Paralanguage, silence, laughter

18 cards in this category — of which 17 complete, 1 drafts.

• Silence in the Finnish Sauna (hiljaisuus / löyly)In a Finnish sauna, shared silence is not awkward — it is the norm. Filling the void with chatter is perceived as an intrusion.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The whistle to call the waiterWhistling at a waiter in Paris: guaranteed no dessert. Accepted in Caracas.
  CompleteInsult
• The hissing call (pssst - Latin America)"Pssst" for hailing: commonplace in Lima, aggressively out of place in Stockholm.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Tss (tongue-clicking) - Eastern MediterraneanGreek, Turkish, Levantine and Persian tsk - the sound system of negation.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The pouting kiss-callKissing calls: legitimate flirting in Caracas, serious harassment in New York.
  CompleteInsult
• A strong voice in the Middle EastLoud in the Middle East: normal and appreciated. The same voice in Japan: you sound angry.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The low voice on Japanese public transportIn Japan, talking on your phone on the train is almost a criminal offense. Whispering is a respectful way to travel.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Blow your nose by sniffing (instead of blowing)Sniffing: neutral hygiene in Japan, serious rudeness in Belgium.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Blowing one's nose loudly in public (Korea)Blowing one's nose loudly: normal in the West, taboo in Korea and East Asia.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Making noise while eating noodles (Japan)Making noise while eating noodles: culinary excellence in Japan, bad education in France.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Burping as a compliment (Persian Gulf)Popular claim 'burp = compliment to the cook' in the Middle East: widely circulated, but minority, contextual, not confirmed by tier-1 sources.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The "ahhh" of satisfaction after drinking"Ahhh" after a beer: relaxation appreciated in North America.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Japanese "hmm" of acquiescencejapanese "Hmm": "I listen and nod". Perplexed Westerner: "hmm" = "I hesitate".
  CompleteCuriosity
• The American "uhuh" of active listeningamerican "Uhuh": encouragement. European: "Shut up, I'm already listening".
  CompleteCuriosity
• The click of the tongue for "no" (Persia)Persian slam: "no". Westerner: "?
  CompleteCuriosity
• Blowing your nose loudly in public (Japan)Blowing your nose loudly in public in Japan is a strong social taboo: people sniffle or step away to a restroom.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Laughing with hand over the mouth (East Asia)Laughing with your hand over your mouth: Asian politeness. Westerner: "Why is she hiding"?
  CompleteCuriosity
• Vocalized Arabic 'tsk' (disapproval)"Tsk" in Arabic: disapproval. Westerner: indifferent.
  DraftCuriosity