GROUP – 1 U.S.

A
Nycole Salvador
Krisha Mae Agregado
Althea Marie R. Argel
Charo Patricia Balmores
Regina Mae Salgado
Jessa Mae Rasay
Jessabel Rasay
BSHM 1-H
a. High or Low Culture Context

 The relative directness of American speech is connected to

anthropologist Edward Hall’s idea of “high – context” and “low –
context” cultures. Low – context cultures, among other
characteristics, tend to be more straightforward and direct with their
communication. High – context cultures, on the other hand tend to
value more circularity and have much greater patience for details
and background.
 The U.S. is generally a low – context culture, while countries like
France and Japan have high – context cultures. In American
business speaking, a good rule of thumb is to get straight to the
facts.
b. Sign Languages / Non – Verbal Languages used

 Hand Wave
 Thumbs – up
 Thumbs – down
 Come here
 Raised hand
 Chin on hand
 Folded arm
Hand wave

 This gesture is used as a greeting and may also be used when

departing.
Thumbs – Up

 This gesture means “good” or “okay”. It can signal approval,

confirmation, and other positive social cues. A thumbs – up is semi
formal and is generally acceptable in casual professional settings.
Thumbs – down

 The thumbs – down is the opposite of the thumbs- up. It implies

disagreement, dissatisfaction, or a negative response to a question.
While the thumbs – up has some place in casual but professional
discourage, the thumbs – down far more informal.
Come here

 This gesture indicates that the communicators wants the listener to

come closer.
 Note: this is an informal gesture that may be considered rude if used
in formal setting.
Raised hand

 This gesture is used by listeners to request from the speaker an

opportunity to speak. It is customary for students in American
educational settings to raise their hand to be acknowledged by the
instructor. Speaking without raising one’s hand and being “called
on” (invited to speak) by the speaker may be seen as rude. Typically,
it is best to partially raise the arm while keeping the elbow bent, as
seen in the example above.
Chin on hand

 This gesture, which is more commonly used by listeners rather than

speakers, suggest boredom or impatience.
Folded arm

 This gesture suggest (but does not always indicate) a serious,

impatient, or frustrated attitude.
Rubbed hand

 This gesture is a sign of enthusiasm preceding a task. It shows that

someone is about to begin an important or labor intensive activity. It
has a positive connotation, as if the speaker is excited to begin
important hard work. A verbal equivalent may be “Let’s get down to
business” or “Let’s get to work.
Rubbed chin

 This gesture indicates that the communicator is thinking seriously

about something or considering multiple options.
Forehead rub

 This gesture, sometimes called as “face palm” or “facepalm”, could

indicate that the communicator is thinking seriously about
something, or it may also suggest that the communicator is highly
annoyed
Facial Expression

 Communicators may also use their faces to convey indirect communication. Sometimes, a
facial expression adds context to a gesture. Other times, the facial expression convey its
own, full message. Here are some examples of common facial expression in American
Culture
Similing

 Americans use this expression to accompany a greeting or to

suggest happiness, approval, pride and similar positive emotions.
Smiling is equally appropriate in formal and informal situations.
Smiling is considered a standard component of a friendly greeting.
Note that Americans customarily smile in photographs, including
formal photographs such as identification cards.
Frowning

 Americans use this expression to suggest anger, frustration, sadness,

disapproval, disgust, or similar negative emotions. Be aware,
however, that frowning may also be used to convey seriousness,
confusion, or deep thought. Often, a frown of disapproval will be
accompanied by a “no” head shake, whereas a thoughtful frown will
be accompanied by a nod. Consider the context of the situation.
Wide eyes

 This expression indicates surprise, disbelief or fear. An open mouth

may accompany this expression. Wide eyes may be used to tell
someone 8that what they are saying is very inappropriate or is a bad
idea. This expression may also imply to someone that they should
case speaking immediately.
Biting lip

 This expression has many different meanings. In some case, it may

suggest anger; in others, it suggest that the communicator is in deep
thought. Sometimes the gesture can indicate an attempt to restrain
emotional expression. Be aware that biting the lip may also be
interpreted as a flirtatious expression, so you may wish to avoid this
expression in formal settings. Lip biting can indicate that someone
is trying not to say something that they strongly wish to say, as in
the example above.
Visible exhale

 When someone exhale in visible and exaggerated fashion, it

indicates frustration, exhaustion, or some combination of the two.
This gesture would be rude as a response to direct communication,
instruction, or criticism. It may be seen as friendly if it is
acknowledging a frustration shared by two peers dealing with the
same problem.