Meaning and nonverbal communication in films().docx

7/25/2019 Meaning and nonverbal communication in films().docx

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To appear inIssues in Language & Linguistic: Perspectives from Nigeriavol 3, June 2016

Meaning and nonverbal communication in films

Thompson O. Ewata (Ph.D.)eneral !tu"ies #nit

$e"eral #niversit% o& Te'hnolo%*ure, On"o !tate

thompsonewata+mail.'om

016-0-21 00223-02-3

Abstract

/n the human intera'tion, nonveral 'ommuni'ation ten"s to 'arr% the etra meanin, whetheruse" alone or 'on'urrentl%, with veral 'ommuni'ation, to 'omplement or rein&or'e the

primar% meanin. /t is natural that humans, irrespe'tive o& ae, en"er, 'ree", status, role,'ulture, or mo"e to show a''eptan'e, ree'tion, satis&a'tion, "e'eption, surprise, nervousness,'ontrol, et'. when 'onve%in meanin, (un)intentionall%. The ailit% to "eplo% the nonveral'ues ives a 'ommuni'ator an e"e over their interlo'utor(s) an" enhan'es or wea*enshuman relationship. This stu"% is 'on'erne" with the use o& nonveral 'ommuni'ation, in&ilms. #sin two purposivel% sele'te" sample" s'enes &rom two &ilms Saworoide (4ilani,1555), a lo'al pro"u'tion that satirises the ierian so'io7politi'al s'ene an" White men cant

jump(!helton, 1552), an meri'an sports 'ome"%), as "ata, this stu"% anal%se" the roles o&nonveral 'ommuni'ation, in 'onve%in inter'ultural meanin. The stu"% proves nonveral'ommuni'ation as meta7'ommuni'ative in the portra%al o& the a'tions an" voi'es in'ommuni'atin with "i&&erent au"ien'es an" 'ultures. /t also estalishes that a'tors usemultimo"al nonveral 'ommuni'ation 'ues o& tone, esture, &a'ial epression, et'.,'on'urrentl% to 'onve% meanin to other 'hara'ters an" their au"ien'es. 8owever, the stu"%

also "is'overs that nonveral 'ues 'an e 'ounterpro"u'tive i& not han"le" properl%.Keywords:&ilms, human 'ommuni'ation, nonveral, veral, Saworoide, White men cant

jump

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Introduction

The einnin o& human relationship must have starte" nonverall% &or want o& the wor"s

to epress their thouhts 'learl% inailit% to use the 'o"e o& epression, "ue to the

inappropriateness o& epressin their thouhts verall% to their interlo'utors, or as an ai"

an"9or intensi&ier o& the veral 'ommuni'ation o& the interlo'utors, whether

(un)intentionall%. The meanin inten"e" in nonveral 'ommuni'ation is :e&&e'te" % means

other than wor"s; (4napp < 8all, 2010, p. =). onveral 'ommuni'ation is :a multi7la%ere",

multimo"al, multi"imensional, analoi' pro'ess; (u"%*unst, Tin7Toome% < >hua, 15,

p. 11), that asi'all% transmits messae(s) :imaisti'all%; (?'eill, 1552) in or"er &or the

interlo'utors to relate to an" 'ontrol themselves, others, an" their environments (8i'*son alero, 200=, p. 1) as evi"en'e &rom 'hil"ren shows that the% learn or use the nonveral

sins e&ore the learn to use their veral sins. lso, it ma% not e totall% separate" &rom

veral 'ommuni'ation e'ause it rein&or'es or 'omplements veral 'ommuni'ation.

onveral 'ommuni'ation 'arries more 're"iilit% an" is more instin'tual an" involuntar%

while veral 'ommuni'ation is voluntar% an" non7instin'tive (!'hwart, p. 13 7 -) to

'onve% emotions in"i'ate turn swit'h 'onve% i"eas (4napp, ?. G. < 8all, 2010), an" is

more involuntar% (thouh at times, voluntar%). Thouh, nonveral 'ommuni'ation li*e veral

