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d our use of time, space, and silence are just some of the behaviors in which we engage that serve as message. 4.1General appearance and dress In intercultural communication, appearance and objects are important because the standards we apply and the judgments we make are subject to cultural interpretations. In the United States, people tend to value the appearance of tall, slender women. In Japan, diminutive females are deemed the most attractive. Clothing---how much, how little, and what kind---is also a reflection of a culture’s value orientation. For example, modesty is highly valued among Arabs. Muslim girls usually wear scarves to cover their heads, and in most instances, girls are not allowed to participate in swimming classes because of the prohibitions against exposing their bodies. 4.2Gestures Gestures refer to specific body movements that carry meaning. Hands can form shapes that convey many meanings that may differ among cultures. What is acceptable in one culture may be completely unacceptable in another. One culture may determine that snapping fingers to call waiter is appropriate; another may consider this gesture rude. For instance, the “OK” gesture in the American culture is a symbol for money in Japan. The same gesture is obscene in some Latin American countries; while for Chinese or people in the South of France is zero or nothing. [6](P13) The same movement with different meaning in cross-cultural communication will lead to misunderstanding in minor degree otherwise to court disaster. The gesture for applauding over the head in America usually means arrogance to defeat the counterpart, while in Russia it is a symbol of friendship. When the Soviet Premier Khrushchev visited America, he performed such gesture to indicate friendship, but this made many Americans feel uncomfortable. [6](P13) 4.3Posture Posture and sitting habits offer insight into a culture’s deep structure. In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies the culture’s concern with status and rank. In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated. The person who occupies the lower status begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other person’s. The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end. When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time. In the United States, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand. In many countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyles tend to be more formal, slouching is considered a sign of rudeness and poor manners. In Turkey, putting one’s hands in one’s pockets is a sign of disrespect. The manner in which we sit also can communicate a message. In Ghana and in Turkey, sitting with one’s legs crossed is extremely offensive. People in Thailand believe that because the bottoms of the feet are the lowest part of the body, they should never be pointed in the direction of another person. In fact, for the Thai, the feet take on so much significance that people avoid stomping with them. 4.4Paralanguage “Paralanguage refers to all the acoustic phenomena to accompany the spoken words.” That is, what is said is not the actual meaning of the spoken words but needs to consider other factors mainly including