Communication Between Cultures

the gesture means,“I’ll kill you.”In some Latino cultures, the circle with the

thumb and index finger is often perceived as an obscene gesture.

• In Mexico, when asking someone to wait for“just a minute, please”(unmomento,
  porfavor), the speaker also makes a fist and then extends the thumb and index fin-
  ger so that they form a sideways“U,”as though measuring a short span of time.


• Greeks express“yes”with a nod similar to the one used in the United States, but
  when communicating“no,”they jerk their heads back and raise their faces. Lifting
  one or both hands up to the shoulders strongly emphasizes the“no.”


• In Chile, to“say”that someone is unintelligent or dense, one holds the palm
  upward with the fingers spread.
  We could present more examples, as there are thousands of gestures prevalent in
  every culture. But instead of offering a protracted catalog of gestures from all over
  the world, we will include just a few examples to demonstrate how gestures and cul-
  ture are linked. We remind you of
  the mutually dependent nature of all
  nonverbal actions. As applied to ges-
  tures, the thin line between gestures
  and all the messages a person gener-
  ates cannot be clearly drawn. Hence,
  we agree with Ekman and Friesen’s
  view of nonverbal communication
  when they speak of a“comprehensive
  approach.”^53 For them, studying non-
  verbal gestures in isolation provides
  “an incomplete picture of what is
  occurring.” With this qualification
  behind us, we propose to examine
  (1) idiosyncratic gestures, (2) beck-
  oning, and (3) the frequency and
  intensity associated with gestures.

Idiosyncratic Gestures. As already indicated, there are limitless idiosyncratic gestures

found in each culture. These are the distinctive gestures whose meanings are usually

the feature and property of a particular culture. Even gesturing with the same specific

part of the body can differ from culture to culture. For example, in Nepal, pulling

both earlobes is a form of apology for offending someone. Yet pulling one earlobe in

China means a person is“saying”that he or she touched something that was very

hot.^54 The Japanese also have a gesture whose actual movement is not unique to

that culture, yet the meaning is exclusive to that culture. The gesture is made by

pointing both index fingers above the head, at the top of the ears, as if they were

the horns of an ogre. The gesture means the man’s wife is angry.^55 In China, if you

place your right hand over your heart, it means you are making a sincere promise. In

Iraq, the same gesture can mean“thank you.”For the French, pulling the skin down

below the right eye can mean,“I don’t believe you.”In Argentina, one twists an

imaginary mustache to signify that everything is“okay.”

Meanings for gestures with sexual connotations may also be exclusive to a specific

culture. In the United States, someone might use the middle finger to send an insult-

ing, obscene gesture. This sexual insult gesture is not universal. For the Japanese, the

CONSIDER THIS

Consider that you have met someone who has recently

arrived in the United States and they ask your help in decid-

ing what certain gestures mean. What would you tell them

about the meaning for the following gestures used in the

United States?

● Fingers crossed

● Thumbs up

● Thumbs down

● Making a round ring (O) with the thumb and index

finder

● Pointing directly at someone

Body Movement 311

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