ABSTRACT. Keywords: nonverbal language; nonverbal behavior; culture, intercultural communication

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1 Ting-hua Hsu, Chun-ling Wang, Ling-ling Tsai General Education Center of Far-East College ABSTRACT People exchange messages in their face-to-face Communication which involves two parts, the spoken language and nonverbal language. The scope of the nonverbal language is broad and can be categorized into three aspects: body language, object language, and environment language. Culture has a crucial impact on the nonverbal behaviors. Misunderstanding occurs if the meaning of the same nonverbal behaviors on both sides is different. A comparison of Thais and Americans nonverbal behaviors is described in this paper in which differences and similarities will be clearly observed based on the three categories. However, the different message underlying the same nonverbal behavior will make both of them feel uncomfortable and even rude. Successful intercultural communication lies not only on the spoken language ability. Realizing the meaning for both Thai and American nonverbal language will make their communication smooth and more successful. Keywords: nonverbal language; nonverbal behavior; culture, intercultural communication 258

2 Introduction In face-to-face Communication, people send messages and express ideas and emotions. However, apart from the spoken language, a main tool of communication, people also unconsciously convey certain information through another kind of communication channel -- nonverbal language. The scope of nonverbal language is very broad. For simplicity, it may be categorized into three aspects: body language, object language, and environment language. Body language is the way we use our body parts to communicate, such as eye contact, facial expression, gesture, and touch. Object language means messages we convey by our belongings, like clothing, or hair. Environmental language represents the meaning sensed from the environment such as space, distance and time (Valdes, 1986). All these convey meaning in our everyday communication. Therefore, speaking of successful communication, nonverbal language cannot be entirely excluded from our discussion. Recently, the needs of business, industry, and amusement have brought people of different countries numerous opportunities to interact with each other. However, they interpret the nonverbal language quite differently, since nonverbal language is greatly affected by the culture. Samorvar (1991) states that Nonverbal systems represent yet another system that individuals and cultures use as a means of sharing their realities. His statements help people to understand that culture plays a crucial role on the meaning of nonverbal language. People of different cultures may actually express the different meaning when they deal with the similar nonverbal behavior. If they are unaware of it, misunderstanding is inevitable once both sides utilize different definitions for decoding the same nonverbal behavior. For example, Pratin, a Thai girl, was on duty in a photographic studio. An American woman came in to get her pictures developed. Since her boss developed the wrong film which was not what the woman expected. Pratin expressed her apology with a smile. Feeling annoyed by Pratin s reaction, the woman was angry and said to Pratin in a satire tone, Excuse me, Miss. I found nothing funny. Pratin s example informs us that Thais and Americans have a lot of differences in their nonverbal behaviors and only through realizing them can they have a successful communication. Following will be the discussion of the nonverbal language between Thai s and American s based on the three categories mentioned earlier body language, object language, and environment language. Body Language Eye contact Thais and Americans use the eye contact in completely different ways. To show respect, Thais will not look straight at a person, especially those who are older or have a higher social status. To avoid direct gazing, Thais behavior will be viewed as rudeness in Americans eyes, because 259

3 Americans put great stress on eye contact. In American culture, when two people, regardless of age or status, are speaking, it is polite to look straight at the partner from time to time to show that one is paying attention to what his partner is saying (Althen, 1988). Thus, supposed that a Thai is doing business with an American, both of them may question their interlocutor s sincerity in their business conversation. Smile A smile is a kind of facial expression whose nonverbal meaning is different in Thais and Americans as well. In Thai, a smile carries complicate messages, meaning amusement, excuse, gratitude, embarrassment, or greeting (Cooper, 1986). For example, when you want to show your gratitude for someone s help, nothing needs to be done but a smile. Americans use a smile, compared with Thais, in a more simple way. A smile is only borrowed to function as a friendly greeting, politeness, (Robin, 1980) or an optional expression for fun. So, for an American in Thailand, it causes no trouble to smile all the time, but for a Thai in American, he must smile in the right place and at the right time. Otherwise, it may make American furious, just as the impression the American woman had of Pratin s ambiguous smile. Gesture A person can feel free to point with the index finger in America but not in Thailand. Besides objects, pointing at a person is unacceptable in Thailand because the tradition tells Thais that pointing will bring bad luck. In ancient period, a warlord might inattentively point at a few unlucky persons from a village and execute them afterwards (Cooper, 1986). So pointing means death. This is why Thais do not like pointing. In contrast with Thais, Americans use pointing all the time with both the people and the objects without bad culture bound connection. However, it is common to see them point with their middle finger, an obscene behavior which is prone to cause offensive feeling. Except for finger pointing, the gesture with palm to palm against the chest to touch the nose with head down a little is a way to greet people and show respect in Thailand. Thais call this the wai. Traditionally, the younger should wai to the older and people of low status wai to those of higher one (Cooper, 1986). About the similar hand gesture like wai in Thailand, Americans do not usually use it on the street or in any public places except praying. When greeting people, Americans shake hands with each other. Furthermore, right hand and left one are valued unequally in Thailand. Due to the hygienic reason of left hand, it would be impolite to receive things from others by using left hand (Copper, 1980). Americans, on the contrary, never take this factor into consideration. They use either hand to do anything without so much restriction like Thais. Consequently, using right hand only or both hands together to do things in communicating with Thais will keep Americans from being thought of as ill-mannered people. Touch Touching people is considered rude and disrespectful in Thailand, particularly 260

