IS THE “THUMBS UP” GESTURE UNIVERSAL OR JUST AMERICAN?
Keywords:
thumbs up, gesture, nonverbal communication, cross-cultural differences, American culture, globalizationAbstract
The article “Is the ‘Thumbs Up’ Gesture Universal or Just American?” by Ikhmatova Sevinch Abdumajidovna, a master’s student at the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, explores the cultural meanings and interpretations of the thumbs up gesture across different societies. The author discusses its historical origins, American and Western interpretations, and cross-cultural variations, emphasizing that while globalization has spread its positive connotation, the gesture still carries negative or offensive meanings in some cultures such as in the Middle East or South America. Drawing on the works of Birdwhistell, Ekman, Pease, and others, the paper argues that the thumbs up is widely recognized but not truly universal, serving as an example of how nonverbal communication is culturally specific. The study concludes that effective intercultural communication requires awareness of cultural differences even in seemingly simple gestures.
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