Lead-In
Look at the saying below. What does it mean? Do you agree with it? Why/Why not?
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
High Five!
Listen and read.
If you travel in a country where you cannot speak the local[explanation: local [ˈləʊk(ə)l] – kohalik elanik; kohalik ] language[explanation: language [ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ] – keel], you will automatically[explanation: automatically [ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk(ə)li] – automaatselt] try to use your hands to communicate[explanation: communicate [kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt] – suhtlema] with locals. For example, you might want to give the good old thumbs up[explanation: thumbs up [θʌmz ʌp] – pöidlad püsti] to your American friends. Americans will think that you are saying “That’s great!”, but there are some countries in the world where this means[explanation: mean*, meant, meant [miːn, ment, ment] – tähendama, silmas pidama] something very rude[explanation: rude [ruːd] – tahumatu, jäme]. Make sure[explanation: make* sure [meɪk ʃɔː(r)] – veenduma, kindlaks tegema ] that you check[explanation: check [tʃek] – kontrollima] the significance[explanation: significance [sɪɡˈnɪfɪk(ə)ns] – siin: tähendus] of some common[explanation: common [ˈkɒmən] – tavaline] hand gestures[explanation: gesture [ˈdʒestʃə(r)] – žest, liigutus] before you try to say that everything[explanation: everything [ˈevriθɪŋ] – kõik] is “A-OK[explanation: A-OK [ˌeɪəʊˈkeɪ] – parimas korras, priima]”!
A waiter[explanation: waiter [ˈweɪtə(r)] – kelner] in a restaurant in the south[explanation: south [saʊθ] – lõuna, lõuna-] of France is asking you what you think of the onion soup[explanation: onion soup [ˌʌnjən ˈsuːp] – sibulasupp] you are eating, and you do the A-OK sign[explanation: sign [saɪn] – märk, viibe] by holding your thumb[explanation: thumb [θʌm] – pöial] and your forefinger[explanation: forefinger [ˈfɔːˌfɪŋɡə(r)] – nimetissõrm] together in the shape[explanation: shape [ʃeɪp] – kujund, vorm] of a circle[explanation: circle [ˈsɜːk(ə)l] – ring].
What you think you are saying: “This soupe à l’oignon is delicious[explanation: delicious [dɪˈlɪʃəs] – hõrk, maitsev]!”
What you are actually[explanation: actually [ˈæktʃuəli] – tegelikult] saying: “Even[explanation: even [ˈiːv(ə)n] – isegi] my cat eats better food than this. Bring me something edible[explanation: edible [ˈedəb(ə)l] – söödav], please!”
TIP[explanation: tip [tɪp] – siin: vihje]
If you do the A-OK sign in some parts of France, Germany or Belgium, people will understand that you want to say that something is worthless[explanation: worthless [ˈwɜːθləs] – väärtusetu; ebaoluline]. The A-OK sign there means “zero”.
You are playing beach volleyball[explanation: beach volleyball [ˌbiːtʃ ˈvɒlibɔːl] – rannavõrkpall] with your Greek[explanation: Greek [ɡriːk] – Kreeka] friends, and you try to high-five[explanation: high-five [ˌhaɪ ˈfaɪv] – viit viskama] a team member[explanation: team member [ˈtiːm ˌmembə(r)] – meeskonnaliige] after she scores[explanation: score [skɔː(r)] – siin: punkte saama ] a point[explanation: point [pɔɪnt] – punkt].
What you think you are saying: “Well played!”
What you are actually saying: “Curse you![explanation: Curse you! [kɜːs jʊ] – Ole sa neetud!] If I don’t get the ball more often, I’ll leave the game!”
TIP
In Greece, if you hold[explanation: hold* out [həʊld aʊt] – ulatama] your hand out and spread[explanation: spread*, spread, spread [spred, spred, spred] – siin: välja sirutama] your fingers[explanation: finger [ˈfɪŋɡə(r)] – sõrm], you are doing a sign called “moutza”. It is a very insulting[explanation: insulting [ɪnˈsʌltɪŋ] – solvav] gesture in Greece and several[explanation: several [ˈsev(ə)r(ə)l] – mitu] other countries.
You order[explanation: order [ˈɔːdə(r)] – tellima] four lemonades[explanation: lemonade [ˌleməˈneɪd] – limonaad] for yourself and your friends in a café[explanation: café [ˈkæfeɪ] – kohvik] in Japan by holding[explanation: hold*, held, held [həʊld, held, held] – hoidma] your thumb against[explanation: against [əˈɡenst], [əˈɡeɪnst] – vastu (eessõna)] your palm[explanation: palm [pɑːm] – peopesa] and showing[explanation: show*, showed, shown [ʃəʊ, ʃəʊd, ʃəʊn] – näitama ] your four other fingers to the waiter.
