Field Guide to Gestures: How to Identify and Interpret Virtually Every Gesture Known to Man

Front Cover
Quirk Books, May 19, 2015 - Reference - 320 pages
Finally, a field guide to interpreting more than 100 international gestures, from the wave to the finger, from the shrug to the nod.
 
Here’s easy access to the essential information about common (and some not-so-common) gestures you may encounter at home or abroad. Field Guide to Gestures is organized into handy sections for quick reference when time is of the essence and interpretation is everything. If a man bends his torso forward when meeting you, turn to the “Arrival/Departure” chapter to learn more about the bowing gesture. When the woman at the end of the bar flips her hair and looks your way, turn to the “Mating” chapter to learn just what she’s trying to say. And if your friend has intertwined his index finger and middle fingers as the night’s lottery numbers are being read, go to “No Words Needed” to learn more about the crossed fingers gesture.
 
This practical guide includes more than 100 full-color photographs of the world’s most common gestures, plus cross-referenced descriptions throughout, including historical background and common usage. Helpful step-by-step directions and detailed line drawings teach you how to perform each gesture correctly.
 

Contents

167
167
The Point
170
Scratching of the Head
172
Shhh
173
Shocking
175
The Shrug
177
SoSo
179
Up to Here
181

Live Long and Prosper
22
The Pound
24
The Salute
27
Tip of the
30
Waving
32
APPROVAL 35 Applause
35
Arms
36
The Butt Patt
39
The High Five This
41
Nod Yes
44
JUST FOR EMPHASIS 138 Busty
138
Chin Stroke
140
Cross My Heart
141
Eyelid Pull
144
Finger Drum
146
Finger Snap
147
Fingernail Buff
149
The Fist
151
Hand Chop
154
Hand Purse
156
Hand
158
The Horns
160
Money
163
Nose
165
Yadda Yadda Yadda
182
NO WORDS NEEDED 185 Blah Blah Blah
185
Call
187
Check Please
190
Come Here
193
Crazy
196
Duh
199
Fingers Crossed
200
Get Out
203
Gun to Head
204
Hear No Evil
206
208
208
Hungry
211
Lets Drink
213
Pregnant
216
Say What?
218
Smoking
219
Stop
221
Time
223
Thumb Twiddle 227 The
225
Whoopteedo
230
Sources
232
Index
234
Copyright

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Common terms and phrases

About the author (2015)

Nancy Armstrong and Melissa Wagner are freelance writers living in Philadelphia. They wave their hands when they talk, and are keen interpreters of gestures glimpsed across crowded bars. They are the co-authors of Field Guide to Stains (Quirk Books, 2003).

Bibliographic information