【正文】 age of the verbal language. Body language expresses emotions, feelings, and attitudes, often even contradicting the messages conveyed by the spoken English language or the words used. Characteristics of Body Language Body language assists verbal language to strengthen the municative effect of language. The study of psychology shows that in the face to face munication, the most information or point of direct speech is often finished by mute body language. This indicates that the body language plays a very important role in a munication, although it is only supportive. In reality, the body language is often used by people in their daily life. We often use some simplest gestures to express ourselves instead of using words. For example, waving hands with open palm often stand for goodbye. The body language is incidental, instinctive and helpful. In the plex social life, language is often disguised. Body language is a way to reflect people‘s changes of their inner feelings and emotions. In different culture backgrounds, body language is often endowed with different meanings. For instance, Chinese people make a praise with a thumbsup, contempt with the little finger. But Japanese use a thumbsup to mean ―father‖ and the little finger ―lover‖ and at the same time a thumbsup in the UK is a way to ask for a ride. Thesis, 20xx, Tianjin University of Technology amp。在跨文化交際中，同樣的身體語言所表達的意義也可能大相徑庭。我們彼此之間不僅可以通過語言也可以通過 非語言進行溝通。 關鍵詞 ：非言語交際；肢體語言；跨文化交際 Thesis, 20xx, Tianjin University of Technology amp。 Education 8 gestures, but many gestures have more distinct regional and cultural features, therefore, we can not assume that everyone in the world can understand one gesture in the same way or many can understand in a different way. If somebody likes using the thumb to express number, he or she should mind the overall meaning conveyed by his or her gesture. People often think showing the forefinger to convey the meaning of number one, but in Germany raising big thumb means ?one‘, forefinger means ?two‘. So if someone wants to drink one glass of beer in Germany, don‘t fet the local custom of the finger and avoid making a fool. It is clear to see the same gestures including different meanings in different cultures, and the natives from different cultures will express the same meanings by different gestures. IV. The Relationship between Body Language and Culture Every culture has its own types of body language, A Frenchman talks and moves in a French way and the way an Englishman crosses his legs and conveys professionality has nothing in mon with the way an American does. Cultural influence on body language Culture has a big influence on body language, which is a big part of body language. Body language munication gets a strong connection with the culture. That is why people in different countries municate Thesis, 20xx, Tianjin University of Technology amp。 Education 13 Americans often touch their temples to show cleverness. But in Chinese culture, this action means there is something wrong with one‘s mind. Americans lay their hands on their necks to show that they are full, while Chinese just pat their stomachs to express fullness. It is a shock to Chinese when they see the Americans doing the gesture because it often means mitting suicide in Chinese culture. Here is another example. When the Americans warning somebody not to do something the gesture is to stretch out their forefingers and swing it left and right. And the gesture “ cross one’ s fingers” means hoping everything will be alright. When Americans are asking for a free ride, they stretch out their thumb. If an American turn around his rings constantly, he may feel nervous or we focus on Hong Kong and Taiwan, people from these two areas also do so. While that is quite different from people in the mainland of China, which means that people are showing off richness. From the preceding examples, it is plane to see that the same gesture has different meanings in different cultures, and different people tend to use different actions to convey information. So it is necessary for us to know the cultural difference to avoid misunderstanding. Touch The most mon touch behavior is hands shaking and hugs. China belongs to the lowcontract culture, so is the US. In China, people greet with each other with head nodding, smile, Thesis, 20xx, Tianjin University of Technology amp。Bacon, 1986 Qiu Lifang. Body Language. 20xx1030. Randall Harrison. An Introduction to Nonverbal Co。 when it is the time to look at them, how long we can look at, they all imply Thesis, 20xx, Tianjin University of Technology amp。 Education 10 talk, it is a good manner to stand close to his friend. But for Englishspeakers, they always keep a distance because they don‘t like to be close to another. Every culture in the world owns its special body language. These different kinds of body language are useful and helpful, especially people who have different cultural backgrounds municate with each other. Sometimes we cannot make us understood or we cannot understand the others, at that time,we can make it easier by using some gestures. As we all know that shaking hands always means ―greetings‖. Sometimes, we can express ourselves by these universal gestures instead of the words. Like coin has two sides, However, sometimes the body language may also result in some misunderstanding and dilemmas unexpectedly because of culture diversity. Different culture has its different way to send and understand message. Nodding one39。 Education 2 regard body language as an equivalent to nonverbal munication. Different peo