing evil. In Buddhist and Hindi culture, it means the Karana Mudra which is used to dispel the evil.
Watch out making this gesture in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Portugal and Italy since it is known as the 'Cuckold' and is used to tell a man that other men are enjoying his wife.
In 1985, following the news that Texas Longhorns football team won the football game, five Americans were arrested in Rome for using this gesture outside the Vatican.
We might not have translators for nonverbal communication but we have our phone or computers at our hands to learn and understand the meaning of the gestures we use. So remember before jumping to conclusions about the meaning of a gestures, consider the person’s cultural background. Embarrassing moments can happen as a result of ignorance and by misinterpreting a gesture.
It is always ok to ask people from different countries and cultures about the meaning of rituals, mannerisms and gestures. It is a great topic to discuss with a friend from another country over a cup of coffee and a yummy pastry. There are no wrong and right gestures, only cultural differences.
This post first appeared at LingoHut and Parrot Time Magazine.
Bio: Kendal Knetemann is the founder of LingoHut where free language lessons, activities and articles are making language learning uncomplicated. Communication is our thing! Like us on our Facebook page.