[Tango-L] Cabeceo, again

[Club~Tango*La Dolce Vita~]

Now, Astrid, you don't seem to have read my posting correctly or understood the basic natural anthropological principle to which I refer. That is, the method by which ALL humans (cross-culture) will indicate information / catch attention should all other natural methods of communication are removed.
   
  You refer to Germans as an example of a culture differing in their method of non-verbal communication. Ok so, as an example, let's take a German, >:-))))) tie him up, gag him, perhaps even hang him upside-down for good measure with his hair dangling in a plate of syrup which is resting on the floor, then introduce a colony of vicious soldier-ants into the room. Ok, now you sit in a chair on the other side of the room and ask him to communicate what he'd like you to do to get him out of his predicament. He can't use his arms, he can't verbalise his requirements, all he can do is cabaceo. Now, you might take this as an invitation to dance but in actual fact he's asking you to kill the ants, cut him down and untie and ungag him... ie save him.
   
  His only means of communicating to you is by the body language of raising his eyebrows and nodding his head a bit. He may also, however, look a bit panicky and be sweating somewhat. :-)))
   
  It's the same as seeing someone you are acquainted with but not on personal friendly terms with. The natural means of saying 'hello' is by raising the eyebrows and nodding the head a bit.
   
  I don't care what you say about cultures... this is THE scientifically-known HUMAN way of communication across ALL cultures. It's primal. Simple as that.
   
  Cheers,
   
  Dani
  http://www.tango-la-dolce-vita.eu
   
  PS. I'd just leave the German hanging there >:-)))))))
  

astrid <astrid at ruby.plala.or.jp> wrote:
  Now, Dani, you don't seem to not have read any of those numerous books on variations of mimics and gestures from country to country.
For exemple, when I read your description- raising of the eyebrows often
with an ever-so-slight (or more) tiliting/nodding of the head in the
direction of the target- I thought, huh? Raising of the eyebrows? Whoever
raises their eyebrows when they look at someone they like? I have only seen that with Latinos. You are Italian, right? In Germany, eyebrows are raised and chins are lowered in reproof, as in "We are amazed at your behaviour" (there is no smile) Having spent some time in Spain and among Argentines, I once met my (youngish) boss in the subway station, and spontaneously raised my eyebrows and moved my head slighlty backward with a slight grin- he looked shocked. I don't know what he understood, from that gesture. Oscar, for instance, taught us that the cabeceo is done by giving someone a sexy grin and tilting the head slightly to the side and then pointing with the chin towards the dance floor in a slightly rogueish way...
What constitutes a "sexy grin" might be enough to open another bag of
worms...
from traveling
Astrid
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