why is the smile a universal language?

Question

please help me, i have to wright a speech about it. thanks

Answer 1

It might be universal, but not really. Different people "read" it in different ways. In spite of what other people say above, I have seen people get furious when they see sombody smiling. I still don't know why

Answer 2

because everybody no matter what religion, what culture, what language you speak can understand what a smile means. for example if i am meeting someone that does not speak any English i don't have to say anything but smile and that person will understand that i am smiling. Exp. we Americans give handshakes when we meet people, Europeans give kisses on the check one on the left on on the right, so greetings are different but a smile is the same everywhere and everyone can understand it, u don't have to understand the other culture to know what is acceptable and what is not, i hope that helps. I believe there are six or 8 universal gestures. which means the whole world/universe understands.

Answer 3

Because it's an innate response to pleasure or happiness not a learned response. All cultures understand a smile to mean the same thing - that is not always true of other facial expressions or gestures. Good luck with the "wrighting" :)

Answer 4

Well I am not a biologist or anything but I'd look into the chemistry factor of smiling. People of all cultures and language relate to a smile as a positive thing because doing so triggers positive thinking in your brain. Thus releasing endorphins into your receptors and making you feel happy or non threatening.

It's a basic normal overall Human biochemical response so (I imagine) is why it translate to every reasonable and well minded person.

Answer 5

A smile is a universal language in the sense that everybody understands it to be a welcoming gesture. It opens up the face that would make everyone seeing it respond in like manner, smiling.

A smile is a way of communicating several messages, including the feelings of the person giving out those smiles.

A smile could mean a lot of things typical of a culture, some not understood by many, most especially by those who come to their host country from foreign lands.

First, it means like it is understood by all mankind, a sign of happiness, of joy expressed in a quiet way. When happiness becomes uncontained, the smile breaks into a joyous laughter.

The second, like I said is to welcome especially those with whose eyes you come in contact with.

Then there is that smile that is meant to cover up ones embarrassment.

There is that smile that tells you "I don't know the answer to your question, so please ask somebody else".

There is a smile that hides a secret, telling you that that person knows something that you don't.

There is also a "come hither smile" coming from a woman specifically addressed to her love interest.

Another smile could mean an insult (a smirk) like that one a familiar face on the Philippine Television is wont to bestow to the public, with her lips curling up at the corner.

There is a self-deprecating smile, one that tends to undervalue oneself in front of others.

There is a smile that says "I want to tell you something but I don't have the courage..."

And there is one smile only familiar to Filipinos, a smile or laughter meant to make fun of themsleves but which is never allowed for strangers to do to them. They can laugh at themselves which other culture would think as silly, stupid, foolish or what not, leading to only one meaning... crazy. But what others don't understand is that a smile or laughter is a very strong coping mechanism for Filipinos, knowing that they cannot do anything at the moment but smile and just think later of remedies to the problem confronting them. And somehow, smile has the tendency to open one's mind that almost always, he finds the solutions after a while. Philippines is one country where psychiatrists won't think of coming to practice their profession for the simple reason that they won't have patients, first, because most Filipinos can't afford the prohibitive fees, second and most important reason, they have friends and loved ones they could ventilate their emotions to, those they could smile and share laugh with. In this sense. a smile means healing oneself. There is a very low incidence of suicide in the Philippines than anywhere else in the world.

And lastly, again only Filipinos do it, that of smiling or laughing at their own misfortune. Where else but in that culture would you see people hiding their innermost pain from the world with a smile. To them pain and suffering is a very private thing or one shared only with a very few. Only Filipinos would do that, only in the Philippines.

Answer 6

It's not so much what you say, it's how you say it: Awareness of nonverbal communication can provide a crucial edge wherever you interact
you make up your mind fast and a smile is the first thing you may see and ever nation can understand a smile.most peoplemake up their minds inlike the first 7 seconds of meeting something or someone new

Answer 7

I smile cause Im glad to see you.
I smile cause I jsut got done bad mouthing you and want to conceal my deciet,
I smile beacuse Ive been looking for you to pound on you.
I smile cause I know I just hit your car and you wont know till im gone.

A smile universely shows pleasure, but in what context is not so universal.

Answer 8

A smile says hello, have a good day, someone cares, everything will be okay, thanks .......... so much more. A smile can make some feel better if they are having a bad day. A smile does not have to be translated.

Answer 9

Cause it is part of the universal language category of:

body language

Answer 10

Because everyone knows what it means. When your happy you usually smile. Someone sees you smiling they know something has happened without you even speaking to them.