Nonverbal communication -- Report by Silke Kölsch

There are different instruments of communication available for a human being: verbal and nonverbal communication, like gesture.

Gesture is defined as visible bodily action by which meaning is represented. ([Kendon 1983]). This includes manual gestures, movements of the whole body, head movements (e.g. nodding) and facial movements (e.g. raising your eyebrows). In other studies gesture is referred to as "body language" or "kinesics").

Some useful links on gesture:

• Nonverbal Communication:
  Paper on gestures
• Categories of gestures/emblems:
  Hand gestures mean different things to different people
  Body language and gestures in Asia and the Pacific
  Examples (including photos) of Brazilian gestures
• Sign Language:
  Examples

 
• State-of-the-art: two major approaches
• Categories of gestures
• Sign Languages
• Prosody
• Body posture and turn-taking