How do you know if a person is lying? Recognition of non-verbal gestures that signal deception is one of the most important communication skills that can be learned in the process of observing human behavior.

So, what gestures can betray a person if he is lying?

These are gestures associated with touching the hands to the face.

When we watch or hear others tell lies or lie ourselves, we make an effort to cover our mouth, eyes, or ears with our hands. We have already said that children quite frankly use gestures that indicate deception. If a small child is lying, he will cover his mouth with his hand in an attempt to stop the lying words coming out of his mouth. If he does not want to listen to the parents' lectures, he simply plugs his ears with his fingers or covers his ears with his hands. If he sees something he would not like to see, he covers his eyes with his hands. When a person grows up, his gestures, using hands near his face, become more refined and less noticeable, but they still take place. If this gesture is used by a person at the time of speech, this indicates that he is telling a lie. However, if he growls his mouth with his hand at the moment when you speak, and he listens, this means that he senses that you are lying!

One of the most depressing pictures for a speaker is the view of the audience, where every one of them holds their hands to their mouths during a hundred speeches. In a small audience or one-on-one communication, it would be wise to pause your message and address the audience with the question, “Would anyone like to comment on what I said?” This will allow the audience to voice their objections, and you will be given the opportunity to clarify your statements and answer questions.

when a person lies, covers up a lie, or gives false testimony. These gestures can also indicate doubt, uncertainty, lies or exaggeration of a real fact.

When a person makes a hand-to-face gesture, this does not always mean that he is lying. However, this may be the first sign of deception, and further observation of the person's behavior and gestures may confirm your suspicions. This gesture should be considered in conjunction with other gestures.

Dr. Desmond Morris conducted an experiment with nurses who, under conditions role play was instructed to tell patients lies about their condition. Those sisters who had to lie were more likely to use hand-to-face gestures than those who told the truth to their patients. This chapter discusses various hand-to-face gestures and the conditions under which they occur.

Mouth Protection

Protecting the mouth with the hand is one of the few gestures of an adult and has the same meaning as a child's gesture. The hand covers the mouth and the thumb is pressed to the cheek, while the brain at the subconscious level sends signals to hold back the spoken words. Sometimes it may be only a few fingers at the mouth or even a fist, but the meaning of the gesture remains the same.

The hand guard gesture should be distinguished from the evaluative gestures discussed later in this chapter.

Some people try to fake a cough to disguise this gesture. Humphrey Bogart, when he had to play the role of a gangster or a criminal, often used this device when discussing his criminal plans with other gangsters or during interrogation, in order to use non-verbal means to emphasize the lack of sincerity in his character.

Touching the Nose

In essence, touching the nose is a subtle, disguised version of the previous gesture. It can be expressed in a few light touches on the dimple under the nose, or it can be expressed in one quick, almost imperceptible touch. Some women do this gesture very carefully so as not to smudge the lipstick and damage the makeup.

One explanation for the nature of this gesture is that when bad thoughts enter the mind, the subconscious tells the hand to cover the mouth, but at the very last moment, out of a desire to disguise this gesture, the hand is pulled away from the mouth, and a light touch to the nose is obtained.

Another explanation may be that during the lie there are ticklish urges on the nerve endings of the nose, and one really wants to scratch the nose to get rid of them. I am often asked: “What if a person just often itches his nose?” If the nose itches, then the person will intentionally scratch or scratch it, which is different from lightly touching the nose with a hand in a situation of deception. Like touching the mouth, touching the nose can be used both by the speaker to disguise his own deceit and by the listener who doubts the sincerity of the speaker's words.

Rubbing the Age

The wise monkey says, "I see no sin," closing his eyes. This gesture is caused by the desire in the brain to hide from the deceit, suspicion, or lies it faces, or the desire to avoid looking into the eyes of the person it is telling a lie. Men usually rub their eyelids in a very vigorous manner, and if the lie is very serious, they turn their eyes away, usually to the floor. Women very delicately do this movement, swiping a finger under the eye. This can be due to two reasons: due to their upbringing, they are not familiar with rude gestures; caution movements due to the presence of makeup on the eyelids. Averting their eyes to the side, they look at the ceiling.

There is a well-known expression "To lie through your teeth." This expression refers to a complex of gestures consisting of clenched teeth and a forced smile, rubbing the eyelid with a finger and looking away. Film actors use this complex gesture to portray the insincerity of their characters, but in ordinary life this gesture is rare.

Ear scratching and rubbing

In fact, this gesture is caused by the desire of the listener to isolate himself from words by placing his hand near or above the ear. This gesture is an adult modification of the gesture of a small child when he plugs his ears so as not to listen to the reproaches of his parents. Other options for touching the ear are rubbing the pinna, drilling into the ear (with the tip of a finger), pulling on the earlobe, or bending the ear in an attempt to cover the ear opening. This last gesture indicates that the person has heard enough and wants, perhaps, to speak out.

Neck scratching

In this case, a person scratches the place under the earlobe or the side of the neck with the index finger of the right hand. Our observations of this gesture revealed an interesting point: a person usually makes five scratching movements. Very rarely, the number of scratches will be less than five or more than five. This gesture speaks of the doubt and uncertainty of a person who says: "I'm not sure that I agree with you." It is especially striking if it is contrary to verbal language, for example, if a person says something like: "I perfectly understand how you feel."

