“Body language is a very

powerful tool. We had body

language before we had speech
and apparently, 80% of what
you understand in a
conversation is read through the
body, not the words.”
Deborah Bull

Body language
What is Body
language?
 It uses movements of our body
to show other people what we
 Body language is a form are thinking or feeling
of non verbal
communication
Definitions and Vocabulary
How does body speak?

• Gestures are movements that are made with

Gestures hands, head or face to show a particular
meaning

Facial • Facial expression is one or more motions or positions of the

expressions muscles beneath the skin of the face. It reflect a person’s
emotions, attitude and feelings
and eye • Eye contact is a situation in which two people are looking
contact directly into each other’s eyes.

• Posture is the position in which body

Postures and is being held
Proxemics • Proxemics is the study of how to use
space in communication
Activity

What about this guy,

Is this little guy: Is this woman:
is he:
a) Scared a)Bored
a)Surprised
b) Angry b) Happy
b)Bored
c) Sad C) Sad
c)Sad
The previous images, as we all noticed, were different,
facial expressions, gestures, body movements that gave
out different messages, right?

7 Expressions of Universal Body

Language
Definitions and Vocabulary
Shrug your shoulders Fold your arms

It signals a person who is distant and

When you don’t know what to say defensive ( a person is attempting to
you shrug your shoulders (a “block out” what he/she is hearing
shoulder shrug
gesture)
Definitions and Vocabulary
Clapping your hands
• to show appreciation

Winking
• The wink is a way for people to share in
a joke or to signal sexual interest
 Definitions and Vocabulary

A Beckon Gesture
• we want to encourage or The Head Nod
instruct someone to • in most cultures is used to
approach or follow. It’s signify “Yes” or
usually translated into agreement
“Come here!”
Definitions and Vocabulary

Head shake
Head shake has two speeds
Fast shaking indicates disagreement, the listener
A pat on the back
wants to take over speaking
• It’s a common gesture When head shakes are slow it signifies
signaling “Well done!” incredulousness of what’s being heard
Definitions and Vocabulary

Hands Behind Clasping hands

Back Posture Pointing Finger
Nervousness
Confidence Authority

Clasping Hands is a self-

pacifying gesture. A
person who does this is
uncomfortable, fearful…
 Definitions and Vocabulary
Snap one’s fingers
Keeping one’s
Making a sharp clicking
fingers crossed sound in order to attract
Clench your fist
attention.
To hope strongly that
something will happen It could be a way to
accompany the beat of
music

Curling your fingers up tightly,

usually because you’re very angry
Activity Match the words with their definitions
Vocabulary
SHRUG YOUR SHOLDERS,
FROWN

NOD,
BLINK

BECKON,
YAWN

WINK, GRIN
Body language idioms
pull one's leg joke or tease someone I was just pulling your leg. I'm not
really a police officer.

let one's hair down relax, have fun Go to the cottage and let your hair
down this weekend.

all ears fully listening Give me a minute to finish my work and

then I'll be all ears to hear about your
project.

pull one's leg joke or tease someone I was just pulling your leg. I'm not really
a police officer.
Body language idioms
Keep you on your toes To make someone be alert and
prepared to deal with problems

play it by ear To have no plan and see how

things go

put their foot down To use your authority to stop

something happening

Neck and neck Extremely close

Cultural differences make body language
different
Cultural differences – quiz
True or false?
1. In Bangladesh the thumbs/up sign is an insult
2. You shouldn’t shake a Saudi Arabian woman’s hand upon meeting her.
3. In Japan the OK gesture is considered to be an affront, equivalent to using the middle
finger
4. It is offensive in the Middle East to point at someone with the index finger as if to call
them to come over
5. In China, Sweden and Germany slouching is considered rude and a sign of poor manners
6. A smile always mean the person is happy
7. In some countries nodding the head up and down means “no”
8. In Middle Eastern countries, China, Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and Korea the feet are
considered unclean and showing the heels considered insulting
Cultural differences – quiz
True or false?
9. In Asian cultures, when place the hand up with palm towards someone means “stop”
10. Putting hands on hips is always sign of confidence
11. In some countries eye contact is considered to be offensive
12. Countries such as China and Saudi Arabia require the most amount of personal space
 Answers
 1. Yes, it is considered to be insulting. The thumbs-up gesture is also considered rude in Nigeria and
Sydney, Australia.
 2. Yes, the touching of a Saudi Arabian women’s hand by anyone other than her husband is against
the Sharia Laws and considered immoral
 3. The OK gestures considered offensive in Brazil and most Latin American countries, Germany and
Austria. In France it means “zero” and in Japan it means “money”
 4. Yes, it is also considered an insult to do this in Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Japan, the
Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. If the index finger must be used to call someone, make sure
the palm is down as that is more acceptable
 5. Germany, Sweden, and China consider slouching to not only be rude, but also a sign of poor
manners.
 6. Not always. The Japanese often smile when they are confused, angry, or even embarrassed.
 Answers
 7. True, in Bulgaria and Greece
 8. Middle Eastern countries, China, Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and Korea consider the feet to be dirty
and the heels of the feet should never be shown to another
 9. False. It means to ask permission to speak
 10. In American and Britain, however, in some Asian countries is it seen as a sign of arrogance.
In Mexico, it is seen as a sign of hostility. Putting one’s hand in the pocket in Indonesia is
considered rude
 11. In most western cultures, eye contact is considered a good thing, but in Japan, Latin American
countries, and the Caribbean, direct eye contact is considered disrespectful
 12. false. Americans definitely like their personal space, but Germans and Japanese require even
more. Personal space is not as important to those from China, France, Latin America countries
and Saudi Arabia.