From alb@riq.qc.ca Wed Jan 28 15:24:06 1998 Received: from mailhub1.GOUV.QC.CA (postier1.gouv.qc.ca [192.197.162.10]) by dkuug.dk (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA11835 for ; Wed, 28 Jan 1998 15:24:03 +0100 Received: from cerbere2.sgo.gouv.qc.ca by postier1.GOUV.QC.CA; Wed, 28 Jan 98 09:21:12 -0500 Received: from laba01.sct.gq by prive1.intranet.dgsig (8.6.13/200.19.1.1) id JAA05684; Wed, 28 Jan 1998 09:05:43 -0500 Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19980128091253.010295bc@entree.sct.gouv.qc.ca> X-Sender: alabonte@entree.sct.gouv.qc.ca X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.1 (32) [F] Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 09:12:53 -0500 To: unicode@unicode.org From: Alain LaBonté  Subject: Re: International gestures - help needed In-Reply-To: <9801281254.AA16812@unicode.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit A 04:54 28/01/98 -0800, Winkler, Arnold F a écrit : >Friends, > >This is an unusual request on these lists, but I know that some of you >will have an answer to the following question: > >We are planning an advertisement that would show a person making the OK >gesture (thumb and index finger in a circle with other 3 fingers >straight). Could this be misconstrued as a vulgar gesture in some parts >of the world? > >Is there a listing of what gestures are appropriate? > >Your input is very much appreciated. >Thanks and regards >Arnold F. Winkler - Standards Management >Tel: 610-648-2055, (Unisys NET-385-2055) >Fax: 610-695-5473 >E-mail : Arnold.Winkler@unisys.com [Alain] : Oh! my God! I'm not sure what you mean in your description but be extremely careful... in particular with finger or hand gestures... I've already seen some documentary movies on TV5 (international French TV) on this a few years ago, but I don't have the exact reference... it was astonishing. At some point you worry if you'd rather not do any gesture at all. Most of what we do is insulting or impolite to a point we could not imagine, at least somewhere in the world. The reverse exists too. Many gestures which are obviously impolite or childish in most of the Western world are very nice and hospitable in Asia, for example. Let me quote but the most sympathetic of all. When I was on vacation in Lhasa in 1987, a Tibetan monk was showing his tongue to us and then smiling. All my companions (some British, some Québecer) believed he was childishly laughing at us... Because in my childhood I had read "Tintin au Tibet" (where captain Haddock had on this occasion a ferocious monkey's behaviour, angry that he was against them!), I knew that this was a very nice way of saluting us. So I did the same and I explained my companions, who would not believe me at first sight... But they suddenly realized that the Tibetan monks were fraternizing with me and they did the same. That pleased the monks and everybody was happy. Alain LaBonté Québec