'ommuni'ation is aritrar% as there is no lin*ae etween meanin an" s%mols 'hosen, %et

the s%mols are mostl% asso'iate" to the inten"e" messae. 8owever, while veral

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'ommuni'ation is re'eive" with lesser sense orans, nonveral 'ommuni'ation is re'eive"

throuh more sense orans :tou'h, taste, seein, hearin, smells, sins, s%mols, 'olours,

&a'ial epressions, estures, posture, an" intuition are the primar% sour'es o& the nonveral

messaes we re'eive; (>alero, 200=, p. 1 Chan, 2012, p. 1621). /t ma% also e opene" to

amiuit% or vaueness ust as veral 'ommuni'ation ut ten"s to 'ommuni'ate emotions

etter than the veral 'ommuni'ation. onveral 'ommuni'ation ma% e seen to 'arr% more

meanin than veral 'ommuni'ation "ue the "i&&erent mo"es at its "isposal. hile veral

'ommuni'ation has vo'al or nonvo'al (spee'h an" writin) mo"es, nonveral has all the

senses as its mo"es o& epression. #nli*e its veral 'ounterpart, it is restri'tive as it 'annot

'ommuni'ate past or &uture events or i"eas as well as 'ommuni'ate astra't thouhts or i"eas

whi'h veral 'ommuni'ation 'an han"le these per&e'tl% (!'hwart, 2011, p. 11). /t is ase"

on sinal while veral 'ommuni'ation is on s%mol amon other "i&&eren'es (euliep, 201=,

p. 2). >ompare" to veral 'ommuni'ation, it is more honest as it is "ispla%e" without the

awareness o& the sen"ers o& the messaes (Pentlan", 200).

ove all, even with veral 'ommuni'ation, nonveral 'ues 'arries more meanin up to

aout 50A than the wor"s use" (?ehraian, 15@1) as interlo'utors rel% on the meanin the%

"erive" &rom the :o"% motions vo'al Fualities an" the use o& time, spa'e, arte&a'ts, "ress,

an" even smell, the use o& the han"s, arms, les, an" &a'e; (euliep, 201=, p. 26 7 @) helps

to enhan'e, 'lari&%, or Fuali&% the meanin o& a veral messae (uerrero, < $lo%", 2006, p.

3). This ma% e est un"erstoo" in the perspe'tives o& 'ontent (where emphasis is on the

wor"s spo*en, e.. ermani' an" Enlish spea*in 'ountries) an" 'ontet (where emphasis is

not on the wor"s ut what is implie", e.. ?e"iterranean, !lavi', Gatin meri'an, ra,

sian, an" &ri'an) 'ultures (oman, 200). e must however stress that thouh the

nonveral meanin are "erive" &rom the o"% movement, &a'ial epressions et'., the

messaes so 'onve%e" are as a result o& :an in"ire't 'onseFuen'e o& their primar%, non7

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'ommuni'ative &un'tion; (4rauss, >hen < >hawla, 1556, p. 351) (4rauss, H. ?., >hen, I. hawla, 1556).

Nonverbal communication modes in films

The &ilm or movie is a motion pi'ture that tells a stor% throuh multimo"al means o&

'ommuni'ation. /t is an au"iovisual te'hnoloi'al "evi'e that relies on the 'ominative use o&

soun" an" liht waves to present it messaes. The "i&&erent me"ia it uses are

veral au"itor% 'hannel, in'lu"in "ialoue, a'*roun" voi'es an" sometimes l%ri's,

non7veral au"itor% 'hannel, in'lu"in musi', natural soun" an" soun" e&&e'ts, veral

visual 'hannel, in'lu"in superimpose" titles an" written sins on the s'reen an" the

non7veral visual 'hannel in'lu"in pi'ture 'omposition an" &low.(ottlie, 155, p.

