The language of the hands: how to interpret it?

According to communication experts, hands also speak. And we do it with them by wanting to accompany or enrich our message, transmit emotions, separate parts of speech, exemplify, etc. That is, the language of the hands has multiple meanings that we can decipher.

When we speak, most of the time we do so by gesturing with our hands and other parts of the body. Good speakers use their hands to enrich their speech or to generate greater confidence among his listeners.

In this article, we will focus on the language of the hands, understanding this as all those gestures that we make with them to accompany our speech. We will discover its most notable functions and some of its possible interpretations.

Non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication (NVC) is a form of expression that allows us to transmit a message (or accompany it) through gestures, signs or indications. That is to say: without words. Within the CNV we find four large blocks:

Paralinguistics: includes the tone, rhythm, volume, silences and timbre of the voice. Kinesis: includes facial expression, gaze, posture and the language of the hands (which we will deal with today). Proxemics: has to to do with the use we make of personal space. Personal image: our style and wardrobe.

As we see, the language of the hands is part of non-verbal communication. According to experts, 93% of communication is non-verbal when we transmit a message and only 7% would be configured by words.

These data refer to the “55-38-7 rule of communication” proposed by Albert Mehrabian, which establishes the following: 55% of the potential of communication falls on body language, versus 38% that falls on language. paraverbal or the use of the voice and 7% to verbal language (words).

So, 38% of what we say we do it through the body and this includes the language of the hands. But how to interpret it? Let’s look at some examples:

The language of the hands: interpretations

Hands help us a lot to enrich the message. Thus, they serve to illustrate and provide extra information about the message we want to convey.

If we look closely, both politicians and presenters, actors or speakers especially use their hands when making speeches or presentations. They do it to emphasize some part of their speech or to transmit some type of complementary message that, if we know the language of the hands, we will know how to decipher.

In this way, the gestures we use with our hands are not mere energy discharges; Each of them has a meaning and function. According to experts in this field, some of the correct interpretations that we can give would be the following:

show hands

According to Teresa Baró (2012), an expert in non-verbal communication, when we place our hands at chest level and move them to the rhythm of the conversation or presentation, we are accompanying our message. When hands are exposed to the public, greater trust is generated. On the other hand, hands hidden in pockets, for example, or behind the back, inspire less confidence.

This is also what Edward Pinilla, journalist and communication coach, believes, and he himself suggests that hands (and the use we make of them) have to do with honesty. Showing them denotes transparency, and hiding them means that the person is hiding something.

Close your hands

According to Edward Pinilla, Closing your hands would denote little willingness to negotiate. Sebastián Lora, speaker and communication expert, suggests that closing your hand and pointing your finger is one of the most unpleasant gestures possible, comparable to a symbolic blow to the person you are pointing at. Furthermore, he adds, “The clenched fist can be classified as a sign of hostility“.

touch our faces

Another gesture related to the language of the hands is touching our face with them. According to Allan and Barbara Pease, authors of the book Body language – How to interpret others through their gesturesmost of the gestures in which we bring our hand to our face (for example to our eyes, mouth, nose, neck…) could relate to doubt, uncertainty and lack of security. They can also be related to hiding information, consciously or unconsciously, or to anxiety.

Palms down

Continuing with the contributions of Allan and Barbara Pease, placing the palms down with the fingers straightened is a gesture that imposes authority on the interlocutors. They can also indicate challenge or dominance. So when a person makes this gesture while he is speaking, it is possible that it indicates that he is not going to give in.

hands on the back

Placing your hands behind your back generally shows a great dose of self-confidence. It can also suggest that the person is waiting for something or has expectations regarding something.

shake hands

Waving your hands when speaking is used to give emphasis to the speech. In general, this is an authoritarian gesture. It can also mean that the person issuing it has made a decision (and is unlikely to change it).

Rub hands

Another typical gesture of hand language is the one that involves rubbing them. When we join and squeeze our hands we are trying to maintain control, since we find ourselves nervous or uncomfortable.

It is, in a way, saying to ourselves “everything will be fine“. On the other hand, having your hands together with fingers intertwined denotes anxiety and frustration.

hands on hips

Placing your hands on your hips is a gesture that can be confused with hostility, but most of the time it implies an alert position. This position of the hands (and body) also can be understood as a demonstration of authority, superiority, firmness or control of the situation (for example, it is a typical military gesture).

Functions of hand language

Although we have seen it in a summarized way through the examples and interpretations, we are going to leave it here some of the most outstanding functions that we can perform with our hands. Of course, it will always be advisable to analyze each function and each gesture within the context of the speech:

Point with your hands at something or someone (so that the audience directs their attention there). Accompany the message. Reinforce or emphasize the message. List using your fingers. Direct a message to the audience (for example: ask for calm, demand silence, grant a moment…).Express emotions (for example: harshness or anger, when the hands are used aggressively, making a hit or impact gesture).

The body speaks, and, therefore, knowing the meanings of our gestures can help us develop speeches with greater impact. Everything will depend on our purpose.

On the other hand, it should be noted that, although The gesture should always be analyzed in its context to be able to interpret it correctly.the truth is that there are some generalities in the interpretation of non-verbal language that we can apply or take into account when we listen to someone speak in public.

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