Body Language

Over 50% of the way we communicate involves our body language. It's not so often the words we say that explains how we feel, but the gestures, facial expressions and tone that do.

Nobody likes being misunderstood. And after having spent years of our childhood learning our own mother-tongue, it makes it especially frustrating when people don't seem to "get" us when we try and communicate in another language. Understanding a culture's body language is crucial to understanding the people. We'll go into the basics of body language here, but also what some cultures interpret by certain things we do, which we may never have imagined. And why does that matter? Well, when learning another language, care must also be taken to abide by certain cultural rules in order not to offend. This takes us into the realm of body language.

Greetings

Western

In most Western lands the common greeting is a handshake. What can one tell by the handshake? A strong handshake indicates that the person has confidence. If the person's palm is facing down and/or the person carries on the handshake for longer than you would like it may also indicate dominance or superiority. So unless you would like the person to think that of you, perhaps the best handshake would be a firm(not too much) with your palm out to the side. A man with a weak handshake is seldom respected.

Variations on the handshake could be that while shaking, one person puts their free hand over the other's hand. This shows dominance but also warmth and the person's being pleased, for the most part.

Other common greetings are a high-five, or clenched fists that meet together.

When far apart, people may use a wave to say "hello" from afar, simply with the palm facing forward and waving the hand from side to side.

Eastern

In Europe and Eastern lands it is much more common to embrace and say "hello" with a kiss on the cheek, or two, or three. A handshake in these countries may be considered cold, although in formal situations it has become more the norm.

In Oriental a bow is common, but verying degrees are also expected, depending on who you are bowing to and how much respect you are to show them.

South American

In Southern countries it is common aswell to greet or say farewell by embracing or exchanging kisses on the cheek.

African

Handshakes are also common but in South Africa for example it is common for two black people to also slip their free hands around the thumb of the other person. It is not typical for a white person to do this. And in Nigeria, between the men, they often snap each other's fingers as the hands are released from the handshake.

More on body language coming soon!

Help Others Live & Learn

Have you read any books or watched any DVDs on body language? If so we'd love to hear about them. Were they useful? Has putting into practise what you learnt helped you?

Please e-mail us your findings using the form below, and help other Live & Learn too.