Body Language vs Symbolic Language

Very interesting experiment - I really enjoyed it! 

Part 1 - Body Language

This experiment was difficult and at times frustrating. I've played charades  before for fun, trying to communicate a single phrase, idea, or object, but never by means of conversation for 15 minutes. One of the factors making it difficult to communicate with out symbolic language was my grown reliance on it. When I had a question to ask, my thoughts were of what words I would use to phrase the question, not of what body motions I would use. I had to redirect my methods of communication, therefore slowing down the process. I imagine it would have been easier, and less frustrating, if I had never used symbolic language and relied solely on body language.

My partner in this project did not understand what I was trying to say for the majority of the 15 minutes. My partner was equally frustrated as I was - though much more amused. He asked a lot of questions to guess what I was trying to say, but I think that he would not have tried so hard if he had not previously agreed to spend 15 minutes watching me flail my arms and emit grunts.

My partner would have definitely had the upper hand in communicating advanced ideas; even simple thoughts were painstaking to communicate without symbolic language. Without knowing better, the other party would most likely view me as less intelligent and inferior. I imagine there would be little or no interest in reaching out to me. In our culture, those who are deaf experience difficulty communicating with spoken language. Though they have various forms of sign language, the symbolic language is far less common than verbal languages. This must make them feel isolated from the large population who take no interest in attempting communication. 

Part 2 - Symbolic Language

Though the attempt was sincere, it was not without the occasional break of composure. This was difficult because of how impersonal and inhuman it felt. While I was trying to share thoughts that were mine, the method of communication felt alien. Also, it felt hard to be accurate with only symbolic language since its meaning can change by the way its said.

This second part greatly affected my partner. Not only did he spend the 15 minutes speaking in a reflected monotone, but his entire countenance lost embellishment. In addition, his desire to continue the conversation was almost nonexistent; I remember near the 7 minute mark my partner expressed how little fun this experiment was. 

This made me aware of how much is communicated through nonverbal language. Spoken language truly is brought to life by its accompanying gestures and tones. With only body language I felt like I was communicating inefficiently, but with only symbolic language I felt that I was communicating inaccurately. For example, when my partner said a joke I could not smile or laugh to communicate that I thought it was humorous. With only symbolic language, I was limited to saying "I think that's funny" in a contradicting tone. Though the words were correct, the bland body language spoke more powerfully than my words.

I have known individuals who have difficulty reading body language. Understanding what certain gestures mean offers more knowledge on an individual and is therefore beneficial. These subtle movements can convey unspoken information; i.e. motives, feelings. Since I cannot think of a situation where less information and knowledge is in the long run a negative, I would argue that there is no environmental condition where this ability is not a benefit.