Week 7- Discussion 2

Although nonverbal messages are more universal than verbal messages, nonverbals do not always carry the same meanings in other cultures. Can you give examples of some of the nonverbal displays that take on different meanings in other countries? If you have moved around within this country, have you ever encountered regional differences in nonverbal meaning?

Different countries use different forms of nonverbal communication based on aspects of their culture.

I think a very obvious example of nonverbal communications are gestures. Signs that are rude in one culture, may not be rude in another. While signs that are not rude is a culture may actually be rude in another. On interesting example of this is "flipping the bird". My old teacher was British. She said the sign in the U.S. that we know as flipping someone off (I had an image of a middle finger here, but realized it could be appropriate), with the middle finger going up had no meaning in the UK when she was growing up. If you were to do this to someone from the UK, it would have had no meaning, unlike if you did that to someone in the U.S. (it is now more universally understood there then when she was growing up.)

The sign that they would give in the UK to give the same meaning us the American middle finger was this ---> Here we began identifying this as the peace sign in the 1960's. Two very different meanings, based on different cultures.

Studying in Italy I have also learned signs that have significant meaning there, but not to people here. Its actually pretty cool because I can non-verbally tell someone to go to hell, and they have no idea...not that I WOULD or anything :)

Regionally, different areas have their own nonverbal code. This is extremely prevalent for the bay area, especially with the "hyphy" movement. People can "thiz face", and you know they are using bay area facial gestures.

Happy blogging!
ImaginePeace