Pull Back Collar

In a study of people's gestures accompanying their lies, Desmond Morris noticed that lying causes an itchy sensation in the tender muscle tissue face and neck, and scratching is required to soothe these sensations. This seems to be an acceptable explanation for why some people pull back their collar when they lie and suspect that their deception has been discovered. It also looks like the liar has sweat on his neck when he feels that you have suspected a hoax. This gesture is also used when a person is angry or upset, while pulling the collar away from the neck to cool it down. fresh air. When you see a person making this gesture, you can ask him, "Could you repeat that, sir?" or “Could you clarify this point, sir?” And this will make the deceiver refuse to continue his cunning game.

fingers in mouth

Morris gives this explanation for this gesture: a person puts his fingers in his mouth in a state of great oppression. It is man's unconscious attempt to return to that safe, unclouded time in infancy, when the child suckled its mother's breast. Small child sucks his thumb, and as for the adult, besides his thumb, he puts into his mouth such objects as cigarettes, pipes, pens, and the like. While the gestures associated with covering the mouth with the hand indicate deceit, the fingers in the mouth indicate an internal need for approval and support. Therefore, when this gesture appears, it is necessary to support the person or assure him with guarantees (Fig. 57).

Interpretation of Gestures and Interpretation Mistakes

It takes a certain amount of time and a certain level of observational skills in order to develop the ability, under certain circumstances, to correctly interpret the gestures associated with the approach of hands to the face. We can conclude with all certainty that if such a gesture flashed through a person, then this means that something unpleasant is on his mind. The only question is, what is it? It can be doubt, deceit, uncertainty, some exaggeration of a real fact, a gloomy foreboding or an outright lie. The art of correct interpretation is to determine which of the listed negative emotions is present. This is best done by analyzing the gestures that precede the hand-to-face gesture, taking into account the context of the communication.

For example, my friend, with whom we often play chess, often rubs his ear or touches his nose when he is not sure of the correctness of his next move. Recently, I have noticed other gestures of his that I can interpret and use to my advantage. I found that as soon as I intend to move a piece by touching it, he instantly makes a series of gestures that give information about how he regards my proposed move. If he leans back and makes a spike gesture (confidence), I can assume that he anticipated such a move and may have already thought about how to respond to it. If, at the moment when I touch the chess piece, he covers his mouth with his hand and rubs his nose or ear; this means that he did not expect such a move and does not know how to proceed further. It is clear that the more often I walk after his "hand-to-face" gestures, the more chances I have to win.

Recently, I was interviewing a young man who wanted to get a job in our company. Throughout the interview, he sat with his arms crossed over his chest and crossed his legs, his gestures spoke of a critical attitude, his palms were too rarely visible, and his gaze only 1/3 of the time met my eyes. Something was clearly bothering him, but at that point in the interview I had too little information to make an accurate assessment of his negative gestures. I asked him about previous positions and places of work. When he answered, his responses were accompanied by rubbing his eyelid and touching his nose, and he continued to avoid my eyes. This went on throughout the interview, and I ultimately made the decision not to hire this person based on my "sixth sense". The thought of negative gestures haunted me, and I decided to test its characteristics. I found that he was giving me wrong information about his past. If I didn't pay attention to him non-verbal cues I might have made a mistake in hiring this person.

A videotape of a role-play based on a job interview was played in a management seminar. During this interview, the candidate for the position unexpectedly covered his mouth with his hand and rubbed his nose as he was asked one of the questions. Up until this point in the interview, he had been sitting in an open position with his jacket unbuttoned, palms bare, and leaning forward while answering questions, so at first we thought that those gestures did not coincide with his general line of behavior. The gesture of covering his mouth lasted a few seconds before he answered, and then he returned to his open posture. At the end of the role play, we asked him about this gesture, and he said that when he was asked that question, he could give two answers, one positive, one negative. As he pondered the negative answer and what impression it might make, the gesture of "covering his mouth with his hand" involuntarily came up. When he thought of a positive answer, the hand dropped and he returned to his previous open posture. His musings on how the audience would react to a negative response prompted an unexpected "eats - covering one's mouth with one's hand.

These examples show how easy it is to misinterpret hand-to-face gestures and come to wrong conclusions. And only by constant training in Observing and studying these gestures, given the context in which the gestures are made, one can learn to make correct interpretations of people's thoughts.

Palm Support Cheeks and Chin

A good lecturer is one who instinctively senses when his audience is interested in what he is saying and when they have lost interest. A good sales agent feels when he "touches the right chords", i.e. finds out whether the buyer is interested in his product or not. Every salesman knows the unpleasant feeling that arises if his potential buyer is present at the presentation of the goods, without saying a word, and only watches. Fortunately, his reaction can be judged by a number of gestures, among which may be propping up his cheek or chin with his palm.

When the listener begins to put his hand in order to lean his head on it, this is a sure sign that he has become bored, and he props his head up with his hand in order to stay awake.

The degree of boredom correlates with the severity of using the hand as a support. Extreme boredom and lack of interest are seen when the head is completely on the hand (Fig. 58), and the absolute signal of boredom will be if the person lies with his head on the table and snores!

The tapping of fingers on the table and the constant stomping of feet on the floor are often misinterpreted as signs of boredom in the audience, but they are in fact indicative of impatience.

If you, as a lecturer, notice these signals, you need to make a strategic move to distract the impatient person and engage him in the lecture so that he does not infect others present. If the entire audience shows signs of boredom and impatience, this tells the lecturer that it is time for him to end his speech. It is important to note in this connection that the speed of tapping fingers or stamping feet depends on the degree of impatience of the person. The faster the gestures, the more impatient the listener becomes.

Estimated Relationships

A person takes an evaluative posture if he props up his cheek with his fingers clenched into a fist, and the index finger rests on the temple (Fig. 59). If a person loses interest, but politely wants to appear interested, their posture will change slightly so that the head rests on the base of the palm, as shown in Figure 58. I have attended numerous management meetings where I have seen young rising managers use this gesture in order to feign interest out of respect for the president of the company, who at that moment was making a boring message.However, unfortunately for them, any propping up of the head with the hand means boredom and betrays them, and the president may understand that they are insincere in nature or just want to flatter him.

