The E-Journal of Intercultural Relations, Summer 1998, Vol. 1(3)   Originally Posted: 6/30/98   Book Review

Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World by Robert E. Axtell   Reviewed by Krishna P. Kandath Associate Editor, The Edge

 

This is a revised and updated edition of Robert Axtell's earlier book by the same title. Axtell is a professional speaker and a best-selling prolific writer on Do's and Taboos. This book is intended to increase awareness about behaviors of individuals in different countries. Specifically, the focus is on gestures and body language. Axtell uses illustrations, anecdotes, hypothetical situations, historical facts, and scientific knowledge to expand our understanding of gestures that may appear to be routine and taken for granted.

The book is divided into seven chapters, apart from the introduction, additional readings and a subject index. The first chapter emphasizes the power of gestures as communicative behaviors and the role of scientific explanations in furthering our understanding of gestures. "The premise of this book" Axtell writes, "is not only that gestures are woven inextricably into our social lives but also that the 'vocabulary' of gestures can be at once informative and entertaining but also dangerous" (p. 3). The second chapter focuses on what Axtell considers to be the most popular gestures, that include general, specific, and common gestures also: greetings, farewells, beckoning, insulting gestures, touching, the "O.K." sign, thumbs-up gesture, "V" for victory, and vertical horns or "Hook 'em Horns." Here, Axtell provides a glimpse into how individuals in different countries convey the same meaning using different body languages and the numerous possibilities for misunderstanding such popular gestures.

Special types of gestures are discussed in the third chapter. These gestures include the American Sign Language (ASL), Tai Chi (pronounced: tie CHEE), flirting, and kissing. It is informative to note that in America ASL is the third most popular language next to English and Spanish. Similarly, it is interesting to note that Tai Chi is one of China's "oldest, most unusual series of gesture movements in the world." Titled "Head to Toe," the fourth chapter is a cross-national description of gestures by the following body parts: head and face, eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, lips and mouth, chin, arms, hands, fingers, legs and feet, and full body.

The ultimate gesture is covered in the fifth chapter. Here, Axtell writes some little-know facts about the smile such as the physical incapability to smile among some individuals, individuals in some countries smile at occasions that may not be considered appropriate elsewhere, some individuals are trained to not smile on certain occasions, and that smiles take different forms. In the sixth chapter, Axtell writes about what he considers to twenty commonly used gestures and examples of body language in North America that differ within other countries. For instance, in the United States people may greet one another by shaking hands, whereas in some other countries individuals may bow or pray, also indicating respect (apart from the greeting). The last chapter describes by countries (not an exhaustive list), some generally used gestures.

Axtell's book is an interesting collection that is useful both for cross-cultural understanding, global travel and business relations, and general reading. I have to offer some caution: this book provides a general understanding only; it should not be used to conclude the pattern of cross-national behaviors. Stereotypes often develop when we consider some common gestures and behaviors to be the guiding pattern. In the current scenario, where identities are constantly changing and globalization is the buzzword, gestures and behaviors do not anymore remain sacrosanct.