Talking Like Mexicans: Hand Gesture
Journeying through Mexico is not just a visual delight of vibrant landscapes and rich culture; it’s also a unique experience of non-verbal communication. I love observing people, keeping my eyes and ears open, seeing how they interact, and listening to their accents. And I couldn’t help but notice that they not only talk with their mouths but with their hands as well. So interesting.
In Mexico, hand gestures mean a whole lot more than saying words. This is not something you can learn from a textbook or translation; instead, you can learn it from your surroundings.
Every time I had a conversation with Mexicans, I found myself not only listening to their words but also watching their hands move. The constant rhythm of their gestures appears to be a part of the way they talk, giving an extra depth of expressiveness to the spoke words. The hands become an extension of their thoughts, showing emotion, intensifying details, and adding to narratives.
For instance, to indicate not-so-good, so-so, or “mas o menos,” they would extend their hand palm down, fingers spread out, slowly rotating from side to side. If they want to answer yes, they raise their index finger and curl it up and down fast and frequently. If they’d like to express gratitude, they simply lift their arm with their palm facing their face. And there are many more.
