Body Language Humor

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BODY LANGUAGE

by Don L. F. Nilsen andAlleen Pace Nilsen

Doppelgangers: The Evil Eye

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AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE• Contrast sign language and finger Contrast sign language and finger

spelling.spelling.

• Iconic Sign Language: Male-Female, Iconic Sign Language: Male-Female, Past-Future, Hand shape, Location, Past-Future, Hand shape, Location, Movement, Palm Orientation, Finger Movement, Palm Orientation, Finger SpellingSpelling

American Sign Language:Finger Spelling vs. Signing

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NELSON MANDELA FUNERAL FAKE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nelson-mandela/10510604/Fake-sign-language-interpreter-signs-along-to-tributes-from-Nelson-Mandelas-grandchildren.html

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In Flags: The Peace SymbolNuclear Disarmament (N & D)

FACE• Frown• Giggle• Grimace• Grin• Guffaw• Laugh• Scowl• Smile• Smirk• Snarl

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THE BABY’S EVIL EYE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBSYD0dQCAw

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Red Skelton

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HEAD• Flutter eyelashes• Grit teeth• Hold nose• Nod head (yes)• Raise eyebrows• Shake head (no)• Stick out tongue• Wink• Wrinkle nose• Yawn

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LIE TO ME:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgRJ7-s0u7c

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Curiosity and Exuberance

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Sadness and Surprise

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SHOULDERS

• Rolling shoulder suggestively

• Shrugging shoulders in disbelief or wonderment

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The Juggling Politician

https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6mbW-jMtrY?rel=0

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HANDS, FINGERS & THUMB• Applauding• Extending pinkey• Crossing fingers (to lie)• Giving the finger• Holding hands• Pointing• Shaking hands (note

gender & ethnic differences)

• Thumbing a ride• Thumbs up• Twiddling thumbs

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American Sign LanguageApplauding

Sun Devils and Nerd Fighters

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Uncle Sam Recruitment Poster

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• Here is Uncle Sam’s pointing finger.

• This is a rude gesture in some cultures.

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DAVE CHAPPELLE’S THUMB

• Chappelle tells about a high-jacked airplane in which he sees another Black male and they do a thumbs up to each other.

• “We were just communicating that we understood the situation. We were both seeing the same thing. What we understood was simply—terrorists don’t take black hostages.

• (Chappelle 2003)

ARMS• Limp wrist• Raise hand in class• Sign of the cross• Waving hand (note

gender differences)• Sports Signals (See

the next slide)

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SPORTS BODY LANGUAGE• BASEBALL: Fair Ball, Foul Ball, Home Run, Out, Strike

– Plus Signals from the Catcher to the Pitcher, to the Infield, and to the Outfield

– Plus Coach Signals for the Batter, from the First-Base Coach, and from the Third-Base Coach

• BASKETBALL: Basket Counts, Basket Doesn’t Count, Blocking Foul, Held Ball, In Bounce, Moving Screen, Offensive Fowl, Out of Bounce, Time Out

• FOOTBALL: Clipping, Face Mask, Illegal Celebration, Illegal Procedure, Late Hit, Offside, Pass Interference, Roughing the Kicker, Roughing the Passer, Safety, Touchdown, Unnecessary Roughness– Plus Metaphors related to most of these expressions like hardball

softball and ballpark figure.

LEGS & FEET• Crossing legs (note

gender & ethnic differences)

• Sitting on a park bench

• Sitting on a bus seat

• Slapping knee while laughing

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MINESTRY OF SILLY WALKS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w

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SPACE BUBBLES:• Asian vs. Latin

American

• Doorway, Subway, Elevator

• University of Texas: Texas Tower Sniper

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The University of Texas Shooterhad the space bubble of

a paranoid.

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TIME EXPECTATIONS

• Latin American vs. Mormon

• Cocktail Party vs. Dinner vs. Class

UNINTENTIONAL BODY LANGUAGE

• blinking• blushing• cowering• cringing• shuddering• trembling• twisting hair• weeping

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BODY METAPHORS:• To be on your toes• To be stuck up• To be up in arms• To break a leg• To count noses• To foot the bill• To have your tongue in your

cheek• To keep a stiff upper lip• To keep your chin up• To play it by ear• To put your foot in your mouth• To see eye to eye• To shake a leg• To throw in the towel

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Total Relaxation

Exuberance and Sadness:First Day of School

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Doppelgangers and Body DoublesRichard Nixon

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James Carville

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John McCain

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Hillary Clinton

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Sarah Palin and Tina Fey

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Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin

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Body Language Plus Intonation

• Use only the words “John” and “Marsha” to indicate the following:

• Anger vs. Fear

• Resignation vs. Exuberance

• Sadness vs. Surprise

• Pretentiousness vs. Aloofness

• Hate vs. Passion

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Desire

Happiness

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Friendship

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Love

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Full-Body Language

3-YEAR-OLD CONDUCTING BEETHOVEN’S 5th SYMPHONY:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0REJ-lCGiKU

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Amusement and Antipathy

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Total Involvement

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Narcisism

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PARALANGUAGE• Giddyup (plus lateral click)• Hiss• Huh? • Raspberry (Bronx Cheer)• Shush• Swearing (*&#@+&%$@~*)• Tsk tsk• Uchhhhh• Uh huh (yes & no)• Wolf whistle• Yuchhhh

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SLAPSTICK ON “CHEERS”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1kbn-LOpes

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EXPLAIN HOW THE FOLLOWING GESTURES ARE INTERPRETED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

• Biting your thumbnail• Kissing someone on

the cheeks• Putting your hands on

your hips• Using arm gestures• Using eye gestures• Using finger gestures• Using hand gestures• Using lip gestures

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Age Differences

Social In-Bonding

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SILENT MONKS SINGING “HALLELUIA CHORUS”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related

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Social Out-Bonding

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Point of View

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Parody

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Photobombing

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