Real interest is shown when the hand, being under the cheek, does not serve as a support for the head. An easy way to rekindle their interest, maybe if the president says something like, "I'm glad you're taking my words so seriously, because I'll be asking you questions in a second!" This will help increase the interest of the listeners in his speech, because they are afraid that they will not be able to answer his questions.

When the index finger is pointed vertically to the temple and the thumb supports the chin, this indicates that the listener is negative or critical of the speaker or the subject of his message. Often, the index finger may rub or pull on the eyelid as the negative thoughts thicken. The longer a person retains these gestures, the longer his critical attitude will last. This gesture is a signal that the speaker needs to do something urgently, either to try to captivate the listener with the content of his message, or to round off his speech. An easy way is to give him something to support and thereby change his posture. The gesture of critical evaluation is often confused with a signal of interest, but with a critical attitude, there will definitely be a chin propped up with the thumb (Fig. 60).

Chin Stroking

The next time you have the opportunity to pitch an idea to a group of people, pay close attention to their reactions as you do so, and you'll pick up a lot of fun. Most, if not all, of your group will bring one hand up to their face and begin to make appraising gestures. When you come to the end of your presentation and ask the members of the group to give their opinion or suggestion regarding your idea, the appraisal gestures will disappear. Your listeners will move one hand to the chin and begin to stroke the chin.

This "chin stroke" gesture means that the person is trying to make a decision. When you asked the audience for their opinion, their gestures changed from evaluative to “decision-making” gestures. The following signals will tell you whether their decision will be positive or negative. The sales agent would be unreasonable if he interrupts the buyer at the moment when he

will begin to stroke his chin in response to a request to communicate his decision to purchase. His best course of action would be to carefully observe the subsequent gestures of the buyer, which will tell him what decision he came to. If, for example, after this gesture, he crosses his arms over his chest and crosses his legs, then leans back in his chair, the salesman received a non-verbal negative response. You should immediately go over the merits of the proposed product again before the buyer verbally expressed his negative answer, and this can save negotiations.

If the chin stroking is followed by a gesture of readiness (Fig. 97), the seller will only have to specify how the payment for the goods will be made, and the buyer will complete the purchase.

Decision Gesture Options

If a person wears glasses, then following the evaluation gestures to make a decision, he will do the following: he will take off his glasses and put one of the glasses in his mouth, instead of stroking his chin. The smoker will place the pipe in his mouth. If a person, after being asked to communicate his decision, puts a pen or finger in his mouth; this is a sign that he is not confident in himself, and he needs support, because the object in his mouth allows him not to pronounce the decision, to think longer. Since it is considered bad manners to speak with a full mouth, an object in the mouth is considered an excuse for a person not daring to make a hasty decision.

Combination of Various Hand-to-Face Gestures

Sometimes the boredom, critical attitude, and decision gestures can all be used at the same time, each reflecting some aspect of the person's attitude.

Figure 63 shows how the evaluative gesture is shifted to the chin, while the hand can stroke the chin at this time. When the listener begins to lose interest in the speaker, the head begins to lean towards the hand for support. Figure 64 shows a critical appraisal expressed by propping up the head with the thumb, as the listener has lost interest in the topic of conversation.

Rubbing the Back of the Head and Slapping the Forehead

An exaggerated version of the gesture, expressed by pulling back the collar, is rubbing the back of the neck with the palm of your hand, what Calero called the “neck ache” gesture. If a person makes this gesture while uttering a lie, he averts his eyes and looks at the floor. This gesture is also a sign of frustration or anger, but in this case, the hand first claps on the neck, and then begins to rub it.

Let's suppose that you asked your subordinate to carry out your assignment, and that he forgot to do it by the required time. When you ask him about the results of the assignment, he will non-verbally answer that he forgot to do it, slapping himself on the forehead or on the neck, as if figuratively beating, punishing himself for forgetfulness. Although a slap on the head usually indicates forgetfulness, the person also expresses their feelings towards you or the situation with this gesture, depending on whether

where the slap falls - on the forehead or on the neck. If he slaps his forehead (Fig. 66), he signals that he is not afraid that he showed his forgetfulness in front of you. But when he pats his neck (fig. 65), he informs you in such a non-verbal way that he is terribly unpleasant that you pointed out this mistake to him. People who have a habit of rubbing the back of their neck tend to be negative or critical of others, while those who habitually slap their foreheads in non-verbal acknowledgment of their mistake tend to be more open-minded people.

Once upon a time, American President Richard Nixon got into trouble. Speaking in Brazil, out of habit, he threw up his hand with the thumb and forefinger connected by a ring. For him, as for any American, this gesture meant "okay". And for the Brazilians - as it soon turned out - a sexual insult.
Only very few gestures have a universal meaning. Basically, these are involuntary gestures that reflect our emotions and are not only common to all people, but also unite us with primates. For example, gorillas, like humans, cover their faces with their hands when they are upset, beat their chests to show their confidence, and flail their hands when they are very excited. In virtually all cultures, a person who shrugs their shoulders indicates uncertainty, indifference, or disdain, while one who covers his nose with his hand communicates bad smell. A bow (head or body) is a universal expression of respect for all cultures. However, along with universal gestures, unmistakably read by representatives of most cultures, there are many gestures that, in different cultures have completely different (sometimes directly opposite) meanings. And similar meanings, on the contrary, are transmitted by different gestures.
The difficulties of understanding sign language are well illustrated by one children's anecdote. A cowboy and an Indian meet. The Indian pokes the cowboy's face with his index finger, and the cowboy at him with two. To which the Indian folds his hands like a house, and the cowboy in response draws a wavy line in the air with his hand. Returning home, both retell the dialogue that took place. Cowboy: "I just met a very militant Indian. He says:" I'll gouge out your eye. "And I answer him:" And I will both of you. drown "". And the Indian retells the dialogue as follows: "I just met a crazy cowboy. I ask him:" Who are you? "He answers:" Goat ". I ask: "Mountain?"
A misunderstanding of the gestures characteristic of representatives of other cultures often leads to misunderstandings, resentment and even conflicts. This is how they gesticulate in the same cases different nations.

