Abstract: “GESTURES”，like language, is also one part of the cultural communication. But not all the same gestures mean the same things among different cultures. Like spoken language, the gestures differ from country to country and one gesture in one country may well mean something quite different or opposite to those things in another country. In some situations, gestures can be particularly troublesome, for a light different in making one gesture itself can mean something quite different from that intended. A wrong interpretation of a gesture may rouse quite unexpected reactions or misunderstandings.This paper analyzes the relation between body language and the gestures.And it tells us the concrete common types of gestures,including the ring gesture, the single finger,the palm gesture,the ear-tug gestures and touching head gesture. It also points out the barriers that affect the popularity of gestures.
Key Words: nonverbal communication; body language; different culture; different meanings
摘要: 手势，和语言一样，也是文化传播的一部分。但并非所有同样的手势在不同的文化领域里表示同样的东西。像口语一样，手势在各个国家都各有不同，一个国家的手势所表示的意思可能和在另一个国家所表示的意思不同甚至是相反的。在某些情况下，一个手势本身就能够表示不同的意思。如果对一个手势理解错了，就会引起意想不到的反应或者误会。本文分析了身体语言和手势语之间的关系，告诉我们一些常用的手势语的种类，包括环状手势，单个手指，手掌，拉耳朵，摸头等手势。本文也指出了影响手势语传播的一些障碍。
关键词: 非语言沟通；身体语言；异国文化；不同含义
The study of gestures should be complementary to the study of language. The understanding if the gesture should be helpful to the further understanding of the meanings of language. Some professors such as Trompenaars, F.and Hampden-Turner, C. have stated that the gestures and the language are dependent on each other.
It is certainly true in most situations. But in certain situations it is also true that the gesture contradicts with what is said, just as the spoken words may mean something quite different from what the body language communicate. When this situation occurs, people should try to get further information, or guess the true meanings of the speaker through his or her body movements, facial expressions, or through eye contact with the speaker. In a sense, all gestures should be interpreted within some give context. Ignoring the given context could be misleading. As to the exact meaning of the world people can guess it form the contradicts with what is said by the speaker, people can still get the true message by other means such as the tone of the speakers.
