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Communicate through signs
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Signs and gestures, so vital in communication, may have different connotations in different lands. So, beware and use them appropriately.
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SIGNS AND gestures play a vital role in communication. Man sometimes, depending on the occasion, mood and fancy prefers to dance to the tune of his thoughts, thereby adding emphasis to what he has to say. Accordingly certain standard gestures have been adopted and practised to convey particular messages. Such gestures and signs comprising of hand signals, head movements and body postures are said to invest words with more meaning and create a better impression.
Certain signs are universally understood and convey the same meaning all over the world. Waving the raised arm to say goodbye is common to all cultures, though the exaggerated bows of greeting are confined to Japanese tradition only. However, sometimes the same sign means different to different races. If you are planning for a world tour beware, for you might land yourself in a hot spot as some of these signs are notorious for its divergences and contradictions.
The handshake is a common sign of greeting in organisational life. In the United States of America and in most parts of Europe a firm handshake is associated with assurance and sincerity, while in the Indian sub-continent a limp handshake serves the purpose, thereby representing a different perception of what is positive.
Cultural differences can sometimes lead to the wrong conclusions. American men usually sit with their legs apart or in the four cross pattern. European males, out of decorum, generally sit by crossing one leg over the other, which is considered effeminate by men in the U.S. Pointing at somebody with your forefinger is considered rude all over.
However, making a circle with your thumb and forefinger is perhaps a gesture breaking all records for the number of meanings it conveys. In India, if done with spirit it means great. In the U.S. and the U.K. it means okay. In Brazil it is an insult, in Japan it is money, while in France it means zero.
You must be crazy. In India, to indicate this, the forefinger is screwed into the side of the head.
Subtle variations are noted among different cultures. In most parts of Europe, tapping the temple indicates this, whereas the Dutch tap the centre of the forehead.
Thumbs up, is naturally assumed to convey something is okay or fine, but it isn't. In Australia if made with a jerk it is obscene. In Nigeria also it is considered rude, while in in means one please when you order drinks.
The V- sign, indicating encouragement and victory in India, is an insult in most other parts and if you are planning to set foot in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia or Iran, watch out because the head nod, which usually indicates yes, often means no.
HEMJIT BHARATHAN
Illustrations: Devaran
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