In last week’s class, we discussed the importance of nonverbal communication, specifically with regard to physical involvement in speech. It was gratifying to illuminate an aspect of public communication that we so rarely think about consciously. I had a good deal to write about in the blog for this week, but I think this video sums up everything that needs to be said about nonverbal communication.
Instead, I’d like to briefly talk about the importance of hand gestures and other methods of nonverbal communication in the context of communicating in multiple languages. One added benefit of proper movement and gesticulation is that it makes the audience feel more comfortable with the words being spoken, and by extension, the topic being discussed. Hand motions at the correct times indicate that the speaker is not just aware of the point they’re making, but also the effect of each individual word. It’s always easiest to do this when one is speaking their first language, since they have an innate reflexive understanding of it. To effectively do so with an acquired language takes a great deal of exposure to speakers of that language, and it indicates a high degree of instinctive comprehension. When native speakers of that language recognize familiar movements, they will feel less alienated from the speaker’s point of view, and will have less trouble accepting the speaker’s argument.
To speak effectively in a foreign language, mastery of local body language must be achieved. It indicates that one’s understanding of the language and culture extends beyond a mere academic level. The speaker is psychologically granted more authority by the audience, on the basis of shared cultural experience.
So to sum it up, Africa is a mixture of people of different sizes and shapes...
Perry Landesberg
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comment by Tallia Deljou:
ReplyDeletePerry, I think you bring up a very important point when you say that movement and gestures that accompany verbal communication make the listeners/ audience feel more comfortable with the words being spoken. Nonverbal communication not only conveys a sense of familiarity to the audience (familiar movements), but they also emphasize the speaker's point and reinforce the verbal aspect of communication. You mention that when native speakers recognize familiar movements in a speech, for example, they feel less alienated from the speaker’s point of view; furthermore, they have less trouble accepting the speaker’s argument. When I was watching President Ahmadinejad's speech to the UN, I was hearing the farsi in the background and the english translation at the same time. It was interesting to watch his movements and gestures with the english translation; they did not fit together, which might have made it difficult for an American audience to fully comprehend what he was saying.