Gestures in different cultures

gestures in different cultures

Asadullayeva Dinora

ManTour- 221S

Integrated language skills

Intoduction

• Language is one of the most curious human inventions, but what can you tell about gestures? Yes, body languages has its own quirks, history and even geographical distribution. What might seem like a harmless joke in one region of the world can be extremely insulting in another. 

Thumbs up

This widely recognised sign of approval or agreement is actually used as an insult in Bangladesh.

In certain parts of the Middle East, thumbs-up is definitely a highly offensive thumbs-down.

The thumbs-up sign has been confusing people for thousands of years!

The horn fingers

In USA “the horn fingers” is adopted by rockers and it is a sign of approval, rock on!

Hook ’em Horns is the slogan and hand signal of the University of Texas at Austin.

But in many Mediterranean and Latin countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Italy and Portugal, to make this sign at someone is to tell them that their spouse is cheating on them.

Looking at your watch

This means ‘I’m in a hurry’ or ‘I’ve got to be somewhere’.

In the Middle East, however, a conversation should run its natural course, as it would be very rude to look at your watch mid-conversation. In Arabic culture, once communication has started, it must “take its time”.

The OK

In most of the English-speaking world, as well as in several other countries, this hand gesture means that everything is fine, great, okay and/or perfect.

In Brazil, however, it is considered a rude gesture. The most famous example of this was in the 1950s when Richard Nixon visited Brazil and flashed the “Ok sign” to a waiting crowd upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro, who responded with boos!

The “V” Sign

This sign has two formats: one with the palm faced outwards, and another with the palm inwards.

In the US, both ways refer to “victory” and peace: protesters against the Vietnam War and activists adopted the gesture as a sign of peace. Because the hippies of the day often flashed this sign (palm out) while saying “Peace”, it became popularly known (through association) as the peace sign.

In other places, such as in the UK, Australia and South Africa, the same gesture with the back of the hand facing the other person is considered to be an extremely insulting.

Fingers crossed

Crossing fingers might be one of the most complex gestures invented by humanity. Why? In some contexts, it can mean you’re lying (especially if you cross your fingers behind your back). In other contexts, it can mean you’re rooting for someone to be successful (hence the expression “Fingers crossed!”). But in Vietnam, it means something else entirely: you’re insulting someone by simulating female genitals, not wishing them luck. Yikes!

The moutza

Have you ever given someone “the hand” when they’re talking about something you don’t care about? A very similar gesture is the most traditional insult in Greece. Not only does it signify that you’ll smear the other person’s face with cinder, but it can also be magnified by performing a double moutza using both hands overlapping each other.

The loser sign

The shape of an L on your forehead means you’re calling somebody else a loser. Popular in the United States in the 1990s due to a couple of movies (namely Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Sandlot) and the song “All Star” by Smash Mouth (1999), it seems fairly innocent…but know that it’s an insult if it’s directed at you! You’re likely to find this gesture in pop culture.

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