Intercultural Communication

and Body Language

Presented by: KADDARI Ibrahim Elkhalil

ALI MOUSSA Yassine

BOUALEM Fethi

Lecture Plan

1) What is communication and intercultural communication?

2) Nonverbal communication

3) Gestures used in different cultures and their meaning.

Communication

Communication is the activity or process of giving information to other people or living things.

M. Kovyazina Comparative Culturology Lectures, Tyumen State University, 2004-2009

Intercultural Communication focuses on differences in language and

behavior patterns

the theory of intercultural communication encourages the understanding of the differences between two speakers from unique national cultures

Intercultural Verbal Communication Advice

Speak slowly Repeat as necessary Be sincere and empathetic Keep it simple and short Show and demonstrate by using

examples /illustrations

Intercultural Verbal Communication Advice

Check the other person's understanding by asking, “What do you understand?” not “Do you understand?”

Be patient, use encouragement and praise sincerely

Watch for body language cues to understand real meaning in communication

Communication

Verbal(words)

Non-verbal(gestures, glances, changes in the tone

of voice, etc. )(= paralanguage)

Nonverbal communication is studied by:

1. Proxemics /pr k si m ks/ɒ ˈ ː ɪ

2. Haptics / hæpt ks/ˈ ɪ

3. Oculesics / kj lis ks/ˈɒ ʊ ɪ

4. Kinesics /ka ni s ks/ɪ ˈ ː ɪ

Proxemics –The study of the spaces that people feel it necessary to set between themselves and others as they vary in different social settings, or between different social groups or cultures

(the study of space in interpersonal relationships)

comfortable interaction distance (comfort zone)

Average comfortable distances

Distance between faces  Tone of voice Type of message

  very close (7-15 cm) soft whisper   top secret or sensual

  close (20-30 cm) audible whisper   very confidential

  neutral (50 cm-1 m)soft voice, low 

volume    personal subject matter

  neutral (1.3 m-1.5 m) full voice   non-personal information  

  across the room           (2.5 m-6 m)

loud voice   talking to a group

  stretching the limits  (6 m-7m indoors and  up to 30 m outdoors)

loud hailing voice    departures and arrivals

Proxemics –organization of space 

Western offices Japanese offices

Haptics –Pertaining to, or relating to the sense of touch or 

tactile sensations.(the study of touch)

Low-contactcultures

High-contactcultures

North Americans, the British, 

China, Japan

Italians, the French, Russians, 

Arabs and Latin Americans 

Oculesics –the study of the use of the eyes in 

interpersonal communication  (connected with the eye as a bodily organ)

In China and Japan people avoid looking at each other in public places 

or in a crowd. 

Oculesics –the study of the use of the eyes in 

interpersonal communication  

Oculesics –the study of the use of the eyes in 

interpersonal communication  

Asians, Puerto Ricans, West Indians, African Americans and Native Americans consider a 

direct eye contact to be rude, or disrespectful, or intimidating, while 

Europeans find it a sign of openness and honesty.

Kinesics –The study of those body movements and gestures by which, as well as by speech, communication is made; body movements and gestures which convey meaning non-vocally.

(the study of bodily movements and facial expressions)

Gestures

instinctive

coded

acquired

Instinctive gestureswe do them unconsciously

“I’m happy!”

“I’m sad…”

Universal hand gestures

MEANING HAND GESTURE

“I am hungry.” Patting the stomach with the hands

“I am cold”, or it's cozy.

Rubbing the hands together.

Coded / technical gestures – hand signals used by TV directors, gestures of referees or brokers in the stock market

Acquired gestures – socially generated

Facial expressions and head gestures

• The “ultimate gesture”

• Yes / No gestures

Hand and arm gestures

• "O.K." gesture

• Victory/Peace sign

Hand and arm gestures

• finger beckoning

• upraised hand

Hand and arm gestures

• touching a child on the top of the head

• point at an object • placing your hand behind your

head

Hand and arm gestures

• linking your pinky with someone else's pinky

Hand and arm gestures

• “Good luck” gesture

• “Crazy” sign

Trunk and leg indications

• pointing the sole of your shoe toward someone

• bowing

International Gestures QuizInternational Gestures Quiz

Look at the pictures showing gestures and guess their meaning (some

gestures have more than one meaning)

THANK YOU FOR

YOUR ATTENTION