indifferent

BodyLanguageinDifferentCultures

ChapterⅠIntroduction

Spokenlanguageisonly7%to35%orityofourfeelingsandintentions

erpeopletendtoarchforsignalswhenverbalmessagesareunclear

ssmessagesorkinesicsarethewaypeoplecommunicatebyndingandreceivingsignals,using

bodylanguage,gestures,postures,proximity,haptics,gnalsareconsistentacrosscultures.

Toacertaindegreebodythearegoodnews;ifonepersondoesnotspeakforeignlanguage,hecanstillcommunicate

wir,evenifonepersondoesspeakthe

locallanguageandisabletocommunicatewiththelocalpeople,hemightstillbepuzzledbytheuofbodylanguageand

?Becaunonverbalcommunicationhasalsoculturalmeaningsandis

alnormsregardingkinesicsvaryconsiderablybetween

countries;ifheisnotfamiliarwiththelocalbodylanguagehemightbemisunderstood,andsometimesmisinterpretthelocal

ncertainlyleadtoembarrassinganduncomfortablesituationsUnderstandingbodylanguageof

thedestinationcountryandinterpretingbodylanguagecorrectlywillnotonlyassistpeopletoavoidunpleasantsituationalso

willgrantpeoplerespectfromthelocals.

KeyWord:BodyLanguage;Culture;Communication

ChapterⅡThenecessityandimportanceofbodylanguageMostpeoplecannotlivewithouteachother,becaueveryoneis

speoplecanmakeuof

rpeoplecan

ndofcommunicationtellspeoplesomethingaboutthe

od

communicationabout

thisnon-spokencommunication,whichtellsyousomethingabouttherelationshipbetweenpeople,iscalled

/doc/body

canlearntoutheirbodylanguagefora

portaplecaninterpretbody

languagedependsonthesituation,theculture,therelationshiptheyhavewiththepersonaswellasthegenderoftheother.

Thismnguageisalsointerlinkedwith

asthat,variousbodylanguagesignscan

complementeachothertomakeaparticu

almostanyJapanefilm,emenarefully"Americanized,"theymight

shakehandsinstead:Peoplefromdifferentculturesudifferentbodylanguagesorgestures,postures,facialexpressions,

tandingbodylanguagesofotherculturescanpreventagreatdealof

misunderstanding.

Bodylanguagecommunicatesaffectivelyaswords,neusgesturesdaily,almost

instinctively,frombeckoningtoawaiter,orpunctuatingvisualsignalstoairportgroundattendantstoguideanairlinepilotinto

thejet-wayoraparentusingawholedictionaryofgesturestoteach(orpreachto)achild.

Bodylanguageisindeedinextricablyinsociallives,andthe"vocabulary"ofbodylanguagecanbeatonceinformative

escanbemenacing(twodriversonafreeway),warm(anopen-armedwelcome),

instructive(apolicemangivingroaddirections,orevennsuous(theliquidmovementofaHawaiianhuladancer).

Bearinmindthatsomebodylanguagesareingeneralu,ntyears,western

andcontemporaryvaluesandideashavebecomemorepopularandhavebeeneitherinfluenced,altered,andeven

replaced,

eoplefrom

thesamecostanygesturestherewill

probablybeaminoritywithinagivennationalitywhomightsay,"Well,somemightattachthatmeaningtoit,buttomeit

means..."andthentheywillprovideadifferentinterpretation.

ulturaldifferencesinbodylanguage,facial

expression,uofspace,andespecially,gestures,ngabout

multiculturalsocietyliketheUnitedStates,it

canalsobehelpfulindailylife.

ChapterⅢ.Theapplicationofbodylanguage

Withoutbodylanguage,ementsofpeople?sarms,hands,eyes,constitute

anotherimportantwayofcommunication.

