Body Language in Turkey
As any country Turkey has it's own body language. It
can be kind of funny or even strange for some other culture to watch
those gestures and try to understand what a person is trying to tell
you. Understanding the body language is also understanding the culture
of a country.
So here are some main body languages that you will see
in Turkey. Enjoy !
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The handshake is not the most common greeting among
friends. A man will greet another man by kissing each other on both
cheeks. A man will greet a woman also on the same way. Note that
if there are two religious people (these is valid between a woman
and a man) they would not touch themselves with a handshake or kiss.
-
It is very common in Turkey to see two man holding
hands or arm in arm at walking on the street (Turks tend to touch
much more than Westerners). This does not mean they are homosexual,
they are just good friends :)
-
Turks tend to stare at one another and foreigners
more than Westerners are accustomed to. Westerners should
not feel singled out or watched when such behavior occurs.
-
If you see someone holding their hand with
palm up and bringing fingers in toward thumb, this is a compliment
and generally means something is "good." It can be done when
they like a food, a cloth, or any object. It can also mean
they find a woman or man nice and handsome.
-
The "thumbs up" gesture is commonly used
for hitchhiking.
-
Shaking your head sideways means, "I don't
understand."
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- Raising your chin, moving your eyebrows up and simultaneously
clicking your tongue means "NO." (Try it. It is fun ! ). This
one is one of the most different gestures of the Turkish body
language and can be also found in Greece.Please check the picture
at the right hand side showing this gesture. A sharp downward
nod means yes.
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Body
language that means "No" |
-
If a Turk waves their hand up and down at you,
palm towards the ground, they are signaling for you to come.
-
The gesture created by protruding your thumb between
the first and second finger has an extremely offensive meaning.
This gesture is called "the fig" and is considered obscene throughout
much of the Mediterranean area.
-
The idle habit of snapping your fingers with one
hand and then slapping the top of a closed fist is considered obscene.
This may be one of the rudest possible gestures.
Gesture
that means a person is homosexual |
-
The gesture created when a circle is formed
by touching the forefinger to the thumb does not mean "ok."
In Turkey this symbol means you are a homosexual. It is quite
offensive. Please see picture at the left hand side.
-
It is rude to point your finger or the sole
of your shoe toward a person.
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Date: September 1st, 2001
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