Body Language and Non-verbal Communication (English Study Group Materials)

Materials: (Articles & Videos)

Questions

What do you think are the most important types of non-verbal communication?
What do you notice most (positive or negative)?
Can you think of experiences where someone has made a strong impression on you (positive or negative) because of different types of nonverbal communication? (Facial Expression, Gestures, Posture, Eye Contact, Appearance)
Do you think using a lot of non-verbal language makes conversation richer or distracts from what is being said?
How non-verbally active are you? Facial expression, hand gestures, eye contact, etc.?
Do you think you can talk to someone for an hour without using hand gestures?
Do you think Koreans use body language a lot? Which countries use body language the most?
What types of non-verbal communication norms should a non-Korean be aware of in Korea?
What are some different types of non-verbal communication you’ve observed among non-Koreans?
What types of non-verbal communication ‘rub you the wrong way’ [bother you]?
How do you think men and women use body language differently?
What kind of body language tells you that someone is attracted to you?
What are examples of non-verbal communication that take place in a classroom? As students, what should you be aware of when it comes to sending and perceiving non-verbal messages?
How do you feel about eye contact? How long can you stare into someone’s eyes without looking away?
Do you have anybody language habits you’d like to change?
Has anyone ever misinterpreted your body language? (e.g. thought you were angry when you weren’t)
What have you observed about Zoom body language? What makes a good or bad virtual impression?

Vocabulary (from Types of Nonverbal Communication )

definitive (결정적인): done or reached decisively and with authority. / The definitive answer was given by the judge in court.
deliberate (심사숙고한): done consciously and intentionally. / She made a deliberate attempt to befriend him.
dilate (확장하다): make or become wider, larger, or more open. / The medicine will dilate your blood vessels and increase blood flow.
evoke (불러일으키다): bring or recall to the conscious mind. / The smell of fresh bread evokes memories of my childhood home.
factors (요소): a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result. / There are many factors that contribute to climate change.
familiarity (친숙함): close acquaintance with or knowledge of something. / I have some familiarity with this topic but I’m not an expert.
gaze (시선): a steady intent look. / He held her gaze for a moment before looking away.
gesture (제스처): a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning. / She made a gesture with her hand to indicate that she was ready to leave.
haptic (촉각의): relating to the sense of touch. / Haptic feedback is becoming more common in smartphones and video games.
hostility (적대감): unfriendliness or opposition. / There was a lot of hostility between the two groups of people.
inflection (억양): a change in the form of a word that reflects a change in grammatical function. / The inflection at the end of his sentence made it sound like he was asking a question instead of making a statement.
intimacy (친밀함): close familiarity or friendship. / They had an intimacy that was rare among friends.
paralinguistics (언어학적 비언어적 요소): nonverbal elements in speech such as tone, pitch, and facial expressions. / Paralinguistics can convey meaning without words.
physiological (생리학적인): relating to the normal function of living organisms. / The physiological effects of stress can be harmful if not managed properly.
platonic (플라토의): intimate and affectionate but not sexual in nature. / Their relationship was platonic but they still loved each other deeply.
posture (자세): the position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting. / Good posture is important for maintaining good health and preventing back pain.
proportion (비율): a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole. / The proportion of men to women in this company is about 3:1.
proxemics (공간관계학): the study of how people use space to communicate. / Proxemics is an important aspect of communication in different cultures.
pupils (동공): the black circular opening in the center of the iris of the eye. / Her pupils dilated when she saw him walk into the room.
ritualistic (의식적인): relating to or done as a religious or solemn rite. / The ceremony was very ritualistic and followed strict guidelines for each step of the process.
subtle (미묘한): delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe. / The subtle differences between the two paintings were hard to spot.
tickling (간지럼을 느끼게 하는): causing a sensation of being tickled. / Tickling can be fun but it can also be uncomfortable if done too much.
unintentional (의도하지 않은): not done on purpose. / It was an unintentional mistake but it still caused a lot of problems.

Sayings & Idioms

Keep your cards close to your chest (카드를 가슴에 쥐고 있다): to keep your thoughts and plans secret. / He’s keeping his cards close to his chest about the new project.
Actions speak louder than words (행동이 말보다 크다): what you do is more important than what you say. / He promised to help but his actions speak louder than words.
Give someone the cold shoulder (무시하다): to ignore or be unfriendly towards someone. / She gave him the cold shoulder after their argument.
Keep a straight face (무표정으로 하다): to not show any emotion on your face. / He kept a straight face during the entire meeting.
Let your hair down (솔직하게 이야기하다): to relax and be yourself. / She let her hair down and had a great time at the party.
Put on a brave face (용감한 척 하다): to act as if you are not afraid or upset when you really are. / She put on a brave face even though she was scared.
Raise an eyebrow (눈썹을 올리다): to show surprise or disbelief with a facial expression. / He raised an eyebrow when he heard the news.
Read someone like a book (상대방을 잘 알아보다): to understand someone’s thoughts and feelings easily. / She can read him like a book and knows when he’s lying.
Stick out like a sore thumb (눈에 띄다): to be very noticeable because it is different from everything else around it. / He stuck out like a sore thumb at the formal event because he was wearing jeans.
Take something at face value (말 그대로 받아들이다): to accept something as it appears without questioning it. / She took his explanation at face value even though it didn’t make sense.
Wear your heart on your sleeve (감정을 드러내다): to show your emotions openly and honestly. / She wears her heart on her sleeve and is not afraid to express her feelings.
You can’t judge a book by its cover (표지로 책을 판단할 수 없다): you can’t know what something is really like just by looking at it from the outside. / You can’t judge a book by its cover – this restaurant may not look fancy but the food is amazing.