3.1.1Theintroductionofgestures

oplecommunicatewithotherswhocomefromdifferentcultures,theymust

knowabouttheircultures.

peandNorthAmericaitmeansok,butinMediterranean

region,Russia,Brazil,andTurkeyitmeansxualinsult,gayman

ThegestureoflittlefingerinMediterraneanmeansSmallpenis,inBaliitmeansbad,inJapanlittlefingermeanswoman,in

SouthAmericaitmeansthin,inFrancelittlefingermeansyoucan'tfoolme!Thegestureofindexfingerandlittlefingerin

Mediterraneanmeansyourwifeisbeingunfaithful,inMaltaandItalyitmeansprotectionagainsttheEvilEye(whenpointed),

inSouthAmericathegesturemeansprotectionagainstbadluck(whenrotated).ThegestureofthumbinEuropemeansone;

inAustraliaitmeanssitonthis!(Upwardjerk);inWidespreadthegestureofthumbmeanshitchhike;good;OK;inGreece:Up

yours!(Thrustforward);inJapanitmeansMan,tureofthumbandlittlefingerinHawaiimeans'Hangloo';in

Hollanditmeansdoyouwantadrink?Thegestureofthumb,indexfingerandlittle

tureoffivefingersintheWestmeansTen,Isurrender;inGreeceitmeans

UpYours--twice!InWidespread:I'mtellingthetruth

roductionofshakinghands

WhileOrientalssalutedeachotherwithapolitebow,Westernersshooktheirhandsanddisplayedtheirpalmstoappear

honestanddemonstratenoweaponswerebeingconcealed,i.e,therewasnohiddenintentions,inancientRomehowever,

theydidn?tshakehandsbutrathergrabbedeachothersforearmsasitwascommonforthemtocarrydaggersconcealed

aroundtheirwristsarea.

enttypesofhandshakes

g:?swhentheychootowrapyourhandshakewiththeirleft

netotherightperson,theyareperceivedasbeingwarm,

friendly,mesitisreciprocatedcreatingthispileof4hands,butthistypeofhandshakeisonly

donewithpeoplewhoshareclobonds,?senasaninvasionofintimacywhendonebypeople

who?samenote,peoplewillalsoesomeoneutheirlefthandtograsptheotherpersonsforearm,

elbow,tchoutourarmstoshakehandstokeeppeopleoutofour

personalspaceandprotectourbody…thehigherupthearmtheotherpersonisenputtingtheirlefthand,theclorthe

bondthotwopeopleshare(oratleastthepersondoingthedoublehanderhandshakebelievestheydoorwantstoportray

it,whichislikeinsomepoliticianscas).

tor:Whenpeopledisplaystheirpalmdownwards,itshowsasignofauthorityorsuperiority,everynowand

againpeoplenoticesomeonewho?su

fultoknowaboutthishandshakeasitmaycomeinhandyincertainsituationslikelet

theirbossfeelpowerfulby…submitting?tohisdominanceorifonepersonapologizeaboutsomething,letthemhavetheir

palmontopwillmakethemfeelincontrolofthesituation.

dclammy:Somepeoplemightbeexperiencedthisonebefore…it?soneofthohandshakeswherethe

personhasacoldsweatyhand,sometimesitisassociatedwithweakcharactersorlackofenergyudbypassiveor

morecommonly,itcanbefoundinnervouspeoplewhobloodflowsawayfromthecellsbelow

thepalm(dermis)andisdivertedtothearmandlegmusclesastheirancestorsneededtheextrablood,theyneedtofight

theirenemiesorrunawayfromnervousordangerous.

3.1.2.1.

r:Theoverlyaggressivepersonalitytypesfavoritebecautheythinkitdisplaysconfidenceandpower,thisisthe

handshakethatmakesyourknucklesgrindeachotherwhenshaking,andleavesyourhandinnumbingpainafterwardsthat

ingonthepressure,itisalsoudwithless

strengthbyindividualswithadesiretodominateoccasionallyoutofweaknessorfeartheywillbedominatedbyothersifthey

don?tdoitfirst.

fingertips:Thisisquitecommoninmale-femaleencounters,aswomenneedmorepersonalspacethan

llstretchouttheirhand(sometimesinanawkwardposition)fromadistance,allowingtheotherpersontobarely

soudbyindividuals,whofeelsuperiortotheother

person,suchastheQueen,stretchingouttheirhandswiththeirpalmsdownwards(signofauthority/superiority)andonly

allowingaholdofthefingers.

ck:Anothertypeofhandshakeudbytheaggressivetypes,themainpurpoofthisoneistokeepyouat

adistantandawayfromtheirpersonal

lsobe

commontofindthistypeofhandshakeinpeoplewhoareraidincountry/ruralareasasthepersonalspaceforpeoplein

suchareasismuchlargerthanthepersonalspaceneededforindividualsraidinthecrowdedcities.

