Филологические науки/ 7. Язык, речь, речевая коммуникация

Inyakova Yu.A., PhD Merkulova N.V.

Voronezh State Technical University, Russian Federation

Features of Sign Language in Business Communication

Gestures are movements of various parts of the body (hands, feet, head etc.) that accompany the speech of a person. It is one of the most important parts of business communication. Sometimes with the help of gestures and facial expressions you can say much more than using words. Obviously, everyone in the course of personal or official communication encountered some eloquent glances and gestures that allowed him/her to «discover» the reactions of the interlocutor. At the same time, such information is more reliable than any verbal registration. If there is a contradiction between the two sources of information (verbal and non-verbal): a person says one thing and with facial expressions and gestures involuntarily expresses quite another, then, obviously, the non-verbal signals deserve more confidence.

An Australian specialist A. Pease claims that only 7% of information is transmitted by using words, 38% - by means of the voice sounds and 55% - by facial expressions, gestures, postures etc. In other words, it is not so significant what it is said, but how it is said [1]. So, on the one hand, during business meetings, conversations, negotiations it is necessary to control the movements and the facial expressions, on the other - to be able to interpret the interlocutor 's reactions

The interpretation of gestures, poses and other components of non-verbal communication is not always unambiguous. All attempts to classify gestures by means of body language dictionaries were not completely successful. In the process of communication, it is necessary to take into account the general atmosphere of the conversation, and not only its content. Thus, to succeed in business and career, an important role is played by:

- a voice that should sound gently without sharp sounds;

- gestures, posture and facial expressions [2; 3].

People’s behavior in course of business communication should be natural, but from some habits, if they exist, it is still worth abandoning.

Here are some basic features of sign language in business communication:

1) Pose and gestures:

In negotiations with a partner, one should not take a pose that characterizes closeness and/or aggression in communication: frowning brows, a slightly tilted head, wide elbows on the table, clenched fists or clasped fingers. It is better not to wear sunglasses (glasses with darkened glasses), especially when first meeting a person. The poses of the participants of the conversation reflect their subordination. Very important is the psychological subordination - the desire to dominate or, on the contrary, obey, which may not coincide with the status.

2) Seating the participants in official receptions:

When seating participants in official receptions, one must take into account the psychological aspect. In workrooms, tables are often put with the letter «T». The higher is the position of the leader, the greater is this letter. The visitor is offered to sit down at the table, at the head of which is the owner of this cabinet. Immediately the relation of domination is shown.

The shape of the table affects the nature of the negotiations. It is not by chance that the expression «round-table discussion» is used. The round table implies the equality of the participants, the informal character of the meeting, as well as free exchange of opinions and views. The conversation at the coffee table will be even more informal. If during the conversation the owner of the cabinet offers the guest a cup of tea or coffee, then he/she sets up the conversation in a friendly tone.

3) Gestures-regulators:

Gestures-regulators allow the interlocutors to support the conversation or the point to its end. For example, frequent head nods mean the need to speed up the conversation, not to be distracted by particulars and explanations, and the slow ones - show interest in the conversation, agreement with the partner. A slightly raised upward index finger means the desire to interrupt a partner in this place, to object to him/her, to return to another topic, etc.

4) Facial expressions:

Smile is, perhaps, the most universal means of non-verbal communication. Some psychologists are of the opinion that people smile not only because they are happy about something, but also because a smile helps us feel happier and more confident. At a job interview, for example, only the first minutes are important, during which the opinion about the applicant is formed not only based on the questionnaire, but also on the set of signals issued by the body.

Of particular note is the issue related to the difference in non-verbal behavior depending on cultural and national traditions. It is customary to distinguish between cultures in which the spoken words are perceived almost literally, they have almost no hidden meaning. These are so-called cultures with a low level of context. Such cultures include, for example, the American and the German ones. In different cultures the concept of the norm differs significantly. So, the distance at which people talk is not the same: at business conversations, for example, the Russians come closer to each other than the Americans.

In conclusion, it should be noted that basic features of sign language in business communication require much care and observation. But, first of all, people should control their gestures in order to learn how to make the impression they need on their interlocutors.

References:

1. Pease A. Body Language. How to read other's thoughts by their gestures / Пиз А. Язык телодвижений. - М.: Изд-во Эксмо, 2006. - 272 с.

2. Меркулова Н.В. Business Communication and Correspondence / Деловая коммуникация и коммерческая корреспонденция : учеб. пособие / Н.В. Меркулова; Воронежский ГАСУ – Воронеж, 2013. - 100 с.

3. Lewis D. The Secret Language of Success: How to Read and Use Body-Talk. London and NY : Bantam Press, 1989.