One example is what we consider the sign for "okay", such as putting your pointer and thumb together to form a circle, leaving your other three fingers up in the air. In another country it means the same as our middle finger does. Therefore here it is completely acceptable because we are saying "okay", but if you go to that country and try to tell someone "okay" with your nonverbal signs, you might get a different response, possibly violence. I have not moved around within the country yet, so I have not exactly encountered the regional differences in nonverbal meaning, that I know of. I think the nonverbal communication is so wide that its hard to tell when you actually encounter such a thing unless of course you are telling someone “okay” in a country where it means “f*** you”. I find it interesting that nonverbal messages can be the exact same yet so different in meaning depending on where you are.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
week 7. Question #2
One example is what we consider the sign for "okay", such as putting your pointer and thumb together to form a circle, leaving your other three fingers up in the air. In another country it means the same as our middle finger does. Therefore here it is completely acceptable because we are saying "okay", but if you go to that country and try to tell someone "okay" with your nonverbal signs, you might get a different response, possibly violence. I have not moved around within the country yet, so I have not exactly encountered the regional differences in nonverbal meaning, that I know of. I think the nonverbal communication is so wide that its hard to tell when you actually encounter such a thing unless of course you are telling someone “okay” in a country where it means “f*** you”. I find it interesting that nonverbal messages can be the exact same yet so different in meaning depending on where you are.
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I can see how a harmless hand gesture used in one country that has a specific meaning within their society, can cause offense and problems in another country because the gesture has a totally different meaning there. I was a little stumped on this question when I wrote my blog, but afterwards I remembered about the “hang loose” gesture that Hawaiians use for a friendship greeting, when I lived there. It looks like this: the pinky points out away from the body, thumb up, and the three fingers pointed inward towards the body. This hand gesture used in a specific areas in the Caribbean, means wanting to have “sex” with someone, when it is directed at the person they want to have sex with. This position of the hand can also mean, talking on the phone when held up to the ear, or drinking something when the hand is held just below the mouth, in our country and in others.
ReplyDeleteHA. Well I find it interesting that you chose the "okay" as a topic for question #2. It is also mentioned under the Emblems section in the book and was my interesting topic from the chapter. And after reading Kiki1 comment I cannot help but giggle to myself. I did not know that there were so many meanings for one hand gesture. The “hang loose” hand signal I cautioned myself on though, I recall it being mentioned some time in my past as having sexually suggestive meanings. Just goes to show that we must be very careful about the gestures we put up for others to see because they can lead to unexpected interpretations.
ReplyDeleteYes! I totally agree. I know that in Iran a thumbs up definitely does not have the same meaning as it does here. It kind of has the same meaning as the middle finger. And its funny because when my sister and I were kids and we held our thumb up to each other, my mom would freak out and tell us not. I like your comparison on “okay” and “F*** you”!!!
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