dpull:?swhenapersondecidestograbanotherperson?sarmand

pullhiminclotowardsthemandinsidetheirterritory/rethreepossiblereasonsforthis:Firstly,the

personisincureanlytheycomefroma

culture/y,theywanttotakecontrolandgethisoffbalance…f

thecas,theyshouldbeconsideredmanipulativebecautheywantthingsdoneinacertainway.

roductionofgreeting

Therearemanypossiblecomponentsofgrng

isaritualthathelpsbreaktheiceandpavesthewayforappropriateotherinteraction.

balcommunicationinJapan

Bowingisacustomarynonvssinferiors

w

tact-eyecontactshowsthatyouarebeingaggressive,rmalinJapanto

teringaprivatehomeor

traditionalrestaurants,itisusuallycustomarytoremoveyourshoesandplacethemwiththetoespointingtowardthe

panemaintainimpassive

expression

findithardtosay'no'.

example,doyoudisagreewiththis?

balcommunicationinChina

Chinepeopledon'edon?

epeopleubothhandswhenofferingsomethingtoavisitoror

lkinginpublicplaces,directeyecontactandstaringisuncommon

conversations,Chinepeopleareespeciallycarefulaboutinterrupting-Listeningisasignof

ecauof

embarrassmentbyaChinemightbeinterpretedasbeingfriendlybyawesterner,butreallytheyareembarrasd.

balcommunicationintheU.S.A

InAmericagreetingsarecasualandquiteinformal-Ahandshake,asmile,and'hello'.

theelderly,theillandphakesareusually

tactisimportantwhenshakingsomeone?shand.

ansaregenerallyuncomfortablewithsame-xtouching,especiallybetween

anssmileagreatdeal,womenwillsitwith

legscrosdattheanklesorknees,nsideredrudetostare,askquestionsor

otherwibringattentiontosomeone'ontimeformeetingssincetimeandpunctualityaresoimportantto

Americans.

3.2FacialExpression

Thefacehasaround90musclesinit,husbeudtondmany

non-verbalsignals,usingitsvarious

featuresinconcert.

3.2.1Face

Whenpeoplearehappy,theircrow?sfeetwrinkles,ople

feelsad,theireyelidsdroopupper,theireyeslofocus,opleareangry,

oplefeelfear,theireyebrowsraidandpulled

ppereyelidsraid,

peoplearesurprid,theireyebrowsraid,eyeswidened,opleshowtheircontempt,

opleshowtheirdisgust,theirnoarewrinkling,their

oplefeelshame,theireyesandheadturneddown,eyebrowsheldlow,

peoplefeelboredom,theireyesarelookingaway,facegenerallyimmobile,theircornersofmouthturneddownorlipspulled

totheside,andtheirheadproppedupwithhand.

3.2.2EyeContact

Theeyesareoftencalled,withsomejustification,'thewindowsofthesoul'astheycanndmanydifferentnon-verbal

dingbodylanguagethisisquiteufulaslookingatpeople'yesareanormalpartofcommunication

(whilstgazingatotherpartsofthebodycanbeenasratherrude).

gup

iculartheyareprobablymakingpicturesintheirheadandthus

eyaredeliveringaspeechorprentation,lookingupmaybethe

recallingoftheirpreparedwords.

gupwardsandtherightcanindicateimaginative

constructionofapicture(whichcanhencebetrayaliar).Becarefulwiththis:sometimesthedirectionsarereverd--ifin

doubt,gupmayalsobeasignalof

boredomastheweredandeyeslooking

backupattheotherpersonisacoyandsuggestiveactionasitcombinestheheaddownofsubmissionwitheyecontactof

lsobejudgmental,especiallywhencombinedwithafrown.

gdown

gdowninvolvesnotlookingattheotherperson,which

hencemaybeasignofsubmission('Iamnotathreat,really;sogloriousIwouldbedazzledif

Ilookedatyou.')lsoindicatethatthepersonisfeelingguilty.A

notablewaytllerpeoplemaydothis.

