It's In The Way...

Ever notice how people from different cultures use different gestures when they speak? For instance, someone from Italy would use their hands a lot. Someone from the Philippines gestures with their lips. Someone from Japan, their head and their eyes. I never noticed anything about people from Guam. Maybe the reason for this is that I am removed from the other cultures and look at it from the outsiders' point of view.


Recently, while speaking with a friend from Malta, I suppose I made a simple gesture that, to me, was natural - something that I didn't even realize I did. She asked me a question and, rather than stating my answer verbally, apparently, I used my eyebrows. This resulted in a lengthy discussion about how different people interpret different gestures... well... differently!


To a person from Guam, to raise both eyebrows is an indication of affirming something. It can mean, 'Yes, I want to take a dip in the pool.' or maybe even, 'Of course I know my house is on fire!'. To someone from Malta, it means exactly the opposite.


This friend of mine noticed that Chamorro people use their eyebrows a lot when they are speaking. I had, honestly, never noticed that it was that extensive. But, in the past week, I've tried to be conscientious about my mannerisms. Yes, I speak a lot with my hands. When people call me to ask for directions to my office, I often use my hands to guide them - yes, I'm aware that they can't see me. But, I also realized that my friend was right. When I am speaking, I use my eyebrows a lot! Of course, the head gesture along with the eyebrow movement adds a totally different meaning to things. But, it's all there and it all means something.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this... If you are Chamorro and say you lost your eyebrows in some freak gasoline fight incident where all the hair was singed off your face, you'd be screwed! Either that or you'd have to learn Italian hand gestures and use those instead. But, then people will think that you've got some weird identity crisis going on and can't figure out if you're Chamorro or Italian because you're speaking perfect English with a Chamorro accent and using Italian hand gestures! Mama mia!