What you think you are saying: “Four lemonades, please!”
What you are actually saying: “One lemonade, please!”
TIP
If you want to show the number four with your hand in Japan, you should hold your little finger[explanation: little finger [ˌlɪt(ə)l ˈfɪŋɡə(r)] – väike sõrm] upwards[explanation: upwards (BrE) [ˈʌpwədz] – ülesse suunatud, ülespoole] and keep all your other fingers down.
If you want to show the number five, hold your fist[explanation: fist [fɪst] – rusikas] upwards and hide[explanation: hide*, hid,
hidden [haɪd, hɪd, ˈhɪd(ə)n] – peitma, varjama
] your thumb under your four other fingers.
You are in a bus in Malaysia, and you notice[explanation: notice [ˈnəʊtɪs] – märkama] that somebody is running towards[explanation: towards (BrE) [təˈwɔːdz], [twɔːdz] – suunas, poole, vastu (eessõna)] the bus doors just before they close. You hold the back of your hand[explanation: the back of someone’s hand [ðə bæk əv ˈsʌmwʌnz hænd] – kellegi käeselg] towards the person with your fingers up, and then you move[explanation: move [muːv] – siin: liigutama; liikuma; kolima] your fingers repeatedly[explanation: repeatedly [rɪˈpiːtɪdli] – korduvalt] towards yourself.
What you think you are saying: “Hurry up[explanation: hurry up [ˈhʌri ʌp] – kiirustama], the bus doors are going to close!”
What you are actually saying: “Come here, little doggie[explanation: doggie [ˈdɒɡi] – kutsa]! I want to give you a biscuit[explanation: biscuit (BrE) [ˈbɪskɪt] – küpsis].”
TIP
The beckoning[explanation: beckon [ˈbek(ə)n] – viipama, sõrmega kutsuma] sign is only for dogs or other animals in Malaysia and many other Asian[explanation: Asian [ˈeɪʒ(ə)n] – Aasia] countries. If you want to tell someone to come towards you, extend[explanation: extend [ɪkˈstend] – siin: sirutama, ulatama ] your arm[explanation: arm [ɑːm] – käsivars] and keep your palm downwards[explanation: downwards (BrE) [ˈdaʊnwədz] – allapoole ], and wave[explanation: wave [weɪv] – lehvitama] your hand towards you.
- Giving the thumbs up means something positive in the US.
- True
- False
- The thumbs-up gesture means the same thing in every country.
- True
- False
- You make the A-OK sign with your thumb and your little finger.
- True
- False
- It is not only in France that the A-OK sign has a negative meaning.
- True
- False
Exercise 2
Choose the correct answer.
Who? | What? | Which? | When? |
Where? | Why? | How? |
Discuss!
In addition to avoiding offending[explanation: offend [əˈfend] – solvama] people by accident[explanation: by accident [baɪ ˈæksɪd(ə)nt] – kogemata, juhuslikult], what are some other benefits of knowing hand gestures and their meaning in local cultures?
Have you that some people wear a lot of rings on their fingers? There are things you can learn about people if you study their hands. For , a ring on the middle finger means that you’re strong and responsible. Wearing a ring on your little is usually a of intelligence. If you wear a ring on your , you want to show others that you have a lot of power. The finger is a good choice for a class ring or a family ring.
- extend
- notice
- score
- mean
- stretch
- spot
- win
- signify
Time to Talk
Pairwork 1
How are the following words connected with the text? In turns, explain the connection to each other in English.
locals
rude
edible
worthless
insulting
fist
beckoning
palm
Pairwork 2
Show one of the expressions below using gestures. Then your partner tries to guess which phrase you had in mind. Switch roles.
- “It’s okay.”
- “Go away!”
- “I don’t know.”
- “There’s none.”
- “Go ahead!”
- “Good luck!”
- “Come here.”
- “I’m hungry.”
- “I agree.”
- “Follow me.”
Find someone who ... | Name(s): |
uses the thumbs-up gesture quite often. | |
already knew that the A-OK sign is impolite in France. | |
high-fives their friend(s) when they succeed at something. | |
has had a misunderstanding because of a hand gesture before. |
Go Online
Find out about the following:
- What head gesture means “no” in Bulgaria?
- In New Zealand, what does the hongi greeting look like?
- What should you remember about eye contact when talking to a Japanese?
