Nonverbal Communication 美国人的肢体语言 （ 3 ）

When Americans are talking, they expect others to respond to what they are saying. To Americans, polite conversationalists empathize by displaying expressions of excitement or disgust, shock or sadness. People with a "poker face," whose emotions are hidden by a deadpan expression, are looked upon with suspicion. Americans also indicate their attentiveness in a conversation by raising their eyebrows, nodding, smiling politely and maintaining good eye contact. Whereas some cultures view direct eye contact as impolite or threatening, Americans see it as a sign of genuineness and honesty. If a person doesn't look you in the eye, Americans might say you should question his motives-or assume that he doesn't like you. Yet with all the concern for eye contact, Americans still consider staring-especially at strangers-to be rude.

当美国人在谈话时，他们期望别人对其所讲的有所响应。对他们来说，有礼貌的谈话者应该靠着表示出惊喜、讨厌、吃惊或悲哀的表情来与别人心领神会。那种带着一张「扑克脸孔」的人，他的情绪隐藏于毫无表情的面容下，会被别人以怀疑的眼光看待。美国人在谈话中也会以扬眉、点头、有礼貌的微笑以及保持适度的目光接触来表示他们的注意。然而某些文化的人认为直接的凝视是不礼貌而具有威胁感的；美国人认为这是一个真挚诚恳的表征。假如一个人不用正眼看你，美国人可能会觉得，你应该要对他的动机起疑，或者假设他不喜欢你。即使目光接触有其利害关系，美国人也是认为瞪着眼睛看人--特别是对陌生人--是不礼貌的。

Considering the influence of nonverbal communication, we never really stop communicating. How we walk, how we stand, how we use our hands, how we position our bodies, how we show emotions-all send a message to others. That's why it's possible, as the saying goes, to "read someone like a book." And if you read the person right, as the boy and girl in the crowded room later discovered, it just might turn into a love story.

想到非语言沟通的影响范围，我们其实从未真的停止沟通过。我们如何走路、站立、如何用双手、如何举手投足、如何表现情绪，都发送出一个讯息。这也就是为什么可以做到像俗语所说的：「看一个人像读一本书一样。」假如你看懂了一个人，就像在那拥挤房间中的男孩及女孩后来发现的一样，也许就会变成一个爱的故事。

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