2-=)

!in'e the &o'us o& this paper is to anal%se the nonveral 'ues use" in the two purposivel%

sample" &ilms, our "is'ussion will e 'entre" on the nonveral 'ues use" in &ilms, enerall%,

% the &i'tional 'hara'ters (Ortea, 2011, p. 20), that are "ete'tale throuh mi'rophones,

'ameras or other suitale sensors (Kin'iarelli < ?ohamma"i, 2012, p. 2). The nonveral 'ues

use" in &ilms are ermane to a thorouh un"erstan"in o& the &ilms parti'ularl% &or the

multi'ultural viewers that the &ilms are a""resse" to. ?oreover, sin'e &ilms rel% on au"io an"

visual e&&e'ts, oth ten" to wor* toether to 'reate meanins % simultaneousl% a""ressin

"i&&erent senses an" 'onitive 'hannels (Hoell, 2010, p. 2). /n this liht, *e% nonveral mo"es

o& epression at the "isposal o& the &ilm "ire'tors that help their a'tor(ess) portra% the

inten"e" meanin9messae to the viewers in &ilms are :ph%si'al appearan'e, estures an"

postures, &a'e an" e%es ehaviour, vo'al ehaviour, 'ultural sins, spa'e an" environment;

(8e'ht, DeKito < uerrero, 1555 Ortea, 2011). The &ollowin nonveral sinals an" 'ues

'onstitue the primar% tools o& anal%sis in this paper.

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i. Physical appearance this in'lu"es not onl% the somati' 'hara'teristi's o& the

in"ivi"ual person, in 'ase o& &ilms, it in'lu"es the uilt sie an" &orm o& the o"%,

the 'olour o& s*in an" hair, heiht, weiht an" oe'ts use" % the person an" personal

appearan'es o& the a'tor(ess) ut also their 'lothes an" o"% atonements (8osse%ni,

2012, p. 2=6 Kin'iarelli, !alamin < Panti', 2005, p. -3). 8umans ten" to et

attra'te" to attra'tive people, in their intera'tion an" this in turn a&&e't how the% relate

to them.ii. gestures and postures esture is the :unplanne", arti'ulate han" movements that

a''ompan% spontaneous spee'h; (4rauss, >hen, < >hawla, 352) thouh we nee" to

un"erstan" that it is not all han" movements (&or instan'e, the *in"s o& s'rat'hin,

&i"etin, ruin, tappin, an" tou'hin that spea*ers o&ten "o with their han"s) are

esture. hen the real a'tion o& it is per&orme" with han" movement, it is not esture

ut when it is mimi'*e" then it e'omes estures (Thirumalai, 15@). estures

pre"ate" veral 'ommuni'ation an" it is universal. Posture is the stale state o& the

o"% o& the interlo'utors as aainst estures that entails movement o& the o"% to

:trans&er s%moli' messaes on the oratorLs attitu"e or intention with rear" to the

messae; (>olta, 2010, p. @@).iii. Face and eyes behaviour the meanin we "erive" &rom other interlo'utorsL messaes

is ot not onl% &orm the veral 'ommuni'ation ut mostl% &rom the wa% an" in whi'h

"ire'tion the% loo*e" when the% 'ommuni'ate" their thouhts. $a'e an" e%es

ehaviour mirror the other person(s) state o& min" an" helps in "eterminin so'ial

sinals an" in "ispla%in "ominan'e, power an" status (Kin'iarelli < ?ohamma"i).iv. Vocal behaviour our vo'al ehaviour is the vent throuh whi'h our veral

epression is let out oth are motor epressions that oriinate in the phar%n. /t

in'lu"es the timre, pit'h an" intensit% o& a spo*en statement (E*man, 15=@, p. 1-1).

Ko'al ehaviour is the interme"iar% etween the veral an" nonveral perspe'tives o&

human intera'tion. /t in'lu"es the wa% the utteran'e is ma"e, the vo'alisations ma"e

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% interlo'utors in'lu"in "is'ourse mar*ers li*e oh oh, ehm, %ou *now, %ou see,

a'tuall% et'. to 'ommuni'ation hesitation, support, areement, "isareement et'. /t

also in'lu"es the silen'e we *eep "urin intera'tion (Kin'iarelli. < ?ohamma"i,

2012).v. cultural signs this involves the meanin atta'he" to thins oe'ts, arte&a'ts et'.

