Gesture is an effort of the soul to communicate through the body and to pass into the soul of the listener what it feels and sees.
Jean Domat
Italians gesticulate. A lot. This is a fact.
But do we really gesticulate more than other Mediterranean cultures?
Difficult to say.
Gesticulating: a Mediterranean ‘art’
The stereotypical image of the Italian who gesticulates a lot is widespread globally and this might give the impression that Italians gesticulate more than other similar cultures.
And there is also another factor that may contribute to the perception that Italians gesticulate more than Spaniards and Greeks, for example.
The difference may lie, in fact, not so much in the quantity of gestures, but in the fact that some Italian gestures are highly codified and internationally recognised, such as the ‘but what do you want?’ gesture that has become iconic 🤌.
There are a number of intercultural communication studies that have compared the use of gestures among different Mediterranean cultures.
For example, a study conducted by Desmond Morris in his book ‘Gestures: Their Origins and Distribution’ suggests that while all Mediterranean cultures tend to use many gestures, Italians may have a wider range of coded gestures than other Mediterranean cultures, such as Spanish or Greek.
However, this does not necessarily mean that Italians gesture more in terms of frequency, but rather that their gestures are more varied and specific.
The (plausible) Reasons Behind Italian Gestures
Having clarified the fact that the ‘art’ of gesticulating is not really Italian, but typical of Mediterranean cultures: ✅ check!
You’re welcome, my Spanish and Greek friends! 🤓
But now, joking aside, what I want to do is to list all the possible reasons why this phenomenon is so widespread in Italy, according to different areas of research.
Historical and Cultural Heritage
Greco-Roman Origins and Theatrical Tradition
Some scholars claim that the habit of gesticulating dates back to Greco-Roman times, when oratory was an art form and gestures were used to emphasise and clarify public discourse. This behaviour would later take root in Italian culture.
Plus, Italy has a long theatrical tradition, from Greek and Roman theatre to the commedia dell’arte, where gestures were essential to communicate expressively, especially in a context where verbal comprehension could be limited.
The connection between gesturing and Greco-Roman oratorical traditions, as well as the influence of the commedia dell’arte, has been examined by historians and anthropologists studying the evolution of non-verbal communication in Italy.
The use of gestures in ancient rhetoric is well documented, and many historians believe that these practices influenced modern Italian communicative culture.
Influence of Dialect and Linguistic Variety
As you can clearly see, Italy is characterised by a great variety of dialects and regional languages, and for centuries, understanding between people from different regions has been difficult.
Gestures would serve as a non-verbal ‘lingua franca’ to overcome language barriers and facilitate mutual understanding.
Thus, in situations where linguistic competence might not be complete or where different languages were spoken, gestures would help bridge communication gaps.
Italy is a country with a history of linguistic fragmentation and many regional dialects. The idea that gestures serve as a tool to overcome language barriers is supported by linguists who have studied communication between speakers of different dialects.
Ultimately, gestures can facilitate understanding in contexts where linguistic differences are marked.
Cultural Expressivity
For starters, Italy is often described as a ‘high-contact’ culture, where expressiveness, both verbal and non-verbal, is highly valued. Gestures become a means of expressing emotions and intentions in a direct and engaging way.
Additionally, Italians tend to communicate in a very emotional and passionate way. Gestures help convey not only information, but also the emotional tone of speech, allowing for richer and more nuanced communication.
Sociolinguistic and anthropological studies on cultural expressiveness claim that Mediterranean cultures, including the Italian one, tend to be more ‘high-contact’ and value non-verbal expression.
Researchers such as Edward T. Hall, a well-known anthropologist who developed the concept of ‘cultural context’ (high-context vs. low-context), have observed that in high-contact cultures, such as the Italian one, non-verbal communication is essential.
Environment and Social Life
In Italy, social and public life is very active and often takes place outdoors, in town squares and cafés, where people communicate in crowded and noisy environments. Gestures therefore serve to make communication more visible and effective even in these contexts.
Urban sociology has explored how the social and physical environment influences communication patterns. In Italy, the tradition of living social life in town squares and public spaces has led to the use of visible and expressive gestures to communicate effectively in crowded and noisy contexts.
In this regard, I propose a series of evocative images to render this aspect visually.
A Typical Italian Open-air Market
In all Italian cities there is the custom of the weekly market. Once or twice a week, on set days, there is a city market where you can buy fruit, vegetables, local food, but also clothes and accessories (both for the person and the house).
San Gregorio Armeno – Naples
Via San Gregorio Armeno is a street in the historical centre of Naples, famous in tourist terms for its crib workshops.
Via San Gregorio Armeno is known all over the world as the exhibition centre of the artisan workshops located here, which all year round make statuettes for the nativity scenes, both canonical and original (usually every year the more eccentric artisans make statuettes with the features of topical characters who have perhaps distinguished themselves in a positive or negative way during the year).
(The actual exhibitions begin in the period around the Christmas holidays, usually from the beginning of November to 6 January).
The ‘via’ is very narrow indeed and very often full of tourists.
Conclusions
All of these above mentioned hypotheses are generally considered authoritative and supported by various research fields.
However, it is important to note that gesticulation is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, which means that no single theory can completely explain all facets of non-verbal behaviour in Italy.
What do you think about Italian Gestures? Have you ever thought about possible explanations and motivations behind Italian gesticulation?
Would you like me to elaborate on any of these aspects?
Let me know in the comments!
Leave a Reply