Using gestures in communication
Using gestures is a way of passing a message across to the audience. From the video, Ross tries to use his hands to get his message to Joey but the message does not come out clearly. Instead of understanding the message, Joey gets confused by the gestures used by Ross to explain the aspect of proposing for marriage. He wonders whether such gestures are used in the context such as when proposing to a woman (Klawans). The lesson from the video is that the gestures that seem to be common and popular may be unknown to some people. Thus during communication, there is a need to understand gestures which are common to a majority to avoid passing the wrong message to other people. Also, the gestures should be relevant to the topic of discussion since misplaced gestures can be easily be misinterpreted hence sending the wrong signal to the audience.
Importance of gestures in communication
Gesture is a form of non-verbal communication and helps the speaker emphasize a message being communicated to the audience. Gestures are important since they communicate confidence and understanding of the subject matter. Besides, gestures give the speaker the courage to continue communicating with the audience by eliminating the fear of speaking. Further, gesturing conveys keenness and energy to the audience. Studies have shown that people who use gestures are able to convince the audience and make them understand the message better (Mehrabian 19). Speakers who use gestures are thought of as passionate about the message and enthusiastic about their role. Moreover, gestures are important as they assist the speaker to remain eloquent and fluent while conveying the message to the audience. Without using gestures, it may be difficult to find the correct words to use while presenting the message to the audience.
Work Cited
Klawans, Kimberley. The Importance of Nonverbal Cues As Told By "Friends". YouTube: WMG, 2013. DVD.
Mehrabian, Albert. Nonverbal communication. Routledge, (2017): 18-32.