indication

The first meaningful gesture learned by an infant who is not yet able to walk or talk is a command. Stretching his hand in the direction of the object that interested him, he tells the adult: "I want this." And the adult, reading the meaning of the gesture, hands him a toy or a bottle of food. The pointing gesture is found in almost all cultures, but among many peoples, like the Russians, pointing with a finger is considered indecent. In most Western cultures, pointing a finger at someone is a sign of disrespect and a show of superiority. Hindus point their fingers only at the lower ones, and use the movement of the chin to indicate the person who is above them on the social ladder. Neutral pointing gesture among the Hindus, it is made with the whole palm and resembles the pose of Lenin on numerous monuments: "You are on the right path, comrades!"
In Indonesia, instead of the index finger, the thumb is used for pointing, while the Filipinos point to an object with their eyes and outstretched lips. Such an unusual for us pointing gesture is also quite widespread among the American Indians and some African peoples.

beckoning
The "inviting" gesture familiar to us, when the hand is raised to the level of the chest, the fingers are directed upwards and make swaying movements towards themselves, can be read by some peoples, for example, the Arabs, in the exact opposite sense - as a demand to leave. To call someone, the Arabs (and the Spaniards and Latinos who adopted this gesture from them) turn their hand palm down and move their fingers, as if digging the ground. Similarly, they call people in Japan, China and Hong Kong. True, there you can also see a person who beckons someone with his index finger. But you can be sure that a person will never respond to such a call, since this gesture is intended only for animals.
To call the waiter different countries there are also specific gestures. For example, the British and Americans, calling the waiter, depict a whole pantomime in the air with both hands, as if they were signing the bill. And in France, it is enough to throw your head back and say: "Monsieur!" In Colombia and other Latin American countries, people sometimes clap their hands over their heads to call a waiter, but this gesture is considered a sign of displeasure.

Greetings
The handshake has become a traditional greeting in many parts of the world. In the USA and in many countries Western Europe This gesture is equally used by both men and women. However, in countries where emancipation has not yet gone too far (for example, in Latin America), it is not customary for a man to be the first to extend his hand to a woman. In China and Japan, a handshake is accepted only among partners of equal social status, and superiors are more often greeted with a polite bow. And in some parts of Mexico, the custom is common, shaking hands with each other, grabbing a partner by the thumb.
The exalted inhabitants of Southern Europe (Italians, French, Belgians) use a triple kiss as a greeting. At the same time, for some reason, many of them are sure that the same greeting is also accepted among Russians. Foreigners are very surprised when they are told that among Russians a threefold kiss has a religious meaning and is performed once a year - on Easter.
In India, the traditional greeting gesture is still common - hands clasped together with fingers up (as in prayer). In the Philippines, people greet each other with a slight raise of their eyebrows. And a native of Tibet, having met a stranger, shows him his tongue. With this sign he wants to say: "I have nothing bad in my mind."

approval, admiration
If you are accustomed to using a thumbs up to express admiration, then in many countries you risk being misunderstood. In the Middle East (for example, in Iran), this gesture is considered obscene.
In Spain, Mexico and Colombia, to express admiration, pinch the earlobe with two fingers. This gesture is usually used to praise the hostess for a delicious meal. To express extreme delight, Brazilians can even throw their hand behind their head and reach for the opposite ear.
When a Frenchman wants to say about something that this is the height of sophistication and sophistication, he puts the tips of three fingers together, brings them to his lips and, raising his chin high, sends an air kiss. And the Chinese, expressing satisfaction, simply bring their palm to their lips.
A unique gesture of approval exists among the Turks: they raise their hand up and slowly fold their fingers into a fist, as if they are squeezing something.
The well-known American gesture "okay" (a ring formed by the thumb and forefinger), which means "everything is in order, everything is fine," can also be attributed to gestures of approval. In other cultures, it may have a completely different meaning. In France, it means "zero", "nothing happened", in Japan it symbolizes money and is used in a buying and selling situation (for example, as a request to the cashier to give you change in coins). In Spain, Greece and South America this gesture has a sexually offensive connotation, as exemplified by the Richard Nixon story above.

Gratitude
In Ceylon, gratitude is often expressed with a simple smile, but if you smile too much, it can be understood as sexual flirting. The Chinese gesture meaning "thank you" is the hands raised to the level of the head, folded into a handshake (we have a similar gesture meaning "friendship" or "agreement!").
In different areas of China, there are different gestures, meaning gratitude for the good service in the restaurant. In Northern China, "thank you" is indicated by the thumb and forefinger folded into a ring (unlike the "okay" gesture, the hand is not raised up, but rests on the table). In Southern China, people tap their fingers on the table as a token of gratitude, which is reminiscent of the European involuntary gesture of nervousness and excitement.
The meaning of this gesture dates back to the time of Emperor Qian Lun of the Qing Dynasty. One day, the emperor was traveling incognito in South China with his courtiers. In order not to be recognized, the emperor was dressed in a simple dress and served his courtiers for tea. And those, in order to secretly express respect and gratitude to the emperor, invented a gesture depicting endless bows with their fingers.

flirting, flirting
Gestures, meaning admiration for female beauty, are considered immodest in all cultures. But if in Europe women quite favorably endure all kinds of whistling, winking, snapping fingers and air kisses sent to them, then in Asian countries such delights can be scolded in the face. It is also useful for young ladies to be able to distinguish simple flirting from dirty sexual innuendo. In France, it is a crude sexual gesture to snap the fingers of both hands at the same time and pat the palm of one hand on the clenched fist of the other. In Greece, sexual harassment is expressed by tapping a finger on the chin, winking, whistling and air kissing. In Argentina, a man makes an obscene proposal to a woman by tapping on inside hips, and in Egypt - tapping each other with the tips of the index fingers.

