Traveling is fun, and so is exploring a lot of new places and destinations while traveling. But, what if you travel to a place where you don’t know the language? The normal approach would be to learn the language, but that can take time, and you would have to invest time and capital into the same.
You might not face the problem of a language barrier with all the places you visit. But still, for the frequent traveler, language can be a huge problem. It not only destroys your traveling experience but can also land you in hot waters. So, it’s better to learn some alternatives that can be applied to every place where you don’t know the language.
Yes, there are certain tips and tricks to communicate to some extent, even if you do not know the language of the place. Here, we have compiled some of them.
1. Body Language Can Deliver The Message
Body language is the most efficient tool to communicate with the locals and deliver the right message. It can be used without language dependency. Instead, body language can deliver the information with simple gestures.
Take the instance of entering the restaurant if the menu is in a different language and you are not able to read. Just look for the pictures around and tell the waiter to bring the food by pointing fingers. Another way is to check out what others are having and if you think any of them can be a good choice for you, go for it.
2. Start Carrying Some Common Symbols
This is another good approach that can assist a lot if you are traveling to a place and not sure about how to communicate due to language barriers. Start carrying various symbols and point them out in order to ask a question or communicate with a local stranger.
Take the instance; you are not able to find a restaurant, you can simply take out the symbol of the hotel and show it to anyone near you. Just ask them to guide you, and they can easily understand and help you out. The same can be done for toilets, hospitals, etc.
A simple smile, bow down, nods, gestures can also add a little to the symbolic communication.
3. Make Sure To Learn Symbols
If you can’t learn every language, invest your time and efforts in learning the symbols. However, the symbols are not common at all places you visit. You need to know or learn the symbols thoroughly and be aware of their meaning as well. Because symbols meanings vary from place to place and using the wrong one in the wrong place can land you in serious trouble even if you think the meaning of the symbol to be different.
For instance, the thumbs-up sign is considered to be a good gesture in some countries, while the same is considered to be offensive in multiple countries. Many people can be offended as well, thinking that you are getting rude to them. Such countries are Latin America, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.
4. Eye Contact Is The Key
Eye contact is another form of communication that is not dependent on the language barrier. But, like symbols, eye contact and gestures have separate meanings in separate places.
Take the instance of the U.S., when you make eye contact with another person, it simply denotes that you are listening to him carefully and paying the required attention. While in China, this is considered to be challenging and annoying for everyone. So, if you use the same gesture or eye contact in the U.S., you will be appreciated and the exact opposite in China.
5. Physical Touch Can Help
Physical touch also plays a key role in communicating without language or barriers. But, you need to be very careful with this as it can cause serious concerns. The physical touch and gestures can also make you very confident if used in the right manner. In the majority of Arab nations, physical contact is a major part of interpersonal communication.
Take the instance of a handshake; you can easily show goodwill and agreement. A simple bow down with the handshakes can also add more.
Bottom Line
So, if you are planning to visit a country or place where language is a barrier to communication, it’s better to adopt any of the above-mentioned measures. Just make sure to read all the details carefully and learn the necessary things to make your stay and travel better.
Make an effort to learn new things, and don’t panic if it’s not working. Just stay calm and look for ways to understand things, and then plan the right move. Signs, gestures, hand movements, etc., play a vital role in communication without words.
We hope the above-shared information proves helpful to you.
