Dictionary of Gestures: Expressive Comportments and Movements in Use Around the World

An illustrated guide to more than 850 gestures and their meanings around the world, from a nod...
$51.81 SGD
$51.81 SGD
SKU: 9780262547994
Product Type: Books
Please hurry! Only 129 left in stock
Author: Francois Caradec
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Subtotal: $51.81
10 customers are viewing this product
Dictionary of Gestures: Expressive Comportments and Movements in Use Around the World by Caradec, Francois

Dictionary of Gestures: Expressive Comportments and Movements in Use Around the World

$51.81

Dictionary of Gestures: Expressive Comportments and Movements in Use Around the World

$51.81
Author: Francois Caradec
Format: Paperback
Language: English
An illustrated guide to more than 850 gestures and their meanings around the world, from a nod of the head to a click of the heels.

Gestures convey meaning with a flourish. A vigorous nod of the head, a bold jut of the chin, an enthusiastic thumbs-up: all speak louder than words. Yet the same gesture may have different meanings in different parts of the world. What Americans understand as the "A-OK gesture," for example, is an obscene insult in the Arab world. This volume is the reference book we didn't know we needed--an illustrated dictionary of 850 gestures and their meanings around the world. It catalogs voluntary gestures made to communicate openly--as distinct from sign language, dance moves, involuntary "tells," or secret handshakes--and explains what the gesture conveys in a variety of locations. It is organized by body part, from top to bottom, from head (nodding, shaking, turning) to foot (scraping, kicking, playing footsie).
We learn that "to oscillate the head while gently throwing it back" communicates approval in some countries even though it resembles the headshake of disapproval used in other countries; that "to tap a slightly inflated cheek" constitutes an erotic invitation when accompanied by a wink; that the middle finger pointed in the air signifies approval in South America. We may already know that it is a grave insult in the Middle East and Asia to display the sole of one's shoe, but perhaps not that motorcyclists sometimes greet each other by raising a foot. Illustrated with clever line drawings and documented with quotations from literature (the author, François Caradec, was a distinguished and prolific historian of literature, culture, and humorous oddities, as well as a novelist and poet), this dictionary offers readers unique lessons in polylingual meaning.

Author: Francois Caradec
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 08/01/2023
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780262547994
Audience: Young Adult

This title is only available via back order

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Related Products

Recently Viewed Products