Insult
In most cultures, offensive gestures have phallic symbolism. In many cultures, it is considered offensive to raise a fist (for example, Pakistan), thumb (Iran), index finger or elbow of the hand with a clenched fist (China). But there are also purely national insults. In England, the V (Victory) sign is considered offensive if it is not made with the palm outward, but with the palm facing the face. Apparently, the British adopted this gesture from the Arabs, who raise the tip of the nose with two fingers, imitating the movements of the phallus. The most rude sexual insult among Americans is a fist with a raised middle finger.
The Greeks, on the contrary, wanting to offend a person, put their thumb down. Usually this gesture is used by drivers who use it to express something like "Where are you going, idiot! Can't you see, I'm on my way!". In our country, this gesture is common among the youth and means "sucks", that is, "bad".
In Greece, there is another gesture that has an offensive meaning. It consists of stretching out the hand, palm forward, with the fingers spread, much as we do when we want to ask someone to be quiet. This gesture dates back to the times of antiquity, when the faces of defeated enemies were smeared with mud. A similar offensive gesture exists in Nigeria. And in Chile, this gesture has a more specific meaning and means "Junk!". IN Saudi Arabia a more complex version of this gesture is used, when the hand with spread fingers is parallel to the ground, and at the same time the index finger is pointing down.
If in Russia the figurine refers mainly to children's insulting gestures (like a protruding tongue), then for many peoples (for example, among the Turks, Latin Americans, inhabitants of the Mediterranean), this gesture is a deadly insult, since it has a phallic meaning. In Brazilians, on the contrary, it means a wish for good luck. And in Paraguay, a gesture is considered an insult, which in the United States means a wish for good luck: crossed index and middle fingers. Probably, such an inversion of positive and negative meanings is not accidental: in Russia, the ritual of wishing good luck also consists of phrases whose literal meaning is far from benevolent (No fluff, no feather! - Go to hell!).
Representatives of Western countries can offend Arabs with their habit of sitting cross-legged, especially in the American manner - "number four" (the shin of one leg rests on the thigh of the other). This is due to the fact that in the Middle East it is considered an insult to show another the soles of your shoes. By the way, the American manner of crossing legs cost the lives of several spies during the Second World War, who, thanks to this gesture, which is not characteristic of Europeans, were exposed by German counterintelligence.
In India, it is considered a terrible insult to step on someone's foot (even by accident). In Thailand, a person may be offended if you put your hand on the back of the chair on which he is sitting, and in Japan - if you hold out to him business card with one hand, and not with two (taking the thing extended to you is also supposed to be done with two hands and with a slight bow).
Beyond just hurtful gestures, many cultures have ways of expressing more specific accusations.
Drunk. To warn that a person is drunk, the French join the thumb and forefinger into a ring and "put" this ring on their nose. The Dutch in a similar situation tap their nose with their index finger.
Chatterbox. To show that they are tired of someone's meaningless chatter, the French make a gesture that imitates playing an imaginary flute. In Latin America and the Middle East, to convey the meaning of "talker", "yap", brush movements are used, depicting the opening of the mouth.
Greedy. To show that a person is greedy, in Colombia they hit the fingers of one hand on the inside of the elbow of the other.
Liar. A specific gesture for portraying lies exists in Israel. When an Israelite taps the index finger of one hand on the open palm of the other, he says: "Rather grass will grow in my palm than I will believe your words." In France, the index finger at the lower eyelid means "lie" or "I am considered a liar."
Homosexual. In the Middle East, a person's non-standard sexual orientation is reported as follows: they lick the little finger and comb their eyebrow. In Italians, a similar meaning is conveyed by pinching the earlobe. In Spain, there is an insulting gesture with a similar meaning, also meaning "girl" or "sucker": the head is tilted to one side, the cheek rests on the palm (imitation of the pose of a falling asleep child).

Mind and stupidity
Gestures depicting intelligence and stupidity often have opposite meanings in different cultures. For example, when a Frenchman, German or Italian thinks an idea is stupid, he expressively knocks himself on the head. A German slap on the forehead with an open palm is the equivalent of exclaiming: "You're crazy!" And when a Briton or a Spaniard knocks himself on the forehead, he, on the contrary, is pleased with himself. Despite the fact that in this gesture there is a share of self-irony, the person still praises himself for his quick wit: "This is the mind!"
Germans, Americans, French and Italians have a habit of drawing a spiral near the head with their index finger, which means "crazy idea ..."
The gesture "finger to the temple" among the Germans and Austrians means "crazy!", and in a number of African cultures this gesture means that a person is deeply thoughtful. In France, a finger to the temple means that a person is just a fool, and in Holland, on the contrary, that he is smart or said a smart thing.
Especially confusing is the designation of the intellectual level of the interlocutor in modern Israel. In the "official" sign language generally accepted in the country, putting a finger to the temple means praising someone for a smart idea. At the same time, many ethnic groups inhabiting Israel perceive this gesture differently. For Moroccan Jews, as for the French, it means "stupidity", for American Jews - "you're crazy", and for immigrants from Romania - "I think" or "think."

