Representing others: The role of non-verbal language. With special reference to Italian speakers of English

When people from different cultures and using different languages meet, misunderstandings and stereotypes may be generated by the speakers’ use of non-verbal language that is unknown to the interlocutors. This paper (1) reviews literature on intercultural and interlinguistic differences in non-verbal language; (2) discusses the case of Italian speakers of English examining the differences in some relevant non-verbal features in the two languages; and (3) speculates how these features may form the basis for construction and spread of the representation of the Italians through the media.