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[ClassyPenguin]

I see you're living up to your Young Werther username. For the uncultured.


How to Use and Incorporate Gestures


Over gesticulating is dramatic and cheese to an audience, but generally you do want to incorporate gestures and body language in public speaking.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=44oel0peahU&

 

[Alcotholic]

I wonder if my hand gestures are ever in line with what I'm talking about.

 

[Jakten]

I wouldn't say it's a sign of lower intelligence it's just a difference in how your memory/mind works. Some people learn and understand visually and as a result probably are more likely to recall information visually and that transfers into your hands.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's more likely to mean that person is creative in some aspect though.

 

[Weilthain]

It's people that walk without moving their arms that are weird.

 

[Oxirane]

It's people that walk without moving their arms that are weird.

They are just trying to lose some weight by lowering their walking efficiency.

 

[entremet]

The Victorian era was anal about everything.

Yep. I wouldn't read much into today.

 

[red731]

I wonder if my hand gestures are ever in line with what I'm talking about.

I laughed because I imagined you talking and you know, stroking air or air quitar. Heh.

I never thought of gesticulating as it having some "class".

 

[bjork]

I'm low-class and I like it. This is me pointing you toward the am/pm, I'll take two hotdogs and one of them cheeseburgers made out of rubber, thx

 

[cityhunter]

I would've made a jerking off gesture at his face and walked away. How's that for class? ;p

 

[Polari]

I gesture all the time. You've got hands, why not use them?

 

[OnkelC]

As with all things in life, it depends on

1. Occasion
2. Context
3. Execution
4. Audience
5. Person

 

[Race to be King]

Those filthy gesticulating chavs.

 

[LiK]

Whatever gets your point across is fine with me.

 

[nelsonroyale]

No it is called being human, otherwise you might be called a rather outdated robot.

 

[Race to be King]

No it is called being human, otherwise you might be called a rather outdated robot.

Is it acceptable to massage the air in front of your torso while speaking, like an Eidos game character?

 

[Yamauchi]

As an ESL teacher I found that hand gestures were actually a secret weapon for helping students understand what I was saying.

 

[Dennis]

I don't gesticulate so probably.

 

[Steelrain]

I hate people that talk with their hands. So goddamn much.

 

[Gustav]

Of course not. Show me some fire, some emotion, some passion! In fact I moved my hands the whole time I typed that!

 

[yogloo]

I usually ejaculates in mid conversation.

 

[nullset2]

As with all things in life, it depends on

1. Occasion
2. Context
3. Execution
4. Audience
5. Person

qft

 

[OnkelC]

I usually ejaculates in mid conversation.

 

[Kitschkraft]

I do it all the time. It drives my mother crazy.

 

[The Technomancer]

I speak with my hands all the time and people have straight up told me that I'm great at public speaking

So...I don't think so

 

[Aiustis]

The only time I gesticulate is when I'm excited...I flail my hands. I always get distracted/amused by people doing it even the slightest amount while in conversation though.

 

[Fantasmo]

I mean maybe if its science class or something, but I can't imagine a story being told without body language. For example imagine a scary campfire story without body language and emphasis? Booorrrrinnnngggg

 

[Koppai]

Why do they teach in public speaking to use emphasis on hand gestures then?

 

[freakk5]

Not a fan of people who can't communicate with their words efficiently.

 

[V_Arnold]

Not a fan of people who can't communicate with their words efficiently.

So you are not a fan of 99,9% of the world's population. Gotta enjoy that class..

 

[Fury Sense]

why would you limit your communication to verbal and facial cues? what kind of life is that

 

[Dude Abides]

Why do they teach in public speaking to use emphasis on hand gestures then?

Perhaps because public speaking is different from everyday conversation.

Some hand gestures are normal. Constant dramatic gestures are distracting.

 

[gutter_trash]

Not a fan of people who can't communicate with their words efficiently.

so prudish , what are you like some pilgrim puritan?

 

[Always-honest]

I think some people could do with less. It just seems agressive sometimes.

 

[CornBurrito]

I'd be wary of trusting the insight of anyone who used the term "a sign of poor breeding."

 

[studyguy]

If you're going to be a statue keeping your hands at your side during a conversation, I'm going to assume you're a shitty presenter or nervous as fuck. Normally the people who get into their presentations or conversations in my experience tend to be a bit more animated about it.

 

[War Peaceman]

I'd be wary of trusting the insight of anyone who used the term "a sign of poor breeding."

Tolstoy was a miserable twat. Great writer, for sure, but not someone who would be easy to get along with.

In the correct context, gestures can be extremely useful but just as easily they can be an irritant.

 

[Tecl0n]

I do not care, half of the things i'm trying to say get said with hand motions. Emphatic needs.

 

[freakk5]

So you are not a fan of 99,9% of the world's population. Gotta enjoy that class..

Sounds about right.

 

[Conor 419]

The guy who proposed this idea sounds like an idiot.

 

[CornBurrito]

Sounds about right.

Gesticulation is a natural part of communication. They (gestures) are processed in the same area of the brain responsible for processing human speech and sign language. There's a bunch of literature in linguistics and neurology that talks at length about their importance in the evolution of modern human language, and their modern day importance in getting across meaning. You can try to paint this as "people are too dumb to just use words" but there is no evidence that gesticulation is related to a lack of vocabulary or intelligence.

 

[BLunted]

Drives me crazy when people are constantly moving their hands/head when they talk. I am not sure if it's low class or not, but it drives me crazy. Actually, fidgety people in general drive me crazy.

 

[IceCold]

For sure. Look at people online, they are experts on social interactions and etiquette. There's no need for visual cues when text is enough.

 

[bidguy]

im doing it all the time without noticing
its pretty weird if i think about it

 

[cbox]

I speak with my hands because of my heritage, and I am not low class thank you very much. May has well not use facial expressions either when speaking.

 

[AndyD]

It will depend on culture, and context. For a speaker on a stage, most would expect at least some controlled gestures to strengthen the message, while on a casual discussion some will be mostly motionless while others can't help moving more than necessary. The latter will be appreciated differently depending on the country in which it is happening.
For myself I prefer "quiet" people (both in sound and motion), but I'm from the northern part of Europe.

This. Gesturing during a speech is different from gesturing when having a water cooler conversation.

 

[Eyeh4wk]

I really don't mind people who gesticulate, just don't point your fingers at me and we are good.

 

[Monkeylord]

I don't expose my gesticles in polite company. Only impolite company.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Fuck Victorian classist ideals.

 

[.GqueB.]

I always talk with my hands. Not sure what to do with them otherwise.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

We Iranians do it. A lot.