Nonverbal Communication 美国人的肢体语言 （ 2 ）

Gestures comprise a major form of nonverbal communication. In contrast to sign language, used by deaf people to communicate elaborate messages, gestures function as visual icons which represent a single idea. But often these gestures are embarrassingly culture-bound. For example, when the Maoris of New Zealand stick out their tongue at someone, it is a sign of respect. When American schoolchildren make the same gesture, it means just the opposite. Also, Americans often indicate "OK" with their thumb and forefinger touching to form a circle. The same gesture means "money" to the Japanese, "zero" to the French and a vulgarity to Brazilians. For that reason, people in a foreign culture must use gestures with caution.

手势是非语言传达中很重要的一环。与聋人用来沟通复杂讯息所使用的手语不同的是，手势的功能就像是视觉上的图像，它代表的是单一的意念。而往往这些手势极受文化限制，甚至造成尴尬的误解。例如，当纽西兰的毛利人对某人伸舌头，这是尊敬的表象。当美国学童作同样的动作时，它表达的意思正好相反。还有，美国人通常用大拇指及食指环绕起一个圆圈表示「没问题」。同样的手势对日本人是「钱」的意思，对法国人是「零」的意思，对巴西人是极低俗的手势。因此，处在外国文化中的人必须小心地使用手势。

Another cultural aspect of nonverbal communication is one that you might not think about: space. Every person perceives himself to have a sort of invisible shield surrounding his physical body. When someone comes too close, he feels uncomfortable. When he bumps into someone, he feels obligated to apologize. But the size of a person's "comfort zone" varies, depending on his cultural or ethnic origin. For example, in casual conversation, many Americans stand about four feet apart. In other words, they like to keep each other "at arm's length." People in Latin or Arab cultures, in contrast, stand very close to each other, and touch each other often. If someone from one of those cultures stands too close to an American while in conversation, the American may feel uncomfortable and back away.

另一个非语言沟通的文化层面可能是你不会想到的东西：空间距离。每一个人都会假想在自己身体四周有一种隐形的盾牌。当有人太靠近时，他会觉得不舒服。而当他不小心撞到别人时，他会觉得非道歉不可。但是每个人的「舒服区」的大小各有不同，这与其文化或种族有关。例如，在闲谈时，许多美国人维持着大约四呎远的距离。也就是说，他们喜欢让彼此保持一只手臂的距离。而相反的，拉丁或是阿拉伯文化的人，彼此站得很近，他常互相碰触。假如一个来自于这些文化的人在谈话时站得太靠近美国人，那个美国人会觉得不舒服，而退后一步。

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