(Ortea, 2011) &rom one 'ulture to another. $or eample, the ne'* ea"s in Iorua

'ulture sini&ies ro%alt% or a&&luen'e.vi. Space and environment the "istan'e interlo'utors *eep or allow etween them when

the% intera't in"i'ates the relationship that eists etween them whether intimate,

'asual, &ormal or in&ormal et'. ( Kin'iarelli. < ?ohamma"i).

Data and method of analysis

The "ata &or this stu"% are two purposivel% sele'te" sample" s'enes &rom two &ilms

(Saworoide(4ilani, 1555), a lo'al pro"u'tion that satirises the ierian so'io7politi'al s'ene

an" White men cant jump(!helton, 1552), an meri'an sports 'ome"%), as "ata, this stu"%

anal%se" the roles o& nonveral 'ommuni'ation, in 'onve%in inter'ultural meanin.

Saworoide(4ilani, 1555) is an imainar% wor* that is situate" in the an'ient h%potheti'al

Iorua 'ommunit%, town or 'ountr%, Joo. To 'he'* the e'esses o& the rulers o& Joo, the

ol"est an" wisest man in Joo on his "ea" e" ma"e a pa't that the rulers (*ins) woul"

&ollow in or"er to maintain pea'e an" or"er over Juo. oun" was 'reate" etween the

woul"7e *in, the "rummer o& the Iorua tal*in "rum, anan, the rass ells an" the rass

'rown. There are all lin*e" throuh an initiation ritual that reFuires the "rummer an" the *in

ta*in an oath that will e seale" with the in'ision mar*s. n% *in who "oes not o throuh

the ritual oath ta*in an" in'ision will "ie o& a splittin hea"a'he i& he wears the rass 'rown

an" hears the tal*in "rum an" the rass ell (!aworoi"e). parti'ular *in, Gapite (4ola

O%ewo) who "reams o& enri'hin himsel& throuh his position re&uses to ta*e the oath an"

in'ision. 8e 'onnives with loers to enri'h himsel& % allowin them to 'ut los

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in"is'riminatel%, in or"er &or him to e wealth%. The 'ommunit% throuh the %ouths revolts

aainst him % "isoe%in his or"ers an" stealin the rass 'rown. 8e enaes the servi'es o&

the militar% le" % Gaata (4unle Bamte&a) to retrieve the 'rown &or him. Gaata retrieves the

'rown ut rather than han"s it over to Gapite "e'i"es to ta*e a shot at the *inship o& Joo.

Be'ause he "i" not o throuh the pres'rie" ritual, he "ie" o& the splittin hea" when he

hear" the soun" o& the tal*in "rum an" saworoi"e (rass ells).

White men cant jump(!helton, 1552) is an meri'an sports 'ome"% that "wells on the "e&t

moves o& a white as*etall hustler Bill% 8o%le (oo"% 8arrelson) on the as*etall 'ourt, a

la'* manLs ame. 8e relies on the mista*en un"erestimation % la'* pla%ers o& his ein

white to ettin aainst him. 8e moves &rom one 'ourt to another pl%in his 'on an" tra"e

until he meets !i"ne% Deane (esle% !nipes) a la'* pla%er who re'onises the inenuit% o&

Bill% 8o%le an" teams up with him to 'on other pla%ers.

This stu"% orrows a lea" &rom the ps%'holoi'al perspe'tive o& 'omprehensive &a'ial

measurement usin the open7en"e" oservation option (?atsumoto, E*man < $ri"lun",

1551, p. 1= 7 5) ut oes &urther to in'lu"e not ust the &a'ial movement ut pa%in attention

to the ph%si'al appearan'e, estures an" postures, &a'e an" e%es ehaviour, vo'al ehaviour,

'ultural sins an" spa'e an" environment. This means, ea'h o& these elements will e iven

attention in anal%sin the nonveral 'ues in the sample" &ilmsL s'enes. 8owever, li*e the

ps%'holoi'al perspe'tive o& anal%sin &a'ial ehaviour, the stu"%Ls anal%sis is u"emental

an" impressionisti'.