Affirmation and denial
For those who are accustomed to understanding head-down movement as "yes" and side-to-side movement as "no", there will be many difficulties in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia, “yes” is turning the head from side to side (like our “no”), and “no” is tilting the head back and clicking the tongue. In Lebanon and Iran, to say "no", it is enough to sharply raise and throw back the head, and to say "yes", on the contrary, to slightly tilt it forward and down. In Turkey, denial is expressed as follows: you need to tilt your head slightly back and close your eyes. The statement among the Turks is the tilt of the head down and slightly to the side.
Evil tongues claim that it was Princess Diana's flirtatious habit of tilting her head slightly to one side and down that influenced her charitable career. Whenever she visited any of the Middle Eastern countries on a humanitarian mission and listened to numerous requests for help there, this gesture of hers was taken as an agreement to help and were scattered in gratitude. The princess had no choice but to really fulfill the requests of all those who suffer.
In India and Malaysia, in agreement, they shake their heads from one shoulder to the other (this gesture in Russia means condemnation).
In Germany, "no" is often indicated by waving the hand from side to side (a favorite gesture of Soviet leaders on the podium of the Mausoleum).
Bulgarians, as you know, shake their heads from side to side in agreement, and nod in denial. Legend has it that these gestures originate from the act of one folk hero. The conquering Turks persuaded him to renounce the faith of his fathers and to accept Islam. Under the threat of death, he had to verbally agree with them, but with a parallel gesture he simultaneously expressed denial. Since then, a nod in Bulgaria means "no".

To attract attention
To draw attention to their words, Brazilians snap their fingers while simultaneously throwing their hand sharply to the side. In Portugal, in order to be heard, you need to extend your hand forward with your palm down and wiggle your fingers, as if you are stroking someone on the head. A gesture that is often used by Western speakers to attract the attention of the audience (outstretched palm with spread fingers), among the Greeks means a rude insult.

danger signal
When a Spaniard or Hispanic touches the lower eyelid with the index finger and pulls it down slightly, it means: "Be careful, look at both!" If a Frenchman or a Dutchman rubs his nose with his index finger, he warns: "Something is unclean here", "Be careful", "These people cannot be trusted." This gesture is very close to the Italian tapping of the index finger on the nose, which means: "Beware of danger."

Doubt, confusion
When a Portuguese taps his chin with his index finger, this gesture means: "I don't know!" And if you tap on the chin with your thumb, this gesture will have a completely different meaning: someone has died. In Paraguay, to say "I don't know", they grab the chin with two fingers, in Japan they shake their hand from side to side. Puerto Ricans, shaking the tip of their nose with their fingers, ask: "What's going on here?"

Apology
If an Indian touches his fingers to your shoulder, and then to his forehead, this means that he apologizes to you. And if he grabs his earlobes, then he deeply repents of his deed and swears his devotion. This gesture is the traditional gesture of a servant being scolded by his master.

good luck
The Austrians, to wish a person good luck, put two fists together and make a downward movement, as if hitting them on the table. In the United States, for good luck, the middle and index fingers are crossed. The same gesture in Russia among children means that the person is about to tell a lie. In China, a wish for good luck is fingers clasped together and pressed to the chest. Another variant of the Chinese gesture is the little fingers interlocked. This means reaching an informal agreement and the hope that it will be long-term. Our children use the same gesture as a symbol of reconciliation, but in Latin America and the Middle East, interlocked little fingers, on the contrary, should be interpreted as: "That's it. We had a fight."
ANNA FENKO

Popular seven-language phrasebook

	"Go here!"	"Hi"	"Class!"	"Yes, you went!"	"Yes"	"Not"
In Russian	palm turned	Handshake	Fist, big	raised fist,	Nod your head	Shake your head out
	up, fingers		thumbs up	arm bent into	up down	side to side
	beckon to themselves			elbow, other
				lies on the elbow
				fold
American style	palm turned	Handshake	OK (ring)	Fist with raised	Nod your head	Shake your head out
	up, fingers			up middle	up down	side to side
	beckon to themselves			finger
In Arabic	Arm outstretched	Right hand to	NO (BLANK	Fingers in	Tilt slightly	Throw back sharply
	palm forward	heart, then	CELL)	"Victoria", between	head to the side and	head
	down. Fingers	forehead, then		them the tip of the nose,	down (head
	moving like	palm forward		lift him up	hung)
	like digging the ground	up		imitating movements
				phallus
In Chinese	Arm outstretched	direct bow	Raise hand to	raised fist,	Nod your head	Shake your head out
	palm forward	head	lips	arm bent into	up and down (like	side to side
	down. Fingers			elbow, other	US)	(like we have)
	moving like			lies on the elbow
	like digging the ground			fold (like ours)
In French	palm turned	Handshake	Air kiss	Pat	Nod your head	pumping
	up, fingers			one palm	up and down (like	index
	beckon to themselves			clenched hands	US)	finger out
				fist another		side to side
						(like we have
						prohibited for children)
In German	palm turned	handshake (like	Hands in the lock over	Fist with raised	Nod your head	hand waving
	up, fingers	we have)	head	up middle	up and down (like	from side to
	beckon to themselves			finger	US)	palm side to
						interlocutor
in Greek	Arm outstretched	Handshake	Hand in a fist	Stretched forward	Tilt slightly	head up
	palm forward		thumb	palm to	head to the side and
	down. Fingers		up (like us)	interlocutor's hand	down (head
	moving like			with splayed	hung)
	like digging the ground			fingers

Interpreting dreams is not as easy as it might seem. After all, sometimes the smallest detail or insignificant circumstance can change the meaning of a dream. Here, for example, dream books, interpreting why they dream of hitting someone in the face, recommend remembering: why they hit, what were the consequences, and in general, whether you were beaten in a dream or you.

Miller's dream book

If in a dream you hit someone in the face, then this means that you are a very timid and insecure person. You are trying to "release" your anger and irritability through the dream. A woman sees in a dream that her husband is hitting her on the cheeks, and she worries about why this is a dream? Vision means that discord will “settle” in the family.

Briefly about beaten ...

