The importance of facial expressions
Sitting on a train headed back to central London after a day of exploring the sprawling city, I stared out the window as the landscape flew by. Travelling on public transportation had become my favorite time to sit, think, and, admittedly, eavesdrop.
As I nonchalantly flipped the pages of “The Guardian” and skimmed the headlines, I tuned in to the conversation going on in the seats across the aisle.
An Englishman sporting a dapper suit and tie was engaged in an intense conversation with a man who, I later found out, had just moved to London from Africa.
From the way the man carefully chose his words, it was obvious that he was still learning English.
“When you speak, focus on what your face reflects to the person you are conversing with.
Right now your face looks strained because you are focusing on speaking English,” the Londoner said. “Use your hands to speak. Practice in the mirror every day and soon it will become more natural.”
What is he talking about, I wondered. But as the conversation progressed, I began to catch on.
The Englishman was explaining to this man the subtleties of Western communication – the things that we don’t even think about but that play a huge role in our social interactions: our facial expressions, gesticulations, sarcasm, irony and humor.
Sarcasm was a difficult notion to explain. “You say something that you don’t mean in a tone that insinuates the opposite of what you said.” The man pondered this for a moment before saying in a strange tone, “Ah, I don’t see what you are saying” and hopefully smiling at his instructor. “Well, technically I guess that is sarcasm,” the Brit replied.
The conversation got me thinking about how we communicate with other people.
Though the African man could be talking about his love of kittens, flowers and rainbows, his furrowed brows and mouth turned down in concentration would affect how someone might perceive what he is saying.
The old saying “actions speak louder than words” takes on a new meaning when you apply it to this scenario.
According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, only seven percent of communication involves actual words, while 55 percent is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38 percent is vocal (tone, speed, volume, etc.).
An episode of the sitcom “30 Rock,” starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, humorously pointed out how body language and tone overshadow the content of communication.
In it, guest star Queen Latifah played a grandstanding congresswoman with an affinity for impromptu speeches.
As she began to rant with the bravado of an impassioned preacher about the inequalities at NBC, she continued with the same gusto, “Now I may have lost my train of thought several minutes ago, but if I continue to talk like this no one will notice and when I stop, you will applaud my energy. Thank you!”
She received a standing ovation.
Often, our actions relay a message that we may not have intended. Or conversely, someone might deliberately deceive through the manner in which he communicates.
More than ever, I have become aware of how I communicate and the behaviors that accompany my words.
Whether meeting a new person, talking to a friend or interviewing for a job, visual and vocal communication are paramount to success.
Claire Cudahy is a junior English major.
By on 03/12/2010