Nonverbal Communication‏

The boy and girl glance around the crowded room. Their eyes meet. Embarrassed, they look away. Nervously, they steal glances at each other, averting their eyes when they see the other one looking back. The boy acts cool, crossing his legs and affecting a casual air—even though his heart is beating wildly.
那個男孩和女孩瞥視那擁擠的屋
內。他們的視線相遇了。不好意思，又
把視線挪開。惴惴不安地，他們互相偷
看著，當發現對方也在回望自己時，又
轉移視線。男孩表現得很酷，交叉著雙
腿，裝著一副漫不經心的樣子——雖然
他的心正狂野地跳動著。
The girl, obviously smitten herself, is afraid the boy will see her looking at him. A few seconds pass. He looks at her again. She starts to blush. He nervously looks at the ceiling and whistles softly to himself. They continue their cat-and-mouse game for a seemingly interminable period of time. Will they ever talk to each other?
女孩，顯然地
已墜入情網，很怕男孩看到自己在看
他。幾秒鐘過去了，他再度看她；她的
臉紅了起來。他緊張地看著天花板，自
己輕吹著口哨。他們似乎沒完沒了地玩
著這個貓捉老鼠的遊戲。他們到底會不
會交談呢？

The fact is, they have already communicated a lot, without ever saying anything.
Nonverbal elements form a major part of any communication interchange. Some people would say it’s the most important part. According to one study, words convey only 7 percent of a person’s message. Intonation and voice quality communicate 38 percent, and nonverbal cues transmit a whopping 55 percent. That means people pick up more from nonverbal communication than from the words a person says. When studying about a foreign culture then, it just makes sense to pay attention to how people use nonverbal cues.
事實上，他們沒說一句就已經溝通
過了。非語言之要素在任何形式的雙向
溝通中佔了很重要的一部份。有些人會
認為那是最重要的一部份。根據一項研
究，言語只傳達了百分之七的訊息。語
調及音色傳達了百分之三十八，而非語
言的暗示傳遞了極大的百分之五十五。
這就表示了人們從非語言溝通中領悟到
的比從說出來的話語中的還多。所以，
在研習一個外國文化時，注意人們如何
使用非語言暗示是很有道理的。

Gestures comprise a major form of nonverbal communication. In contrast to sign language,
used by deaf people to communicate elaborate messages, gestures function as visual icons which represent a single idea. But often these gestures are embarrassingly culture-bound. For example, when the Maoris of New Zealand stick out their tongue at someone, it is a sign of respect. When American schoolchildren make the same gesture, it means just the opposite.
手勢是非語言傳達中很重要的一
環。與聾人用來溝通複雜訊息所使用的
手語不同的是，手勢的功能就像是視覺
上的圖像，它代表的是單一的意念。而
往往這些手勢極受文化限制，甚至造成
尷尬的誤解。例如，當紐西蘭的毛利人
對某人伸舌頭，這是尊敬的表象。當美
國學童作同樣的動作時，它表達的意思
正好相反。

Also, Americans often indicate “OK” with their thumb and forefinger touching to form a circle. The same gesture means “money” to the Japanese, “zero” to the French and a vulgarity to Brazilians. For that reason, people in a foreign culture must use gestures with caution.
還有，美國人通常用大拇指
及食指環繞起一個圓圈表示「沒問題」。
同樣的手勢對日本人是「錢」的意思，
對法國人是「零」的意思，對巴西人是
極低俗的手勢。因此，處在外國文化中
的人必須小心地使用手勢。

nother cultural aspect of nonverbal communication is one that you might not think about: space. Every person perceives himself to have a sort of invisible shield surrounding his physical body. When someone comes too close, he feels uncomfortable. When he bumps into someone, he feels obligated to apologize.
另一個非語言溝通的文化層面可能
是你不會想到的東西：空間距離。每一
個人都會假想在自己身體四周有一種隱
形的盾牌。當有人太靠近時，他會覺得
不舒服。而當他不小心撞到別人時，他
會覺得非道歉不可。

But the size of a person’s “comfort zone” varies, depending on his cultural or ethnic origin. For example, in casual conversation, many Americans stand about four feet apart. In other words,they like to keep each other “at arm’s length.” People in Latin or Arab cultures, in contrast,stand very close to each other, and touch each other often. If someone from one of those cultures standstoo close to an American while in conversation, the American may feel uncomfortable and back away.
但是每個人的「舒
服區」的大小各有不同，這與其文化或
種族有關。例如，在閒談時，許多美國
人維持著大約四呎遠的距離。也就是
說，他們喜歡讓彼此保持一隻手臂的距
離。而相反的，拉丁或是阿拉伯文化的
人，彼此站得很近，他常互相碰觸。假
如一個來自於這些文化的人在談話時站
得太靠近美國人，那個美國人會覺得不
舒服，而退後一步。

