BODY LANGUAGE

by Don L. F. Nilsen and

Alleen Pace Nilsen

Doppelgangers: The Evil Eye

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Contrast sign language and finger
spelling.
Iconic Sign Language: Male-Female,
Past-Future, Hand shape, Location,
Movement, Palm Orientation, Finger
Spelling
3

American Sign Language:

Finger Spelling vs. Signing

NELSON MANDELA FUNERAL FAKE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER:

http
://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nelson-mandela/10510604/Fakesign-language-interpreter-signs-along-to-tributes-from-Nelson-Mande
las-grandchildren.html

In Flags: The Peace Symbol

Nuclear Disarmament (N & D)

FACE

Frown
Giggle
Grimace
Grin
Guffaw
Laugh
Scowl
Smile
Smirk
Snarl
7

THE BABYS EVIL EYE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBSYD0dQCAw

Red Skelton

10

HEAD

Flutter eyelashes
Grit teeth
Hold nose
Nod head (yes)
Raise eyebrows
Shake head (no)
Stick out tongue
Wink
Wrinkle nose
Yawn
11

LIE TO ME:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgRJ7-s0u7c

12

Curiosity and Exuberance

13

Sadness and Surprise

14

SHOULDERS

Rolling shoulder
suggestively

Shrugging shoulders
in disbelief or
wonderment
15

16

HANDS, FINGERS & THUMB

Applauding
Extending pinkey
Crossing fingers (to lie)
Giving the finger
Holding hands
Pointing
Shaking hands (note
gender & ethnic
differences)
Thumbing a ride
Thumbs up
Twiddling thumbs

American Sign Language

Applauding

17

Sun Devils and Nerd Fighters

18

Uncle Sam Recruitment Poster

Here is Uncle Sams
pointing finger.
This is a rude
gesture in some
cultures.

19

DAVE CHAPPELLES THUMB

Chappelle tells about a high-jacked airplane
in which he sees another Black male and
they do a thumbs up to each other.
We were just communicating that we
understood the situation. We were both
seeing the same thing. What we understood
was simplyterrorists dont take black
hostages.
(Chappelle 2003)

20

ARMS

Limp wrist
Raise hand in class
Sign of the cross
Waving hand (note
gender differences)
Sports Signals (See
the next slide)

21

SPORTS BODY LANGUAGE

BASEBALL: Fair Ball, Foul Ball, Home Run, Out, Strike

Plus Signals from the Catcher to the Pitcher, to the Infield, and to
the Outfield
Plus Coach Signals for the Batter, from the First-Base Coach, and
from the Third-Base Coach

BASKETBALL: Basket Counts, Basket Doesnt Count, Blocking Foul,

Held Ball, In Bounce, Moving Screen, Offensive Fowl, Out of Bounce,
Time Out

FOOTBALL: Clipping, Face Mask, Illegal Celebration, Illegal

Procedure, Late Hit, Offside, Pass Interference, Roughing the Kicker,
Roughing the Passer, Safety, Touchdown, Unnecessary Roughness
Plus Metaphors related to most of these expressions like hardball
softball and ballpark figure.
22

LEGS & FEET

Crossing legs (note
gender & ethnic
differences)
Sitting on a park
bench
Sitting on a bus seat
Slapping knee while
laughing
23

MINESTRY OF SILLY WALKS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w

24

SPACE BUBBLES:
Asian vs. Latin
American

The University of Texas Shooter

had the space bubble of
a paranoid.

Doorway, Subway,
Elevator
University of Texas:
Texas Tower Sniper
25

TIME EXPECTATIONS
Latin American vs. Mormon

Cocktail Party vs. Dinner vs. Class

26

UNINTENTIONAL BODY LANGUAGE

blinking
blushing
cowering
cringing
shuddering
trembling
twisting hair
weeping
27

BODY METAPHORS:

To be on your toes
To be stuck up
To be up in arms
To break a leg
To count noses
To foot the bill
To have your tongue in your
cheek
To keep a stiff upper lip
To keep your chin up
To play it by ear
To put your foot in your mouth
To see eye to eye
To shake a leg
To throw in the towel

Total Relaxation

28

Exuberance and Sadness:

First Day of School

29

Doppelgangers and Body Doubles

Richard Nixon

30

James Carville

31

John McCain

32

Hillary Clinton

33

Sarah Palin and Tina Fey

34

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin

35

Body Language Plus Intonation

Use only the words John and

Marsha to indicate the
following:

Anger vs. Fear

Resignation vs. Exuberance

Sadness vs. Surprise

Pretentiousness vs. Aloofness

Hate vs. Passion

Desire
36

Happiness

37

Friendship

38

Love

39

40

Full-Body Language
3-YEAR-OLD CONDUCTING BEETHOVENS 5th SYMPHONY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0REJ-lCGiKU

41

Amusement and Antipathy

42

Total Involvement

43

Narcisism

44

PARALANGUAGE

Giddyup (plus lateral click)

Hiss
Huh?
Raspberry (Bronx Cheer)
Shush
Swearing (*&#@+&%$@~*)
Tsk tsk
Uchhhhh
Uh huh (yes & no)
Wolf whistle
Yuchhhh

45

SLAPSTICK ON CHEERS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1kbn-LOpes

46

EXPLAIN HOW THE FOLLOWING GESTURES ARE INTERPRETED

DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Biting your thumbnail

Kissing someone on
the cheeks
Putting your hands on
your hips
Using arm gestures
Using eye gestures
Using finger gestures
Using hand gestures
Using lip gestures

Age Differences

47

Social In-Bonding

48

SILENT MONKS SINGING HALLELUIA CHORUS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related

49

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Social Out-Bonding

51

Point of View

52

Parody

53

Photobombing

54