Bodylanguage
Althoughwemaynotrealizeitwhenwetalkwithotherswemakeourselvesunderstoodnotonlybywords.Wesendmessagestothepeoplearoundusalsobyexpressionsandbodymovements.wecallit"bodylanguage",whichisakindofcommunication,noverbalcommunication.Asmileandhandshakeshowwelcome,Wavingone'shandistosay"goodbye",noddingtheheadmeansagreement,whileshakingitmeansdisgreement.Puttingupahandmeans"MayIaskaquestion?".Kissingmeans"love".Wavingone'sarmsshowhappiness.ThesegesturesareacceptedbothbyChineseandAmericansashavingthesamemeanings.
Becausecultureinfluencescommunication.Differentcountryhasdifferentculture.Sothewaypeopleindifferentcountriescommunicateisdifferenttoo.FOREXAMPLE,Arabmanoftengreetbykissingonbothcheeks.InJapanmengreetbybowing.IntheUniteStates,peopleshakehandstoshow"theirgreeting".Andthegestureofputtingahandonaperson'neckisdifferentforChineseandAmericans.ForChinese,itistosay"someonewillbekilled".ForAmericans,itshows"I'mfull”.AndinThailand,Ifyouwanttosignalapersontocomenear,youshouldmovethefingersbackandforthwithpalmdown.ButintheUnitedStates,youasksomeonetocomebyholdingthepalmupandmovingthefingerstowardsourbody.Andcrossingone'slegsintheUnitedStatesisasignofbeingrelaxed.ButinKorea,it'snotallowed.InChinese,peoplehandeverythingwithbothhandstoshowtheirrespect,butforMuslims,theythinkthelefthandisuncleananddonoteatorpasssomethingwithit.
Becauseofspecialcultureinfluencessomecounties,somebodylanguagesshouldattractourattention.InTurkey,puttingone'shandinone'spocketsisasignofdisrespect,InsomeAsicancountries,youmustnottouchtheheadofanotherperson.AndinChina,peopledon'tkissorhugeachother,excepthisherlover.ForanArab,itisagoodmannerstostandclosetohisfriendwhentheyaretalking,butforEnglishpeople,theydon'tliketobeclosetooneanother.AndinpartsofAsia,youmustnotsitwithyourfootpointingatanotherperson.
Allaboveshowthatitisimportanttoknowthemeaningofgesturesandmovementsinforeigncountry,foreignersshouldfollowthesecustoms,shouldlearntheirculture.Sowecancommunicatewiththeminacorrectway,notonlybywords,butalsobybodylanguage.Ithinkthatitisimportantinourlivestoshowandlearnbodylanguage..