Talking to the hand... across the world.

 

As previously mentioned, body language can contain both positive and negative connotations. However, not all gestures have the same meaning across the globe. It is important to understand that what could be a positive, friendly gesture in one country could have the complete opposite meaning in another.

 

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The “O.K.” hand gesture- used in North America as gesture that something is okay; the same signal is used in Japan as a sign for money, and in France it means “zero”.

 

The open hand “Wave”- used in North America as a friendly greeting; however, it is used as an insult in several countries including Asia and Greece.

 

Pointing with the index finger- used in North America to point something out to someone else; in Africa pointing is only directed towards objects that are not living, and never at another person.

 

The “Thumbs Up”- used in North America to signal approval, or that something is good. In Australia, Greece, and the Middle East it is used as an insult. In some cultures it is used to represent a number, for example, in Hungry and Germany it represents the number 1, and in Japan it represents the number 5.

 

Eye contact- used in North America to symbolize respect and interest, eye contact in other cultures such as Japan, can be considered a form of intimidation.

 

Belching- in North America is considered rude, but in some countries, such as India, belching after a meal is a sign of appreciation of the prepared meal.

 

When communicating with individuals from other cultures, language is not the only barrier. Nonverbal communication is another important factor to consider when interacting with people from other countries and cultures. Doing research before communicating with others from different backgrounds could help ensure that neither party becomes offended.

 

 

 

Resources: 

Cotton, G. (2013, June).  Gestures to Avoid in Cross-Cultural Business: In Other Words, 'Keep Your Fingers to Yourself!'. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gayle-cotton/cross-cultural-gestures_b_3437653.html

 Edmonds, M. (2014). How do Culturally different people interpret nonverbal communication? How Stuff Works. Retrieved from http://people.howstuffworks.com/nonverbal-communication.htm