Body language makes up the largest part of our non-verbal

communication - eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions can convey

powerful messages. As William Shakespeare said in Troilus and Cressida -
‘There’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip’. However, there are
substantial cultural differences in how people use body language to
communicate. Sometimes it is very obvious, many times very subtle. Whether
in a culturally diverse company or visiting emerging markets, understanding
what people mean through their body language can be a challenge. In the
event that you are going to another nation, ensure you have gotten your work
done. You have looked for lodgings, you know the estimation of the money,
you have checked the environment. You even concentrated how to check to
ten. That is the simplest stuff. How would you keep away from those pit
openings of culpable individuals accidentally? It is so natural to say
something, signal somehow or another, or say something that is ordinary in
your way of life that will shock or insult or befuddle individuals you are
visiting.
Good examples of cultural differences in body language are the use
of eye contact, how far apart people should be when they are talking
(proxemics) and the amount of physical contact that is preferred between
people. Here are a few examples to help explain. HOW MUCH EYE CONTACT?
Used a lot in regions such as the Middle East, Mediterranean cultures,
Europeans and Latin Americans. Used often in much of Northern Europe and
North America. Used somewhat carefully in cultures in Africa, Middle East,
Korea and Thailand. Used carefully in most of the Far East. HOW CLOSE AND
HOW MUCH PHYSICAL CONTACT? ‘High Contact’ Cultures tend to stand close
when speaking and make physical contact more often. Latin America,
Southern Europe and most Middle Eastern nations are examples.

‘Medium Contact’ Cultures stand quite close when speaking and will touch
on occasion. Such cultures include Northern Europe and North America. ‘Low
Contact’ Cultures stand at a greater distance and generally avoid physical
contact. The Far East is an example.In a great many countries throughout the
world, it is an insult to use the left hand for giving or for eating. The left hand
is reserved for hygiene and is therefore considered unclean. Here in the
Philippines, that is not applicable because there are right-handed people and
also left-handed people. So, left-handed people tend to use their left hand
most often in most activities they do, even in eating and giving. In the
Philippines, the gesture is not considered as an insult. We use gestures as a
way to emphasize points and illustrate what we are saying. Hand gestures can
mean very different things in different cultures; the ‘OK’ sign in Greece, Spain
or Brazil means you are calling someone an a**hole. In Turkey, it’s meant to
be an insult towards gay people. That In regions, such as the Middle East in
Asia, it is an insult to allow the sole of the foot or shoe to face another person
since that is considered the dirtiest part of the body. In our country, raising
your foot while sitting is considered to be normal and just part of the norm
especially when you are at your own house or when you are at your friend’s
house. However, it is not a good sight for a girl to do the gesture while for a
boy, it seems to be normal.

In many countries around the world, giving a thumbs up sign is an

obscene gesture. Avoid that wherever you are unless you are sure it is
acceptable. In the Philippines, thumbs up is a sign of approval. When you do
a thumbs up, it means that you are in favor of the thing and you like it. In
Japan, it is considered disgusting to blow your nose and put the handkerchief
back in your pocket. Even blowing your nose in public is frowned upon. When
having a runny nose, use a paper tissue and throw it away. In our country,
people do blow their nose in public using a handkerchief or a tissue paper and
people around them just don’t mind because they are aware they are having
a runny nose. So you thought, because you speak English, you knew all about
speaking up in America and European cultures is an indicator of a job well
done, however in A thumbs Greece or the Middle East, it can mean ‘up yours’
Curling the index finger with the palm facing up is a common gesture
people in the United States and parts of Europe use to beckon someone to
come closer. However, it is considered rude in China, East Asia, Malaysia,
Singapore, the Philippines, and many other parts of the world. It’s also
considered extremely impolite to use this gesture with people. It is used only
to beckon dogs in many Asian countries - and using it in the Philippines can
get you arrested correctly in Australia. Well, down under an entrée is an
appetizer not a main course. If you are foreign in the country, do not laugh or
seem to be amazed by someone who grew up there because the joke might
be turned back to you or simply just do not be a know-it-all kind of person. In
Mexico, and many other places, it is typical for a conversation to occur
between 2 people close together. It is unfriendly to back away. In the
Philippines, it is normal for two people talking to be close with one another
especially when they are friends. But when they are not, there is a distance
or gap because it might cause awkwardness when they are too close with one
another for no reason. In Bulgaria, a shake of the head means yes and a nod
means no. Who knows if this is also true in other parts of Eastern Europe and
the Middle East. Here in the Philippines, a shake of the head means no and a
nod means yes, which is completely opposite with their gestures in Bulgaria.
So it is important to be mindful to not offend anyone in foreign countries.

In the Netherlands, it is considered rude to chew gum while having

a conversation. Better to leave gum at home. In the Philippines, it is
considered rude to chew gum while having classes, for most schools. Teachers
just don’t tolerate the behavior. In Nepal, and other areas in South Asia,
people treat books with great respect. You do not throw a book around
carelessly, put a book on the ground, step over it, mark on it, or in any other
way to handle it roughly. In our country, a book is important but there is no
rule that it should not be thrown nor stepped on, nor marked, because
sometimes people, especially students need to write on them.
In China, it is considered an insult to take someone’s business card and put it
in your back pocket. It is much safer to put it in a case or your front pocket. In
our country, there is what we call “pouch” or “wallet” where business cards
are kept. It is also considered bad luck to put your chopsticks anywhere but,
on the table, or on a chopstick rest in China. In the Philippines, there is no
such rule or belief. In England, washing up means to do the dishes not to wash
your hands. In the Philippines, it is a norm to wash hands before eating as a
sign of proper hygiene and washing up means washing hands not doing the
dishes. Even in places you thought you understood everything, language is
tricky. The study of body language should be complementary to language
learning because it serves to deepen or promote the understanding of the
culture. Some authorities feel that the two are dependent on each other. In a
word, all body languages should beinterpreted within a given context to
eliminate the situation that would be otherwise misleading. Thanks to the
means of modern transportation and communication, the world is getting
smaller and smaller. People from different cultures have more and more
chances to communicate with each other. But the cultural exchanges as well
as the cultural shocks of our body language become more and more severe
and inevitable. So, in order to communicate effectively in a foreign language,
one should also know the different gestures, body movements, mannerisms
and so on that accompany a particular language. When we communicate in a
certain language, it is advisable to use the nonverbal behavior that goes with
the particular language. A truly bilingual person switches his body language
at the same time he switches language. This makes communication easier and
better.

Reference/s:
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haohj1sVnyk
● CG. (2016). Cultural Differences in Body Language. Retrieved on February
15, 2021 from https://www.commisceo-global.com/blog/cultural-
differences-in- body-language
● Thompson. S. (2017). Cultural Differences in Body Language to be Aware
of. Retrieved on February 15, 2021 from
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/cultural- differences-in-body-language
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)