Nonverbal Communication by Mohammad Alkhuzam

Mohammad Alkhuzam

Essay #1

Sep 25^th 2013

Instructor: Vickie Mellos

Nonverbal Communication

 Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, social habits, music and arts. Each inhabitant from all over the world has their own culture, so there are many cultural differences between regions from the entire world.  One of these differences is the language, but the most interesting difference between cultures is how people from different countries use their nonverbal signals to communicate. In fact, cultural differences in nonverbal communication can cause a huge cultural misunderstanding. Therefore, there are many differences in nonverbal communication that can cause huge misunderstandings between Kuwait and the U.S such as eye contact, gestures, and greetings.

 One of the biggest differences in nonverbal communication between the US and Kuwait is eye contact. In the States, making eye contact is essential to communication. However, it does not matter if a person makes eye contact in Kuwait. Because of my different cultural background, making eye contact is not important to me when speaking to an American person. Therefore, many people in the US think that I am lying or hiding something and I am not willing to tell them. For example, in the last semester, I was unable to come to the next class because I had an appointment with my dentist at the same time of the class, so I had to explain to my teacher why I would be absent next class. While I was speaking I had not been looking at my teacher eyes directly, so my teacher thought I was lying. Thus, it made a full effect on me, and since then I have been making eye contact every time when I speak to an American person. Furthermore, eye contact is not the only nonverbal communication that causes misunderstandings between Kuwaitis and Americans.

 Gestures are defined as a motion of the limbs or body made to express or help express thought or to emphasize speech. These gestures are most helpful when one is speaking to someone with no language in common. However, the meanings of hand gestures in different cultures may translate into different things. There are many different gestures between Kuwait and the US. For instance, in the US, people usually cross their index finger with their middle finger to make a wish, but the people in Kuwait will not understand this gesture because for wishes they face their two hands toward the sky. In addition, Kuwaiti inhabitants have a specific nonverbal signal that means that they do not want more coffee which is shaking the coffee cup. For example, when you are a guest in someone's home and you are done from drinking your cup of coffee, you should not say in word neither I am done nor I need more. In addition, instead of that you have to shake your cup of coffee if you want more or just leave your cup if you do not want more. This Kuwaiti habit can make a misunderstanding when Kuwaitis visit their American friends’ homes.

 Beside gestures, there are differences of how people greet each other between Kuwait and the States. In Kuwait, males greet each other by shaking hands and kissing the right cheek one time, and if you have not met a friend for a long time, men in Kuwait use to hug and kiss the right cheek three times; however, in the US, you may be consider as rude or even gay if you kissed your friend’s cheek or if you gave him a big hug. In brief, US citizens greet each other by shaking hands and some friends have their own shake. In addition, in Kuwait it is impolite for men to shake women hands. Males and females greet each other in Kuwait by expressions without body touching, but in the US, men and women can shake hands. This difference between Kuwait and the US may cause misunderstandings between them. For example, if an American person meets a Kuwaiti person with his wife and he greets each of them by shaking hands, the Kuwaiti person will not accept that. In addition, the Kuwaiti will thought that the American person is flirting his wife.

In conclusion, each culture has their own nonverbal communication and knowing them is essential to avoid miscommunication. There are many differences between Kuwait and U.S cultures, and eye contact, gestures, and greetings are some of them. People should not be resentment if foreign people misunderstand their way of doing nonverbal communication.