The meaning of dreams also depends on who exactly was beaten in the face. This is what dreams about beating a particular person:

• beloved - he will cheat on you;
• an unfamiliar man - to pleasant acquaintances;
• ex-boyfriend - you can't "let go" of your relationship;
• a rival is a sign of the fidelity of a lover.
• dead man - you want to hide some information about yourself.
• one of the parents - changes for the worse are coming;
• hit yourself in the face - to achieve the goal.

You are a victim of an attack, or Trouble in a dream and in reality ...

Here are the interpretations various dream books if you dreamed that you were beaten in the face.

Pastor Loff's dream book, for example, believes that such a dream is a reflection of the real state of affairs. In reality, the dreamer is infringed by someone, someone who has little control over him: a spouse, a boss, a representative of authority, etc.

But Miss Hasse in her dream book objects to him. The interpretation of a dream in which you are beaten on the cheeks promises unpleasant news about who beat you.

If you dismissed your hands - a sign of success and victory

Did you dream of the beaten face of a colleague who was beaten by you? In reality, you will be able to win some kind of bet or dispute. Beating her husband in a dream is a sign that the dreamer is happily married. It will help to find out why you dream of hitting your husband in the face for showing signs of attention to another woman. Gypsy dream book. He prophesies a victory over an opponent, if any.

Did you dream of the battered face of a crying mother? You can't get along with her real life. Mom's beaten face glowed with happiness in a dream? An event will happen that will bring you good luck.

Observation from the side as a symbol of regret

Had a dream that you see how someone broke the nose of a person whom you know well? The interpretation depends on further actions: in a dream you stood up for this person - you offended him in reality with something and now you repent; aside, they watched how his face was smashed - resentment lurked in your soul.

Do you want to know why there is a vision in which the eyebrow of a person vaguely familiar to you is broken? Eastern dream book indicates that such dreams symbolize regrets about something.

Reaction to the beating - From joy to sadness ...

I dreamed that your child was beaten: does it matter, daughter or son? You are dissatisfied with the way things are around you. The child was still small, and cried all the time - you will bother a lot, prophesies Lunar dream book. An adult daughter appeared before you with blood on her cheekbones - the troubles will not bring the expectations that you expected. The child did not shed a single tear - everything will happen as you planned.

If in a dream you had to hit someone in the face, then in reality it is not at all necessary to prepare for a conflict. Why is this non-trivial plot dreaming? Most often it reflects emotional condition the dreamer and, on the contrary, warns against rash actions.

Opinion of Vanga's dream book

Vanga's dream book claims that hitting someone in the face in a dream means that your plans are not destined to come true, because circumstances will literally turn against you.

Had a dream that you yourself received from someone in the face? The vision calls for decisive action to help build a stronger position. Moreover, you must do some rather difficult step on your own, without outside help. Otherwise, there will be no point.

Opinion of a modern combined dream book

If in a dream your beloved hit you in the face and you were very upset, then in real life get ready for unexpected joy. If you yourself cracked it, you will love dearly.

Why dream that it happened to be beaten in the face best friend? The hour is not far off when you will have to ask advice from those who are wiser and smart people. If you dreamed that your parents hit each other in the face, then the dream book suspects that you are very afraid of their quarrel, since it is likely that they will divorce.

This is also a clear sign that you are trying to impose your own opinion on your soul mate. If in a dream you had a chance to beat a random passerby, then your expectations are not destined to be fulfilled.

Interpretation of the dream book of Dmitry and Nadezhda Zima

Why dream of hitting another character in the face in this dream book? The vision promises failure, which will be the result of one's own excessive irritability.

If you gave a slap to a familiar person in a dream, then in real life quarrel with him over a trifle. Moreover, the same plot alludes to possible problems in a particular area of ​​life. it is enough just to remember who this individual is in real life.

Interpretation of the image from other dream books

The female dream book is sure that if you dreamed that you hit someone in the face, then your plans will completely fail. The dream interpretation of the 21st century believes that a slap in the face in a dream symbolizes a real insult that you will soon earn. The ancient Persian dream book Taflisi believes that a blow to the face can dream of gossip and insidious slander.

Why dream of beating a man, a woman in the face

In a dream, hit in the face of both a woman and a man to a situation in which you have to defend your own honor. Had a dream that you hit a stranger in the face? This means that you will receive an unexpected message.

Why dream of slapping a woman? In a dream, this is a reflection of her desire for power, as well as a desire to experience forbidden pleasure. If a man hits his face in a dream, then he is afraid to enter into close relationships, fearing his own failure in bed.

What does it mean to beat a wife, husband, mistress or lover in the face

If you dreamed that you beat your lover or husband in the face, then in real life you are completely confident in your abilities. A lover who has received a slap will in fact literally be "carried in his arms."

Why dream of hitting a husband or wife in the face? The interpretation of sleep is twofold: either crazy love awaits you, or an unpleasant insult from a loved one.

If you dreamed that you were relieved by hitting a person’s face, then in reality the degree of tension will subside. If relief does not follow, then a sudden outburst of rage will lead to many problems.

Beating a child in the face - a brief interpretation of the plot

Why dream that you beat a child? Subconsciously, you feel dissatisfaction or some kind of guilt. For parents to beat their own child in the face means that a real war will begin at home, which will drag on for a long time. What else does it mean. if you whipped the baby on the cheeks? In real life, make a mistake that will result in irreparable consequences.

I dreamed - to beat in the face with a hand, a fist

Why dream that in a dream I had a chance to hit someone with a fist or hand in the face? In reality, you strive to become a leader, despite all sorts of obstacles. If you hit your fist in response to aggression or insult, then you can safely enter into a confrontation - you will become the absolute winner. To beat in the face with a fist in a dream - to mutual reproaches and unpleasant swearing.

Beat in the face in a dream - a little specifics

Why dream of such a plot? To find the answer, it is worth remembering as accurately as possible where the blow fell and how it was delivered.

