Englishtown

Talking Without Words

What if there was a magic pill that could make you instantly fluent in English? Imagine—you could communicate like a native speaker with native speakers, right?

Well, not exactly.

The fact is, linguistic proficiency alone doesn't guarantee communication. That's because much of human communication is nonverbal .

Take physical closeness, for instance. In conversation, how close is too close? It depends on the culture. Violating someone's personal space can create discomfort, regardless of what you're saying.

The same holds for touching the person you're talking to. Some cultures

allow it, while others view frequent touching as taboo .

When listening, do you maintain steady eye contact? That may indicate rudeness or aggression in some cultures, though in others, infrequent eye contact may signal dishonesty.

How loud should you talk, and with how much excitement? When is it okay to joke, and about what? How much should you reveal about your personal life, and when, and with whom? Is punctuality valued or not? And just how late is late, anyway?

Every culture has a complex system of nonverbal conduct, which outsiders may find hard to understand and learn. But cheer up! Gary Althen,

author of American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States, offers some tips for coping with any new culture:

- Ask questions. - Mimic 'native' behavior, including ritual social interactions (e.g., greetings, farewells). - Keep a journal of your experiences. - Talk with other foreigners about the new culture. - Read local newspapers. (Advice columns reveal much about cultural expectations.)

By all means, improve your English; but be aware of the culture's nonverbal 'vocabulary' as well. Doing so will bring rich rewards: new friends, an enhanced sense of comfort and control, and greater understanding, both of yourself and of others.

Englishtown Friends
Videos
Chats & Forums
Games

Pen pals
Ecards
Contests
For teachers
Translations
Daily magazine
Get free membership!

Englishtown Friends

Language - 20 Nov Could you make it in L.A. with your English?	Science - 12 July Nutrients On The Decline	Travel - 4 July The Land of the Kiwi
Sports - 30 June Cruising in Tonga	Business - 27 Jun The Nuts and Bolts of Successful Networking	Horoscope


Business 6 June Enhance Your Job Prospects with Technology 16 May Is Multitasking a Waste of Time? 25 Apr Demand Attention and Land the Job 4 Apr Casual or Corporate: Looking Your Best in a 9 to 5 World 14 March E-tailing continues to grow	Travel 13 June Storytelling on the road 23 May On Safari in Australia 2 May The outdoor art of Florence 11 Apr Is ecotourism a good thing? 21 March Exploring the Galapagos Islands	News 20 June Drink More Wine! 30 May Harry Potter: Mum Shall Stay Mum 12 May Cyberschools 18 Apr International Earth Day 28 May Pets: Make Your Dog a Swan



Life 23 June Homelessness 2 June Seven Ways to a Longer Life 9 May Talking Without Words 2 June Seven Ways to a Longer Life 31 March The romance of coffee	Sports 9 June Safe Boating 19 May Tough Kids 28 Apr Walking 7 Apr The Power of Pilates 17 March Ready, set, dive!	Science 16 June The Power of Pollen 26 May Why Chocolate Melts in your Mouth 5 May Flowers are good for you 14 April Robots: Building Teens' Interest 23 Mar Cooking with solar power

FREE DAILY LESSONS

	MAGAZINE EASY ENGLISH ARTICLES

Easy, fun reading at your English level.
	easier
	harder