The Power of Body Language: How Nonverbal Communication Can Enhance Your English Skills
When we consider communication, we always think about about the speech.
But what about the body language?
What about the eye contact?
The nodding of the head in agreement?
The eye movements?
The eyebrow raises?
The physical distance?
All of it can be communicative and sometimes if we are not intentional with what we want to communicate with these gestures, we unintentionally communicate something we don’t actually want to say.
Body language is an essential aspect of communication that can greatly enhance our ability to connect with others and effectively convey our message.
This is particularly important when communicating in English, as it can help to overcome language barriers or miscommunications and convey meaning beyond just the words we speak.
For example, a smile is often a disarming, authentic, and positive communicative tool.
Sometime though, even if my words are nice, if I have a scowl or an aggressive body language, those nice words aren’t the main message you communicate. Instead, you might be communicating an aggressive or disinterested body language.
In this blog post, we will explore the importance of body language in English communication and how it can be used to improve our communication skills.
First and foremost, body language is an important aspect of nonverbal communication, which makes up a significant portion of how we communicate with others.
Now, I wouldn’t attempt to perpetuate the widely misinterpreted Dr. Mehrabian 93% to 7% ratio (cause that catchy numerical difference is absurd (and refuted by Dr. Mehrabian himself), but we can agree that body language and non-verbal communication holds a significant role (1).
It impacts how we are perceived by others and how we convey our message.
One of the ways in which body language can be used to improve our English communication skills is by providing additional context and meaning to the words we speak. For example, when I have my hands dirty and say, “give me that spoon” while gesturing, it provides additional context. If I say “Don’t go over there” while gesturing with my head/chin, it provides additional information.
If I say, “We need to talk”, while taking a deep sigh and crossing my arms, it communicates more about the situation.
When we use gestures, facial expressions, and posture to accompany our words, we clarify the meaning of what we are saying and make it more easily understood by others.
People are wired to pick up on these cues too.
Another way in which body language can be used to improve our English communication skills is by building rapport and trust with others.
When we use open and friendly body language, such as making eye contact, smiling, and maintaining an open posture, we can help to create a sense of connection and trust with others. This can be especially important when building relationships with colleagues or clients, as it can help to establish trust and build a more positive relationship.
So, audit yourself for your body language cues. They are an essential aspect of communication that can greatly enhance our ability to connect with others and effectively convey our message.
Personal Space
Personal space is cultural. Some cultures need lots of personal space so people are less comfortable with you entering their personal space within a short amount of time and others quickly enter personal space soon after meeting.
For example, most US and Canadian people don’t hug or kiss as a social greeting. A hand shake or waving hand gesture is typical and expected. It can be off-putting or make someone feel uncomfortable if approaching too quickly.
Furthermore, distance is relative to level of closeness. I may be more comfortable being very close or touching with a spouse, a sibling, or a close friend but regular friends, classmates, and acquaintances wouldn’t be so close to me.
Hand & Arm Gestures
Hand and arm gestures help to convey meaning, emphasis and emotion, and can also help to make speech more engaging and dynamic.
One of the most important functions of hand gestures is to help to emphasize certain words or phrases. For example, pointing to an object or person can help to clarify what is being talked about, while using hand gestures to indicate size or distance can help to provide more accurate and detailed descriptions. Placing your hands together for ‘small’ or far apart for ‘wide’ tell a more visually engaging story, which captivates a listener.
Hand gestures can also be used to convey emotion and to help to make speech more engaging. For example, using gestures to show excitement, passion or enthusiasm can help to make a speaker appear more confident and persuasive, while using gestures to show uncertainty or hesitation can help to make a speaker appear more honest and relatable.
They provide insight into the seriousness or intensity of the words communicated and if they match the energy or tone of the words used, it is powerful. If they do not match or actually contradict the tone of the words used, it can be jarring or confusing.
For example, crossing your arms or interlocking your hands can communicate a defensive, negative, or reserved attitude or tone.
Whereas showing your palms or open arms can show confidence, lack of a threat, and a relaxed or interested stance.
Facial Expressions
Facial expressions, eyebrows, and eyes are another part of the equation.
They can convey a wide range of emotions, including happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and surprise. For example, a smile can indicate friendliness and openness, while a frown can indicate disapproval or dissatisfaction. Using the right facial expressions can help to make a speaker appear more approachable and relatable.
Eyebrows are also an important aspect of nonverbal communication. They can convey surprise, confusion, or skepticism. For example, raising eyebrows can indicate surprise, while furrowing them can indicate confusion or skepticism. Using eyebrows effectively can help to make a speaker appear more engaging and dynamic.
Eyes are also crucial in nonverbal communication. Direct eye contact can indicate confidence and sincerity, while avoiding eye contact can indicate dishonesty or discomfort.
Using eye contact effectively can help to make a speaker appear more honest and trustworthy.
When you add all of these nonverbal cues together, you get a combination of behaviors that can either elevate your communication or muddle it.
When your words don’t match your body language, people can read that as insincerity, insecurity, inauthenticity or lack of confidence.
When your words match your body language, and you communicate a positive, authentic, and confident message, you are interpreted as more persuasive, trustworthy and effective.
References:
Lapakko, David (2007). Communication is 93% Nonverbal: An Urban Legend Proliferates. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 34, (7-19). https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=ctamj
03 Cross-Cultural Communication: Personal Space. “So You’re An American?: A Guide to Answering Difficult Questions Abroad, https://www.state.gov/courses/answeringdifficultquestions/assets/m/resources/DifficultQuestions-PersonalSpace.pdf