Analysis of nonverbal cues inSaworoide

The s'ene to e anal%se" in Saworoide&or this stu"% is the s'ene where :Gaata ta*es over

GapiteMs overnment;. here ne'essar%, / will ive rie& "es'ription o& happenin in the

s'ene to 'omplement or support the nonveral 'ues use" in the s'ene. The s'ene starts with


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Gapite (4ola O%ewo) presentin his a""ress to the people o& the 'ommunit% over the return

o& the :Brass >rown; that the %ouths too* &rom the pala'e to reister their "ispleasure over

the wa% their *in have ein rulin the town. The nonveral 'ues eamine" in the &ilm are

i. Physical appearance: Gapite appears in the &ull realia o& a Iorua *in with pri"e,

thouh without the 'rown we un"erstan" this as the 'rown has een ta*en awa% &rom

the pala'e % the anr% %ouths. 8e has the heiht an" uilt to 'ompliment his position

o& authorit% the *in an" a&&luen'e that oes with the position. 8e ets up with

au"a'it% e&ittin a *in o& his statue. 8is 'lothes &ull aa"a with 'ap to mat'h an"

o"% atonements the ro%al ea"s (on his ne'* an" wrists) an" a wristwat'h this

arte&a'ts all sini&% him as a man with authorit% an" wealth.>ompare" to Gapite,Gaata appears in his militar% ('omat) uni&orm. This is an

in"i'ation that he is rea"% &or a'tion. /t also sini&ies that he has een in 'omat with

the %ouths o& the lan" who too* the 'rown, &rom GapiteLs pala'e. Gi*e Gapite, Gaata

also has an imposin &iure, to 'ompliment his stature as a militar% top rass that has

power an" authorit%. This imposin stature helps him 'owe" the towns people an" the

*in, Gaata. part &rom the militar% ('omat) ear, Gaata wears a "ar* sha"e an

in"i'ation that he "oes not want to e seen or rea" % other 'hara'ters the *in, his

'ainet 'hie&s an" other townLs people, in the plot that is aout to un&ol". This

e'omes larin up to the point o& ta*in over the throne. Gapite on the other han",

&eels he has the 'ontrol o& the town an" the militar% ehin" him, as he 'oul" not rea"

the nonveral sins o& the militar% lea"er or his (militar%) suor"inates. hile Gapite

ha" the &loor, we see Gaata swiin &rom the etra7lare ottle o& in he has with

him. e 'oul" rea" &rom this that the sol"ier man la'*s "e'orum an" 'ares less aout

peopleLs opinion o& him. One woul" have epe'te" mo"est% &rom a man o& his

trainin an" eperien'e in puli' ehaviour ut we see him "rin*in &rom the ottle,

in puli' lare. Thus provin the &a't that the impressions we have o& others an"

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ourselves an" the ones that others have o& us (most i& not all) i" ot &rom the

nonveral 'ues we sen", (un)intentionall%.Both Gapite an" Gaata ehiite" "ominan'e (o& others) throuh their positions in the

wa% the% 'arr% themselves.ii. Gestures and postures: Gapite uses han" estures an" o"% postures when he spea*s

to 'omplement his veral 'ues. hen his turn to spea* 'omes, he ets up, reall%,

turns to the riht an" le&t, puts his han"s on his o"% to a"ust his "ress all sins o&

man in authorit% an" a&&luen'e. 8e estures (arti'ulator% estures &irst with his riht

han" as he points (estures) to ever%one present to than* them &or the return o& the

lost 'rown an" points (estures) with his le&t han") towar"s Gaata (4unle Bamte&a),

than*in him &or returnin the lost 'rown an" to i"enti&% him as the one he re&ers to.