• punch - family showdown
• palm - promotion
• heavy object - disappointment
• rag - household chores
• glove - challenge
• stick - trouble
• to a bruise - a disease
• to blood - a visit from a relative
• without blood - an unfamiliar guest
• on the cheeks - shame
• on the cheekbone - disappointment
• in the teeth - loss
• in the eye - the wrong look
• in the nose - excitement

A more detailed interpretation can be found in the appropriate interpretations.

A slap in the face is a rather unexpected "treat" even for sleep. How to understand why you dream that you got hit in the face? What does the dream book write - is it an alarming sign, or vice versa, is fate favorable to you?

A face in dreams is considered a sign of our communication with the closest people. It is customary to decipher dreams with this symbol, starting from the emotions that we experience in a dream. Therefore, remember: why did you (or you) hit, what did you feel, what followed next?

What exactly was hit?

• Palm: dream of career advancement.
• Fist: to the showdown among your relatives.
• Glove: Fate challenges you.
• Stick: Something bad will happen to you.
• Something heavy: you will soon feel disappointed.
• Rag: you will be sucked in by household chores.

Where did he come to?

• In the nose: something will excite you.
• On the cheeks: you will be ashamed or ashamed.
• In the eye: a dream means a wrong look.
• In the cheekbone: something will disappoint you.
• On the jaw, on the teeth: you will lose something.

Did you receive a slap?

• Why dream that they are hitting you in the face? In real life, you are morally “pressed down” by a person who has power over you (teacher, boss, mother, wife).
• Was there blood after the blow? If yes, then you should prepare for the visit. native person. If not, the guest will be a stranger. Well, if a bruise has adorned your face, the dream says: you can get sick.

Did you give out slaps? And who exactly got it from you?

• To your loved one: he may be unfaithful.
• To your spouse: in fact, your marriage can be called successful. If in a dream you beat him out of jealousy (say, he winked at another woman), this means that he will be faithful to you in “real life”.
• Your spouse or girlfriend: you should learn a sense of proportion. And not only in the manifestation of their emotions, but also when eating.
• Stranger: You are destined to meet the most pleasant person. If you were arguing with a stranger, and on emotions they “treated” him with a slap in the face, a dream means: your colleagues (partners) will let you down very much.
• To your ex: You still miss him.
• Opponent: your loved one does not cheat on you.
• To your mom or dad: expect bad changes in your life. If mom cried at the same time, a dream means that in real life you do not get along. If even after the slap she laughed, you should expect positive news.
• To Yourself: You will reach your own goal.
• Deceased: You do not want certain information about you to be made public.
• To your colleague: a dream to win an argument.
• Someone else's child: to "pull" your project, you have to take a justifiable risk.
• To your own child: you will learn something new, and new knowledge will be very difficult to give.

Or maybe you were just an unwitting witness to the "scuffle"?

• According to the dream book: they hit your real friend in the face with you, and you do nothing, which means that you are offended by him. If you rushed to help a friend, it means that in fact it was you who offended a friend and now you are tormented by remorse.
• If a person whom you seem to know suffered in a dream, it means that you regret something.
• You saw how a woman was hit and she fainted: you will keep some secret. If, on the contrary, Madame lost consciousness, and they slapped her cheeks to bring her back to her senses, your secret will be revealed, and it will also “explode” like a powerful information bomb.
• If your acquaintances fought among themselves (a couple, a guy and a girl), this dream says that in real life you will soon be present during a stormy showdown.
• If you saw how your child was hit, it means that you are unhappy with your life.
• Was the baby crying? Sleep promises a lot of trouble. On the contrary, he didn't even cry? The dream promises a successful completion of your affairs.
• You saw your adult daughter with a broken cheekbone: you will have a lot of trouble, and they will not bring the fruits you think about.
• You saw in a dream your spouse as a boxer, and his partner in the ring was a woman you didn’t know: your husband’s career (business) is in danger.

And what do famous books write about assault in a dream?

Despite the fact that any dream with a slap can be very widely deciphered by common dream books, it is worth knowing more "highly specialized" opinions. Therefore, we suggest reading what the world-famous fortuneteller, as well as eminent psychoanalysts, wrote about such dreams.

Wangi's Dream Interpretation

1. Hit you? To be self-confident, you will have to “turn on” all your determination and not be shy. No one will help, and should not - act on your own!
2. Did you hit? It's not the best good dream. The case you are working on may fail.
3. If in a dream your daughter hit her child in the face, this means: she needs to beware of injuries.

Miller's dream book

1. If a woman dreamed that her husband hit her in the face, it means that someone offended her. If a stranger hit her, the dream suggests that her husband is very jealous.
2. A slap from another woman is a sign that you may not be contacting the best company.
3. Did one of your parents hit you? In real life, you can quarrel with them, and this "war" will not end in one day.
4. Did you beat your lover on the cheeks yourself? In "real life" he will treat you like a goddess.
5. Did you hit your husband's mistress, which you learned about in a dream? Do not be afraid: in fact, the spouse is faithful to you!
6. Did you hit a child? This bad dream, warning you of a mistake that will take a long time to pay.
7. If in a dream a man slapped a “splash” on a person who insulted his beloved, this means that he has very strong nerves, and in difficult situations he always thinks with his head, not with his emotions.
8. But to see that you are hit in the face in a dream because you stood up for the honor of a woman is not very good. The dream warns: dirty gossip denigrates your good name.

Freud's dream book

1. Male dream. A slap in the face is a sign of the dreamer's fear of intimacy. Quite possibly, this guy has never been with a woman.
2. Women's dream. Seeing that they are hit in the face means: the dreamer is looking at women with great interest, regarding them as partners in bed. And besides, this lady is not alien to the craving for sexual games.