Unit 4 Body Language

The significance of nonverbal communication can’t be ignored. Appropriate gestures can be very useful for interaction.

By comparison with verbal communication£¬ body language is more genuine because it can reveal our internal thoughts and feelings. But body language is not always reliable. People may adjust their expressions to hide their true feelings. For example£¬ a fake smile can be employed to hide feelings like being ashamed or embarrassed. Therefore£¬ we should distinguish real feelings from body language wewitness with care.

Generally£¬ body language is universal. For example£¬ a sincere smile can break down language barriers£¬ but some gestures vary from culture to culture. To greet others£¬ some may shake hands or bow from the waist while others favour kissing people on the cheek. Besides£¬ an identical gesture may demonstrate different meanings. For example£¬ thumbs up£¬ the widely recognized sign to approve£¬ is actually interpreted as highly offensive in certain countries. To avoid conflicts£¬ we must learn about the gestures before we call on somebody in a new place.