8e then shrus his shoul"ers to show o&& his position as *in (a man in authorit%) an"

his wealth. 8e eats his 'hest to 'ompliment what he sa%s when he stresses that

Gaata shoul" state what he wants (Gapete as *in) to "o &or him &or returnin the

'rown, in his position as *in. 8e stresses this % &irst raisin his hea" hih an"

no""in it. /n"i'atin ot stressin that he has the power or authorit% to spea* as he

ust "i". The estures an" postures are all s%moli' 'ues use" % Gapite to show'ase

his position an" power to the atherin an" to his interlo'utor, Gaata.8e ma*es

e&&orts to 'aution Gaata when he realises that the sol"ier was aout sinin another

tune % tr%in to 'all him to or"er throuh the pullin o& the arm (an" sutle

vo'aliation) ut we see how the sol"ier reu&&s the attempts % pullin his arm awa%

&rom GapiteLs rea'h. Therea&ter, Gapite e'omes spee'hless an in"i'ation that he has

rea'he" the en" o& the roa" in the trust he reposes on the sol"ier.Gaata on his part uses a lot o& han" estures, either touttresshis statements or to

show who is in 'hare. /n rea"in &rom the prepare" spee'h he rea"s on the o''asion,

we 'an 'on'lu"e too that he is not an intellient man, as we see him ma*e re'ourse to

the prepare" spee'h to the etent that where he 'oul" not see 'learl%, what is on the

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paper, he stares oviousl% at the paper to 'on&irm our low esteem o& him, in terms o&

intellien'e. This is rouht to a hea" when Gaata removes his 'ap an" as*e" or

shoul" we sa%, instru'te", Gapite to pla'e the 'rown on his (GaataLs) hea". The use o&

han" esture is also noti'e" on the part o& one the hen'hmen o& Gapite who tries

reu&&in Gaata, when he inFuires o& the lineae o& Gaata him (Gaata) to have

reFueste" &or the rass 'rown.iii. Face and eyes behaviour: The &a'e an" e%e ehaviours Gapite "ispla%s in the s'ene

all points to his state o& min". The so'ial sinal this shows or in"i'ates is power.

Gapite spea*s with authorit% as a *nin that not onl% has power or authorit% over his

sue'ts ut one with wealth to a'* up his wor"s. 8e loo*s Gaata in the &a'e an"

&a'es the au"ien'e to show he means what he sa%s name %our pri'e. hen on the

other han" he sits "own an" Gaata ta*e over the &loor, we see riht awa% that his

'ountenan'e 'hanes &irst &rom one o& ewil"erment, surprise or "iselieve to utter

sho'* an" nervousness.Gaata on his part "oes not etra% an% emotion to his &a'e an" e%e ehaviour. e

however note how he uses a "ar* sha"e to 'over his e%es, thus, preventin other

interlo'utors &orm rea"in his &a'e an" e%e ehaviour. This supports the notion that

our &a'es are the win"ows to our inner min"s.iv. Vocal behaviour: Gapite starts o&& with a "is'ourse mar*er, ehm, then 'lears his

throat. This is "one to in"i'ate that he has the &loor an" that he "eman"s ever%oneLs

&ull 'on'entration an" attention. 8e 'lears his throat, then eins. Both vo'al

ehaviours are attention see*in sinals (Brinton, 1556). The% in"i'ate to other

interlo'utors that the spea*er has the &loor an" "eman"s the% attention. The% are also

tentative or hesitation mar*ers use" % interlo'utors to show that the% &irst have to test

the water e&ore plunin hea" on into it. Gapite vo'alisations here shows that he has

thins to sa% ut wants the attention o& his au"ien'e e&ore 'ommen'in on his

spee'h. 8e then raises his voi'e an" in'reases the tempo o& his voi'e &or emphasis to