When Americans are talking, they expect others to respond to what they are saying. To Americans, polite conversationalists empathize by displaying expressions of excitement or disgust, shock or sadness. People with a “poker face,” whose emotions are hidden by a deadpan expression, are looked upon with suspicion. Americans also indicate their attentiveness in a conversation by raising their eyebrows, nodding,
smiling politely and maintaining good eye contact.
當美國人在談話時，他們期望別人
對其所講的有所回應。對他們來說，有
禮貌的談話者應該靠著表示出驚喜、討
厭、吃驚或悲哀的表情來與別人心領神
會。那種帶著一張「撲克臉孔」的人，
他的情緒隱藏於毫無表情的面容下，會
被別人以懷疑的眼光看待。美國人在談
話中也會以揚眉、點頭、有禮貌的微笑
以及保持適度的目光接觸來表示他們的
注意。

Whereas some cultures view direct eye contact as impolite or threatening, Americans see it as a sign of genuineness and honesty. If a person doesn’t look you in the eye, Americans might say you should question his motives—or assume that he doesn’t like you. Yet with all the concern for eye contact, Americans still consider staring—especially at strangers—to be rude.
然而某些文化的人認為直接的凝
視是不禮貌而具有威脅感的；美國人認
為這是一個真摯誠懇的表徵。假如一個
人不用正眼看你，美國人可能會覺得，
你應該要對他的動機起疑，或者假設他
不喜歡你。即使目光接觸有其利害關
係，美國人也是認為瞪著眼睛看人——特
別是對陌生人——是不禮貌的。

Considering the influence of nonverbal communication, we never really stop communicating. How we walk, how we stand, how we use our hands, how we position our bodies, how we show emotions—all send a message to others. That’s why it’s possible, as the saying goes, to “read someone like a book.” And if you read the
person right, as the boy and girl in the crowded room later discovered, it just might turn into a love story.
想到非語言溝通的影響範圍，我們
其實從未真的停止溝通過。我們如何走
路、站立、如何用雙手、如何舉手投
足、如何表現情緒，都發送出一個訊
息。這也就是為什麼可以做到像俗語所
說的：「看一個人像讀一本書一樣。」
假如你看懂了一個人，就像在那擁擠房
間中的男孩及女孩後來發現的一樣，也
許就會變成一個愛的故事。
?Word Bankavert (v) 轉離；避開
smitten (adj) 墜入情網的
blush (v) 害臊；臉紅
interminable (adj) 冗長的；拖拖拉拉的
gesture (n) 表情；手勢

perceive (v) 發覺；理解
obligate (v) 強迫；有義務

empathize (v) 神會（靈犀一點通）
deadpan (adj) 面無表情的；缺乏幽默的
eye contact (n phr) 目光接觸

motive (n) 動機；目的

The Day's Phrase

This unique form of lighting made its debut 100 years ago
霓虹這種獨特的照明形式在一百年前問世

Tongue twisters always frustrate me because I cannot say them correctly.
繞口令一向讓我很頭大，因為我總是說錯。

This famous author saw both hard times and good times
名作家查爾斯‧狄更斯曾歷經艱辛，卻也曾體驗美好時光

If we score one more point then we will be ahead and we can turn the tables on the other team.
如果我們再多得一分，那麼我們就可以領先了，而且我們可以扭轉另一隊的情勢。

This unique form of lighting made its debut 100 years ago
霓虹這種獨特的照明形式在一百年前問世

Please come to my house for dinner. I will not take no for an answer!
請來我家吃個飯。我可不准你拒絕喔！

Keep exercising - you'll be glad you did持續運動──將來你會感謝自己

I forgot to bring my camera! It must have slipped my mind. 我忘了帶我的相機了！這件事一定是從我腦袋溜掉了。

Giving a speech doesn't have to be scary
發表演說不見得會那麼可怕

I know you are mad at me. Let's sit down and smooth this problem out.
我知道你在生我的氣。我們坐下來把問題解決吧。

You are being so crabby! Snap out of your bad mood!
你好彆扭喔！心情別那麼壞嘛！

Does dieting really help with long-term weight control?
節食真的有助於長期控制體重嗎？

You are right to some extent but part of your answer is wrong.
就某種程度來說你是對的，不過你有部分的答案錯了。

Some foods are better for your brain than others
有些食物比其他食物更能讓頭好壯壯

Jessie will be home safe and sound tomorrow.
潔西明天就會安然無恙地回到家了。

What's showing this winter at a theater near you?
今年冬季有什麼電影好看呢？一起瞧瞧吧
I spaced out while you were talking. What did you just say?
你說話的時候我發呆了。你剛說了什麼？

Your room should be spick-and-span when I get home!
我回來的時候，你的房間應該要清潔溜溜的！