One thing you don’t want to do when travelling, is to do or say something inappropriate or offensive in that country.
In Brazil, people are usually accepting of these gafes, but it doesn’t hurt to learn a little bit of non-verbal communication no-no’s while travelling to Brazil on business or whatnot. So without further ado, please excuse my language in the next few lines!
A-Okay!
“A-okay”, while in the US and Britain is a positive sign, in Brazil, it’s more like you’re calling the person an ass or telling them to “take it up the butt” … Not so a-okay, huh?
Slapping your Fist
You know when you’re slapping your fist with the palm of your hand, just talking to someone, maybe a little bored or something of the sort?
Yeah, well, in Brazil, you’re basically saying something or someone is screwed!
“Hoje é dia 22 e meu dinheiro do mês já acabou, e agora?” (slap palm of hand on thumb of first here)
Good Luck!
Ok, I won’t make the entire post obscene (at least not in Brazil). The “fig” sign in Brazil (figo), is actually a sign of good luck, and you’ll find it on some pieces of jewelry and keychains as good luck charms. Meanwhile, I’ve been told that in some other countries, it’s pretty much flipping someone off!!
Can anyone else think of any no-no’s in terms of “foul non-verbal” language in Brazil? In your countries?!
Beijos!
Comments:
willem:
…uh…dom’t tap your index finger to your forehead: in the Netherlands at least (I don’t know of other European countries) it means that you’re calling your oponent(or someone you’re talking about or referring to) ‘louco’, ‘insano’.
Yes, the a-oky sign gave me some strange faces after some great meals I had in São Paulo!
abraços,
Willem
willem:
…uh…don’t tap your index finger to your forehead: in the Netherlands at least (I don’t know of other European countries) it means that you’re calling your oponent(or someone you’re talking about or referring to) ‘louco’, ‘insano’.
Yes, the a-oky sign gave me some strange faces after some great meals I had in São Paulo!
abraços,
Willem
polyana:
hi willem! the tapping to the head means the same thing in brazil too!! we also use the finger pointing to the head and twirling in a circle to indicate crazy, louco, insano, dodói…
willem:
…and, Polyna, when you tip with the same finger, the side, the temple (têmpora) of your head, it as well means “ah, a person with brains!”? (or as we say in the Netherlands: ‘koppie, koppie’, telling that a person is really intelligently using his/her brains.
Same here?
Willem
willem:
and..Polyana, if someone is tipping the same finger to the side, the temple (têmpora) of the head…does it mean the same here as well, meaning: this person is really intelligent, or using his/her brains very well? (We use to tip to the temple and say at the same time ‘koppie, koppie’ in the Netherlands: only reserved to very intelligent persons.)
willem