The Language of Asian Gestures: Embodied Words Through the Lens of Film (Routledge Studies in East Asian Translation)

The Language of Asian Gestures explores Asian gestures as a non-verbal language within the context of films and dramas. This book provides a cross-cultural Asian perspective on a range of important common gestures and their meanings, covering a range of Asian regions including Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Pakistan. While most studies focus on text-based communication, gestures find themselves overshadowed by text and speech. Asian gestures, too, often reside in the shadow of Eurocentric viewpoints. This book will shift this dynamic and amplify the voices that have typically been marginalised within 20th-century Eurocentric discussions. The book will inform students and researchers with an interest in Asian languages, cultures, and film studies, as well as pragmatics. It bridges the gap between words and gestures, unveiling a world of concealed meanings and enriching our understanding of diverse forms of expression. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures Acknowledgements Preface Part I: Gestures—Moving Words or Words in Action? Gestures—A Bird’s Eye View Prosody as Gesture Understanding Facial Expressions Cultural Gestures Diversity in Asian Language and Culture Asian Gestures Multimodal Modulation Hypothesis (MMH) Hierarchy Through Gesture Diversity in Asian Gestures Bowing Gesturing Properly Verbal—Gestural Languages: Division of Labour Border-Crossing Gestures Part II: Gesture in Asia—Mapped Through Film Head Smile Kiss Open Mouth, Sticking Out Tongue, and Lip Pointing Nodding Head to Hand Scratching the Head Ear Pulling and Ear Holding Rolling Both Hands Behind Ears Eye Gaze Lowering the Head Closing Eyes and Blinking Winking Raised Eyebrows Voice Whistling Slurping Laughter Hissing Silence Soft Speaking Upper Body Shoulders Arms Crossed Arms Bowing Handshake Hand Over Mouth Beckoning Fist Waving Pointing Touching the Heart Hands Held Together in Lap Wrist Twisting Cutting Through Pouring a Drink for Someone One or Two Hands Drinking Gestures Food Gestures Giving and Receiving Items and Gifts Left or Right Hand Touch No Touching of the Head Patting and Hitting Chin Grabbing/Shaking Brushing and Washing Lower Body Crossing Legs and Kneeling Covering Bare Legs When Sitting Feet Exposing the Feet Touching Someone Else’s Feet Touching Things or Gesturing Using Feet Part III: Future Gestures in an Asian Context The Evolution of Gestures Smartphone Gestures Gestures in a Digital Age Emoji and Acronym Ambiguity: Interpreting Generational Disparities in Digital Communication Decoding Gestures: The Complexities in an Increasingly Mobile World ‘Translingual, Transcultural, and Transmedial’: Individual Differences Transnational Gestures Fandom Gestures: Transcending Borders and Cultures Sharing Memes and Emojis: An Act of Solidarity Gesture Diversity Gesture Conflicts Future Gestures: Less Hierarchical? Online Gestures Matter AI Gestures in Films Future of Human Language Filmography Interviewees Bibliography Index The Language of Asian Gestures explores Asian gestures as a non-verbal language within the context of films and dramas.This book provides a cross-cultural Asian perspective on a range of important common gestures and their meanings, covering a range of Asian regions including Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Pakistan. While most studies focus on text-based communication, gestures find themselves overshadowed by text and speech. Asian gestures, too, often reside in the shadow of Eurocentric viewpoints. This book will shift this dynamic and amplify the voices that have typically been marginalised within 20th-century Eurocentric discussions.The book will be informative for students and researchers interested in Asian languages, cultures, film studies, and pragmatics. It bridges the gap between words and gestures, unveiling a world of concealed meanings and enriching our understanding of diverse forms of expression.