Lesson 5 Body Language
In this lesson you learn words and phrases denoting gestures, then some movements of the body and their meaning, and then you study the importance of body language for the speaker.
Glossary:
Verbal / non-verbal behaviour
Exercise 1. Body parts and their meaning:
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Head |
Forehead |
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Eyebrow |
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Tip of the nose |
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Bridge of the nose |
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Chin |
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Body |
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Arms |
Shoulders |
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Elbow |
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Hands |
Palm |
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Fist |
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Fingers |
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Thumb |
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Index finger |
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Legs |
Knees |
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Exercise 2. Some gestures and their meaning.
It is important to understand what your interlocutor feels, and also to realize what message you are giving to him non-verbally. Match some non-verbal signs and their meaning:
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Non-verbal signs:
Meaning:
Hand open, palm up
Sincerity, openness, sympathy
The jacket is unbuttoned or off
Hands hidden (behind the back, in the pockets)
Awareness of one’s guilt or of the general tension
Arms crossed on the chest
Fingers balled in a fist or clutching hard at smth
Defense, resistance
Hand relaxed
Sitting at the edge of the chair, leaning forward
Interest, attention
Head tilted to the side
Rubbing the chin (sometimes also screwing up the eyes)
Doubt, distrust
Palm cups the chin
Slow walking about the room
Lying
Pinching the bridge of the nose
Putting the hand over the mouth while talking
Calmness
Putting the hand over the mouth while listening
Avoiding eye contact
Thinking over a difficult decision
Looking to the side
Lightly touching the nose or the eyelid (usually with the long finger) when talking
Desire to leave
Lightly touching the nose, the ear or the eyelid while listening
Secretiveness, concealing one’s position
Feet or whole body directed at the exit
Watch video 1 and fill in the table:
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Watch video 2 and summarize the contents.
Cultural note. Non-verbal behavior.
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1) A fist with the thumb sticking up in the US, Australia and New Zealand may have three meanings:
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2) Slapping himself across the forehead, a Briton shows he is pleased with himself.
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3) For an American refusing to speak with the person who is in the same room with you is very rude. In Britain it is common practice (the British value privacy and personal space very much). 4) An American wanting to be alone goes to his room and closes the door. Using space as a barrier is not customary for the British, so in such a situation a Briton will get worried what has happened.
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5) Americans talk loudly to show that they sympathize with you and that they have nothing to hide. The British take this as intonational aggression. The British themselves talk loudly enough for one person to hear. The Americans call this “whispering”. It may cause distrust, especially during business talks.
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HOME ASSIGNMENT:
1) Get ready for a quiz on words denoting parts of the body and gestures.
2) Read about gestures: http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2007/09/24/top-10-hand-gestures/
3) Text “20 Body Language Facts”
4) Text “Visual Impact”
5) Ears and eyes Dictionary Quiz (look up in the dictionary)
1 What’s an eardrum?
2 Which is correct: lend an ear or lend an eye?
3 If you keep an eye on someone, how do you feel about them?
4 What do you do if you play something by ear?
5 What’s the difference between an eyeful and an earful?
6 If something is very noisy is it ear-bashing or ear-splitting?
7 What’s the difference between an eyebrow and an eyeball?
8 If you are out on your ear, what does it mean?
9 If something catches your eye, do you like the look of it?
10 Does someone who is all ears have big ears?
11 If you don’t see eye to eye with someone, do you agree with them?