Opravy

Moreover, in different cultures, the same gesture can convey different meanings, so it is not wrong to say that the bond between gestures and culture is very strong.

For example, in the Western world, sticking out one’s tongue is usually considered offensive, while in Tibet it’s a way of greeting.

It is said that Italians tend to use a lot of gestures when speaking.

It is said that in some telephone boxes abroad you could see a sign: “Italians, please, don’t make any gestures when you speak on the phone”.

Recently, the “finger purse” gesture has become an emoji: fingers are bunched together, the tips touch and point upward, the hand is kept at some distance and normally moves up and down.

A lot of memes have been created with this gesture so that it has become a stereotype generated by the web.

In general it is true that Italians use hands to better express their meanings, but it depends on the person and on the situation.

Usually gestures are reserved for informal or special cases, not for every time a person speaks.

Moreover, a lot of foreign people asked me about the “finger purse” gesture: they don’t even know that it is usually associated with impatience, with sentences like “What do you really want, then?” and is considered to be rude!

What do you think about the topic?

Did you have any interesting experience with gestures in a foreign culture?

Do you know any curious fact?

Please share your views and ideas.