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show authorit% an" the tena'it% o& his statement, to Gaata. hen he &inishes, the

au"ien'e 'laps to in"i'ate approval o& his spee'h an" as mar* o& respe't to him. The

two other spea*ers in the s'ene, Gaata an" the *inLs hen'hman oth uses hih

tempo, in the spee'hes to sini&% the importan'e o& the statement.v. Cultural signs: Gapite uses three la%ers o& ea"wor* on his ne'* an" his wrist. These

are 'ultural arte&a'ts or the paraphernalia o& o&&i'e o& the Iorua ro%alt% an"

a&&luen'e. Bein the *in, he is epe'te" to e real oth in "ressin an" posture. This

we see in the wa% he 'omports himsel& in the s'ene. Gaata uses militar% 'omat ear

to show he is &rom a war&ront an" rea"% &or another one. 8e uses "ar* e%e wears to

hi"e his intentions.vi. Space and environment: thouh, there is little or no movement o& persons in the

s'ene, we however noti'e how the "ramati' personae use their o"% movements an"

the spa'e (o''up% or use) when the% ma*e their spee'hes to sen" messaes to other

parti'ipants an" the viewers. Gapite swa%s &rom si"e to si"e to show his status an"

position o& *in, in the wa% he 'arries himsel& an" the amount o& spa'e he o''upies

when ma*es his spee'h. Gaata also "i" not move ut uses his uilt to emphasis his

authorit%. The *inLs hen'hman also "i" not move aout the spa'e he has ut ets up

in aner an" "esperation to show to Gaata that he 'an 'ut him to sie as he umps up

&rom his seat to "eliver his spee'h e&ore he e'omes the one Gaata lieutenant

rutall% 'uts "own. That the interlo'utors "i" not move aout 'an e un"erstoo" as

the event happens at a &un'tion with little spap'e ut the spa'e was enouh &or all the

a'tions. ?ore so, the 'ations 'ontaine" in the s'ene are all mostl% portra%e" throuh

the nonveral 'ues.

Nonverbal cues in White men cant ump

#nli*e the s'ene we anal%se" in Saworoide, the one here 'ontains a lot o& nonveral 'ues as a

result o& the ph%si'al nature o& the sport, as*etall, whi'h the &ilm 'entres on.

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i. Physical appearance:the s'ene opens with the two prin'ipal a'tors Bill% 8o%le

(oo"% 8arrelson) an" !i"ne% Deane (esle% !nipes) at the as*et 'ourt o& a two7

asi"e ame. The% are a"eFuatel% *itte" &or the usiness the% have at han", pla% a

ame o& as*etall. The teams are &ull% an" appropriatel% *itte" as their erse% 'arries

the 'ompetitionLs name :Brotherhoo" Tournament;. This sini&ies the teams mean

usiness. Ph%si'all%, the si"es are athleti'all% uilt &or the riours o& the ame. The

presen'e o& a as*etall with o& the pla%ers, an umpire an" the 'row" ehin" the 'ourt

shows the% too have 'ome to wat'h the ame. The environment mat'hes the essen'e

o& the s'ene, an elimination stae o& a maor 'ompetition as we see a sin at the a'*

that states :$irst Prise N=000;.ii. Gestures and postures:e'ause o& the ph%si'al nature o& the ame, the "ialoue in

the s'ene is not as animate" with han" estures as the one in !aworoi"e, thouh the

a'tors still pun'tuate the spee'hes with han" estures. $or eample, Bill% 8o%le uses

han" estures when he stresses a point to the other team memers who he tries to

wor* up so the% 'oul" lose their 'omposure on the 'ourt. t the same time, when a

memer o& the opposin team replies Bill%, he pra'ti'all% uses han" estures to

emphasis his statement. The umpire also uses han" estures to in"i'ate to the pla%ers

to return to the 'ourt an" 'ontinue their ame. hen !i"ne% &inall% ets Bill% awa%

&rom their opponents an" tries tal*in to him aout how his (Bill%Ls) ehaviour is

emarrassin him (!i"ne%) an" how the a't 'oul" e 'ounter7pro"u'tive he uses han"

estures to reiterate this. /n terms o& posture, the pla%ers use o"% posture to &ein

moves on the 'ourt to "e'eive their opponents an" when the% et ph%si'al to the

etent o& enain in a &iht theiii. Face and eyes behaviour:e'ause o& the &ast pa'e" nature o& the ame, we 'annot

sa% mu'h aout the &a'e an" e%e movements o& the pla%ers. 8owever, on the &ew

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o''asions when the 'amera 'loses in on the &a'es o& the pla%ers, we see

"is'ontentment on the &a'es o& the losin si"es an" 'ontentment on the winnin si"es.iv. Vocal behaviour: throuhout the s'ene, Bill% tal*e" at the the pla%ers o& the opposin

si"es. The spee'hes are 'lear enouh to e hear" % ever%one with the 'ourt

perimeter. But there instan'es where Bill% vo'alises without ea'tl% sa%in an%thin.

