Question

Gestures are symbols. Gestures that mean one thing in one part of the world may have a completely different meaning in another part of the world. A completely different gesture may be used in a different country to convey the same meaning. Can you give an example where a gesture has more than one meaning or where a meaning needs a different gesture depending on the country?

Answer 1

• Hand gestures are something which hold different meanings in different cultures.The thumbs up sign in most American and European cultures meaning things are going according to your plans or something you approve of. However, the going good sign translates into a rude and offensive gesture in Islamic and Asian countries. In Australia, it means OK, but if you move it up and down, it is considered as a grave insult.
• When one raises the hand up with the palm facing towards the opposite person, it means to stop in America and British countries. In a stop sign, the hand is tilted forward. This means the person is in an authoritative figure and asking one to Stop. If the fingers are pushing down, it will indicate that the gesture is indicated for the person to sit down or settle.
• This is not a defensive hand gesture and is in fact a gesture to take control over the person it is intended for. If you were to use this sign in Singapore or Malaysia, it would mean that one is trying to hail someones attention like a waiter or asking for permission to speak.