Random gestures around the world
“An American teenager was hitchhiking in Nigeria. A carload of locals passed him. The car screeched to a halt. The locals jumped out and promptly roughed up the visitor. Why?
Because in Nigeria, the gesture commonly used in America for hitchhiking (thumb extended upward) is considered a very rude signal”
Gestures Roger E. Axtell pg 3
And here’s another one for you:
An American dining on his own gestures to a German waiter and asks for some water. The waiter looks a little confused and then brings two glasses of water. Why?
The American called the waiter by holding up the thumb and first finger, which in German means “two”
Also from Gestures by Roger E. Axtell, a book which I have only skimmed but I am very much looking forward to once I have my feud with the writer of Shutting Out the Sun out of my system…
I also don’t have time to tell you all the lovely things you can do in the classroom with this topic, but I have written it up for the upcoming (I think) TEFL.net site for your mobile phone.