Lookingdownandtotheleftcanindicatethattheyaretalkingtothemlves(lookforslightmovementofthelips).Looking

dowcultureswhereeyecontactisarude

ordominantsignal,peoplewilllookdownwhentalkingwithothersinordertoshowrespect.

gsideways

Muchofourfieldofvisionisinthehorizontalplane,sowhenapersonlookssideways,theyareeitherlookingawayfrom

whatisglancesidewayscanjustbe

lsobedonetoshowirritation('Ididn'tappreciate

thatcomment!').gtotherightcanindicatethattheyare

visualandothermovements,thiscanbereverdandmayneedcheckingagainstknowntruth

andfabrication.

Lateralmovement

Eyesmovingfromside-to-sidecanindicateshiftinessandlying,asifthepersonislookingforanescaperouteincathey

lmovementcanalsohappenwhenthepersonisbeingconspiratorial,asiftheyarecheckingthat

yalsomovebackandforthsideways(andsometimesupanddown)whenthepersonis

visualizingabigpictureandisliterallylookingitover.

3.2.2.

Lookingatsomethingshowsaninterestinit,whetheritisapainting,ulookatsomething,others

wholookatyoaremarkableskillaswe

okingatapersonnormally,thegazeisusuallyateyelevelorabove(e

eyecontact,below).gataperson'smouthcan

gatxualregionsindicatesadesiretohavexualrelationswiththem.

Lookingupanddownatawholepersonisusuallysizingthemup,eitherasapotentialthreatorasaxualpartner(notice

wherethegazelingers).Thiscanbequiteinsultingandhenceindicateapositionofpresumeddominance,astheperson

effectivelysays'Iammorepowerfulthanyou,yourfeelingsareunimportanttomeandyouwillsubmittomygaze'.Lookingat

yalsobeshownbydefocudeyeswherethepersonis'inside

theirhead'thinkingaboutotherthings.

Itisdifficulttoconcealagazeasweareone

reasonwhywehavelargereyewhitesthananimals,eptabledurationofagaze

varieswithcultureandsometimevenaslightglanceisunacceptable,suchasbetweengendersorbyalowerstatus

person.

ng

mpleglancingatthe

lsoindicatea

concernforthatperson'ngmayindicateadesiretogazeat

somethingorsomeonewhereitisforbiddentolookforaprolongedperiod.

eyecontact

Lookingatapersonacknowledgesthemandshowsthatyouareinterestedinthem,particularlyifyoulookintheireyes.

Lookingataperson'mazinglygoodatdetectingwhattheyare

mple,ifapersonsayssomethingwhenyouare

lookingawayandthenyoumakeeyecontact,thenthisindicatestheyhavegrabbedyourattention.

ngeyecontact

Prolongedeyecontactcanbethreatening,ngeyecontact

canindicatethatsomethingthathasjustbeensaidthatmakesthepersonnotwanttosustaineyecontact,forexamplethat

theyareinsulted,theyhavebeenfoundout,theyfeelthreatened,nalsohappenwhenthepersonthinks

,abreakineyecontactcanalsobecaudbysomethingas

simpleasdriedoutcontactsoranynewstimulusinone'simmediatearea,soit'g

ataperson,breakingeyecontactandthenlookingimmediatelybackatthemisaclassicflirtingaction,particularlywiththe

headheldcoylylowinsuggestedsubmission.

econtact

tactoftenincreassignificantlywhenweare

listening,andespeecontactisud

whentalking,particularlybypeoplewhoarevisualthinkersastheystareintothe

distanceorupwardsasthey'e'lookmoreatpeoplewelikeandlikepeoplewholook

newithdoeeyesandsmiles,willstareintoeachotheryesforalong

tionisalsoindicatedbylookingbackandforthbetweenthetwoeyes,asifwearedesperatelytryingto

actionsignalthatismorecommonlyudbywomenistoholdtheother

person'okdownforacondortwoandthenlookbackupagain(toeiftheyhave

takenthebait).Iftheotherpersonisstilllookingatthem,theyarerewardedwithacoysmileoraslightwideningoftheeyes

('Yes,thismessageisforyou!').Whendonewithoutblinking,contractedpupilsandanimmobileface,thiscanindicate

domination,circumstancesastaringcompetitioncanensue,withthefirstpersonlook

away,toreducestressfromthisistolookatthebridge

mesliars,knowingthatloweyecontactisasignof

lying,hisisdonewithoutblinkingastheyforce

ysmilewiththemouth,butnotwiththeeyesasthisismoredifficult.