4 not touching others head or hair by using the left hand, because head and hair are sacred (Copper, 1986; William, 1983). However, touching in America is not a matter as serious as it is in Thailand and both hands are allowed, even though Americans do not like people to touch them very much. Posture Posture is a strong indicator of showing respect in Thailand. One cannot cross the legs or feet in the presence of a superior. Remain body lower than the superior is adequate to show respects (William, 1983). Hardly can such strict requirement be placed on an American s posture. One acts as comfortable as possible without caring about the superior. For Thais, this appears ill-disciplined and should not be done in front of a Thai who you hope to impress favorably (Copper, 1986). Object language Clothing Thais are more sensitive than Americans in the clothing because it reveals their social status. In schools and universities, students have to wear uniforms to show their students status. A white shirt with dark or blue trousers or skirt is the common style uniform everywhere for students. Male teachers or office workers should wear suits with ties even in the summer time and female staff wear fashionable clothes with sleeves required (Copper, 1986). In some special situations, the color of the clothing is also important for a visitor to notice. Black clothes are adequate at a funeral but not in a wedding ceremony or party-type gathering because black color is associated with death (Cooper, 1986). Compared with Americans, Americans are very liberal to be dressed in any kind of clothing with any kind of color, no matter formal or informal situation. However, for office workers, male suits with ties and female suits are the similar style to Thais yet the color selection is much broader. Hat Owing to the relationship with head, a hat is treated respectfully in Thailand. When a Thai takes off the hat, he will hang it up or put it in a higher position. Tossing on to the back of chair is regarded as rudeness. Americans, unlike Thais, view hat as ornament to their outlooks. No strict rules should be followed in terms of where to place a hat or how to wear it. People wearing hats with front and back shifted are seen everywhere in casual occasion, even in class. This is absolutely forbidden in Thailand. Environment language Distance Thais and Americans both prefer to keep a certain distance when talking. However, the distance between two Thais may look closer than that between two Americans. Both of them agree that intimate friends can stand closer than the strangers. The normal distance between two people is about the length of an arm. A distance shorter than the arm length will make each other feel uncomfortable. Time The viewpoint of time between Thais 261

5 and Americans is totally different. Thais perceive time as a circle, slow-going and recurring. Thus, one day passes and the other comes. One season vanishes but another will arrive. Finally, one life will lead into another. It is a circle in which a point will be seen again and again (Fieg, 1980). For Americans, they consider time a straight line on which the past, the present, and the future stand. It is the future that is the most significant. This preoccupation drives Americans to carefully schedule their time and follow it to make sure that they do not waste any time since time is as valuable as money (Fieg, 1980). Even though Thais and Americans hold opposite viewpoint concerning time, they both think punctuality is crucial. When one makes an appointment or attends a party, arriving on time is very important (Althen, 1988; Cooper, 1986). One who is late for an appointment is impolite. Conclusion As stated in the very beginning of this paper, nonverbal language convey messages, and it is greatly influenced by culture. To judge the adequacy of the nonverbal behaviors of both Americans and Thais is indeed improper at all. After all, when people use them without knowing why they behave in that way, they simply acquire it unconsciously from their culture. They have already got used to it for all their life and taken it for granted. However, if both of them communicate without understanding the differences of their nonverbal behavior, they will feel awkward and sometimes become irritated at the inappropriate action. Understanding the meaning of their nonverbal behaviors will undoubtedly help Thais and Americans communicate to each other even more smoothly and successfully. References Althen, Gary. (1988). Nonverbal communication. American way. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc. Cooper, Robert. & Nanthapa Copper. (1986). Culture shock Singapore: Khai Wah Printers. Fieg, J. P. (1980). Thais and North Americans. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc. Rubin, Joan. & Ireane Thompson. (1980). Be a more successful language learner Boston, Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, Inc. Samovar, L. A. & Richard E. P. (1991). Cultural patterns of the maasai. Intercultural communication. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, Inc. Williams, D. L. (1983). Thai ways and my ways. Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) No: