Can you think of examples of regional body language?
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Harp (
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October 12th, 2009
I don’t mean gestures that actually have some semantic function, but more body habits or facial expressions that one picks up subconsciously and are more common one place than another.
Americans, for instance, seem much more likely than Europeans to have their mouths slightly open in idle moments (I used to notice on the Paris metro that almost invariably, people who had their mouths slightly agape turned out to be Americans).
And in Texas (I’m not sure how far this extends) guys would often hunker as a resting posture in casual conversation (note: this is not the same as “taking a knee”; in a true hunker no knees touch the ground. And it’s not the same as squatting, because one foot is flat on the ground).
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18 Answers
The first thing that came to mind, is that in Ireland people tend to nod towards people they meet in a greeting gesture. If you meet someone on a street, especially when there are no others around, they do this “head nod”.
Many Asian cultures, that i’ve noticed, have a “squatting” thing they do, while waiting for a bus, etc.
Many Slavic cultures put their hands behind their back when they walk, both men and women.
asian cultures focus more on the eyes when interpreting facial espressions, while western devils use the whole face.
as a result you get smiles like ^_^ vs :-)
Are you speaking of things like bowing and bringing the hands together in gassho? I would not say that has a semantic function, exactly, but neither is it quite the same as body language, which I think of as a nonverbal and largely unconscious mode of expression. I am having trouble seeing how habits or customs (such as resting posture) are “language.” Could you please clarify?
@ragingloli it was a joke! let’s all be super happy fun excitement!
Sometimes I can recognize Eastern European Jews by body language. It’s a kind of animated shrugging. I think I probably do it myself, since that’s my background.
My (blind) girlfriend has no normative gestures, because she has never seen them! (Her friends and I have taught her a few, and what they mean, but they don’t look natural – I mean like “thumbs up” or an exaggerated shrug for “I don’t know”.) When she was little her parents taught her head-shaking and nodding for no and yes, so she does those quite naturally.
She does, of course, have body language – but it’s all sui generis and idiosyncratic.
@Jeruba Right, “language” is a problematic way of putting it because that does imply semantics, and I think gassho does carry a kind of semantic content. Body language can communicate an attitude though, without semantic content, and I guess that’s more what I’m getting at.
Hunkering, for example, communicates ease to your conversation partner, kind of the opposite of standing with your arms crossed in front of you. I’m still trying to suss out the significance of the gape-mouth; it projects a kind of childlike naivete, but I don’t know exactly
“The first thing that came to mind, is that in Ireland people tend to nod towards people they meet in a greeting gesture. If you meet someone on a street, especially when there are no others around, they do this “head nod”.”
In Co. Tipperary this nod is more a horizontal shake of the head in one direction, left as I learned it. It is sometimes accompanied by a “well”, short for are you well”. But it is, of course not so much body language as it has a semantic function.
Ok, I think I see, @Harp. So then you’re asking not just for examples of bodily positions and actions that convey attitude (folded arms) without semantic content (giving the finger) but those that are associated with particular regions (or cultures?), such as avoiding eye contact or scuffing the feet to avoid turning up the sole of your foot at anyone, which might be considered rude in a given culture but do not have a literal meaning. Is that right?
I heard a speaker give an hour-long lecture on facial expressions, hand gestures, and other nonverbal behaviors to avoid while traveling abroad because they convey different things in different cultures (for example, “available woman”), but I’m afraid I don’t remember specifics. It was fascinating to learn which motions and stances we might naively regard as universal that are really very culture-specific and can elicit unexpected responses from others.
Exactly (although I didn’t know about the Irish lateral head jerk, and am happy that sneaked in there).
From what I have seen, Americans (especially American men) tend to “take up more room” when they than do their European counterparts. (I don’t mean that they are fatter—although they might be. I mean that they position their legs and knees in such away that they seem to take up more physical space.) Also, Americans tend to smile more “for no reason.”
Good ole fashioned Redneck jesture…....Middle Finger extended, means you done pissed him off…...
In Japan, sticking your tongue out or lifting your leg is a sign of surprise, or so I am told.
Native Americans, in general, have some different body language. We are known to point with our lips or head instead of our hands. We also focus much less on eye contact and many times it is considered disrespectful so if someone is not making eye contact you could not assume the same as a ‘typical American’. I know there are others but I have trouble thinking of them.
Oh, yes, you just have to go to Italy. When it comes to body language their “dictionary” contains more “words” than that of any other European country.
Comparing Texas to Italy? This is what I found on the web:
1. The Texas Longhorn Sign
Learn from my mistakes and leave your Texas pride at home. The longhorn sign, often a fun sign thrown around in Texas, is one of the most offensive signs in Italy. When you direct this gesture at someone you are calling them a “cornuto(a)” and are insinuating that their boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband is cheating on them.
2. The Head Nod
Ok, try this. Look straight ahead, dip your head down and then kick it up while making a little “tisk” sound. Perfetto! You must be Italian! This body language cue has been the source of hundreds of misunderstandings between my husband and me since we met nine years ago.
You see, in America when we nod our heads up and down (or even down and up) it would signal affirmation. In Italy, it is the opposite.
3. The Pinched Fingers
Similar to the hand sign you would make when you snap your fingers, this is one of the most “Italian” hand gestures in the country and one my father-in-law directs at me all too often. The meaning? What are you talking about?!?
Heading to other European countries? Well, according to Jane Lasky on Examiner.Com, the Austrians and the French both have body language cues that tell the speaker it is time to shut up, while Norwegians wish their fishermen good luck by spitting behind their backs.
http://my-bellavita.com/2009/07/07/travel-tip-tuesday-when-actions-speak-louder-than-words/
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