The essen'e o& his vo'alisation is to "istra't an" "estailie the other pla%ers.v. Cultural signs: The s'ene is on the as*etall 'ourt an" we see the 'ostumes o& the

pla%ers (a'tors). Ea'h team wears a uniFue 'olour to "i&&erentiate them &rom memers

o& the other team. The% all wear sweat shirts an" shorts while some o& the pla%ers

'ompliment their erse% with &a'e 'aps. $rom time to time, we see the la"ies that

sini&% the presen'e the s'oreoar"s as the% 'hane s'ores as the ame proresses. e

also see the u"es on the si"e o& the 'ourt while an umpire "ire'ts the a&&airs o& the

ame, in ea'h set.vi. Space and environment: >ompare" to the s'ene in !aworoi"e, there is a lot o& spa'e

&or the a'tors who are pla%ers on the as*etall 'ourt to move aout. /t is not

surprisin to see a lot o& umpin an" "rilin happenin on the pit'h.

Conclusion

/n all, oth &ilms emplo%e" the use o& nonveral 'ues to "rive home their points. estures are

mostl% use" to in"i'ate sie, shape, "ire'tion, an" "istan'e, len" emphasis to parti'ular wor"s,

hihliht essential phrases (/verson an" ol"in7?ea"ow), status or "ominan'e . e ma%

posit that "espite the prepon"eran'e o& wor"s in their repertoire o& lanuae, humans still

result to estures an" other nonveral 'ues e'ause the nonveral 'ues serve as ai" to spee'h.

This also supports the 'laim that humans ma% &irst have 'ommuni'ate" nonverall% e&ore

the% "is'overe" or invente" veral 'ommuni'ation an" that the% will survive an" intera't

e&&e'tivel% amon themselves in man% situation % rel%in on su'h naturall% meanin&ul

&orms o& estural 'ommuni'ation (Tomasello, 200). That the two &ilms &rom "i&&erent

'ountries an" 'ultures relie" on nonveral 'ommuni'ation shows that nonveral

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'ommuni'ation is a universal propert% o& human eins. The &ilms also help intensi&% the

importan'e o& te'hnolo% to &ilms. Kiewers thouh ma% see an" hear the a'tors, the

mi'rophones, 'ameras or other suitale sensors &urther enhan'e" the messaes the &ilms

portra% to the viewer. ''or"in to (Ortea), nonveral 'ues ai" the inter'hane etween

'hara'ters in &ilms an" helps au"ien'eLs 'omprehensiilit% in the :multilinual an"

multi'ultural 'ompleities portra%e"; in the &ilm enre. onveral 'ues in the area o&

ph%si'al appearan'e, estures an" postures, &a'e an" e%es ehaviour, vo'al ehaviour,

'ultural sins, an" spa'e an" environment, help in no small wa% in ma*in the messaes o&

Saworoidean" White men cant jumppresente" au"iovisuall%. 8owever, "espite ai"in

meanin, we 'an see in oth &ilms that nonveral 'ues portra% Gaata in a" liht to the

au"ien'e when he ta*es swis &rom the etra7lare in ottle an" also portra%s Bill% in the

neative liht when he *eeps tal*in to wor* up his opponents. e ma% there&ore 'on'lu"e

that i& nonveral 'ommuni'ation is not han"le" properl% (we shoul" alwa%s have it at the

a'* o& our min"s that the 'ues are involuntaril%) the% ma% portra% wron attitu"es o& the

users.

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