3.2.2.9Staring

Staringisgenerallydonewitheyeswiderthanusual,

gatapersoncanindicateshockanddisbelief,

eeyesaredefocud,theperson'sattentionmaybeinsidetheirhead

andwhattheyarestaringatmaybeofnosignificance.(Withoutcare,thiscanbecomequiteembarrassingfor

them).Prolongedeyecontactcanbeaggressive,gatanother'yesisusuallymore

stare,

correctionbacktonormalimpliesthatthepersonwouldliketostaremore,butknowsitisimpolite(thismaybe

accompaniedwithsomeapologetictext).Whenapersonstaresatanother,thecondpersonmaybeembarrasdandlook

decidetostareback,thenthepeople'lockeyes'andthismaybecomeacompetitionwiththelorbeingthe

gthofanacceptablestarevariesacrosscultures,asdoeswhoisallowedtostare,andat

andyoungchildrenstaremore,untiltheyhavelearnedtheculturalrules.

ChapterⅣ.Conclusion

Cultureisall-persuasive,multidimensional,andboundless;eisalsotrueofbody

makehundredsofmovementswithhisbodies:whereandhowhetouches

people,hisgazeandeyecontact,andhisuofspacearejustsomeofthebehaviorsinwhichheengagethatrveas

anbeingsperformactionstowhichotherpeopleattachmeaning,butthemeaningsareculturally

salsofoundthatallthedifferencesinbodylanguageamongcountriesarecultivatedovermanyyearsbyan

intricatelyconstructedmixtureofcultural,rstandsuchdifferencesisntialin

one?ore,whencommunicatinginacertainlanguage,you?dbetteruthe

bodylanguagethatgoeswiththatparticularlanguage,whichcansaveyoufromanxietyandethnocentrism,andmakethe

ststep

ithyourlifeexperiences,training,beliefsandall

thatmakeupyourpast,it?syourinnerexpertonnonverbalcommunication.

Abstract

“Bodylanguage”isakinrballanguage,it

entpeoplehavedifferent

mple:differentpeoplehavedifferentideasabouttheproperdistance

betweenpeopleconversing;lddrawupquitea

listof“rules”abouteyecontact:tolookornottolook;whentolookandhowlongtolook;

expressionsalsovaryamongindividualsandcultures;gesturescanbeparticularlytroublesome,foraslightdifferencein

makingthegestureitlfcanmeansomethingquitedifferentfromthatintended,and,awronginterpretationofagesturecan

dertocommunicateeffectivelyinaforeignlanguage,oneshouldalso

knowthegestures,thoritiesfeelthat

salsotruethatincertainsituationsbody

actioncontradictswhatisbeingsaid,justasthespokenwordsmaymeansomethingquitedifferentfromwhatbodylanguage

isoccurs,onemusttrytogetfurtherinformation,orguessthemeaningfromthecontextofthe

,allbodylanguageshouldbeinterpreted;withinagivencontext;toignoretheoverallsituationcouldbe

rativestudyofChineandAmericanbodylanguageshowsanumberofsimilaritiesanddiversitiesof

ationshowsthata

trulybilinguollowing,theimportance

ofbodylanguageonnonverbalcommunicationindifferentculturesandtheiroriginswillbefocudinordertolesn

conflictsincross-culturecommunicationandmakeitmuchbetterandeasier.

KeyWords：nonverbalcommunication;bodylanguage;differentculture;different

ways

摘要

“⾝势语”同语⾔⼀样，都是⽂化的⼀部分。在不同⽂化中，⾝势语的意义并不完全相同。各民族有不同的⾮语⾔交际⽅式

⽐研究表明，两者有相似的地⽅，也有差异的地⽅，说明了解另⼀种语⾔中⾝势语的重要性。可见，真正掌握两种语⾔的⼈在

转变语⾔的同时也改变了⾝势语。本⽂拟通过揭⽰⾝势语在⽇常交流中的重要性并介绍各种不同的⾝势语及其⽂化差异，⽬的

是尽量减少跨⽂化交际中的摩擦冲突，使其更加轻松容易。

关键词⾮语⾔交际；⾝势语；不同⽂化；不同⽅式

Acknowledgements