VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION
GRADUATION PAPER

AN INTERCULTURAL STUDY OF SOME TYPICAL
GLOBALIZED WESTERN GESTURES DONE BY THE
STUDENTS AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY,
HANOI
Supervisor: Ngô Hữu Hoàng, PhD
Student: Trương Thị Minh Phúc
Course: QH2010.F1.E16
Hanoi - 2014
ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH
KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU LIÊN VĂN HÓA VỀ VIỆC SỬ DỤNG MỘT
SỐ CỬ CHỈ ĐẶC TRƯNG CÓ NGUỒN GỐC TỪ PHƯƠNG TÂY
BỊ TOÀN CẦU HÓA CỦA SINH VIÊN ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA
HÀ NỘI
Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Ngô Hữu Hoàng
Sinh viên: Trương Thị Minh Phúc
Khóa: QH2010.F1.E16
Hà Nội - 2014

ACEPTANCE
I hereby state that I: Truong Thi Minh Phuc, from group 10E16, English
Department, HULIS, being a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (TEFL)
accept the requirements of the College relating to the retention and use of Bachelor’s

who supported me in any respect during the completion of the study.
Truong Thi Minh Phuc
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ABSTRACT
The thesis completed by Trương Thị Minh Phúc, 10E16, ULIS-VNU, explores an
intercultural study on some typical globalized Western gestures done by the students at
Vietnam National University Hanoi
The research is conducted purposefully with the hope of clarifying how VNU students
use and perceive the finger gestures in general, five mentioned finger gestures (V-sign,
Thumb-up, OK sign, The middle finger and Beckoning) in particular among its various
global meanings. Moreover, the study is undertaken as an attempt to take a deeper
look at the tendency of using finger gestures in communicating of VNU students.
The method employed in this study is that of survey research which mainly are survey
questionnaire and observation. The investigation involves the participants of a hundred
students coming from four different universities of VNU responding to the thoroughly
designed questionnaire. Besides that, they are observed randomly and objectively for
the purpose of valid data. By figuring, calculating, combining, comparing and
generalizing, the data collected through research instruments is then analyzed carefully
and discussed in-depth, so that relevant and worthy findings can be found.
The results and findings of the study truly help to answer the research questions. It
allows the realization of the differences in using and perceiving finger gestures of the
students from four surveyed universities as well as the reflection of their attitude
towards using these finger gestures. Then, it also shows how much globalization has
effects on how VNU students practice the finger gestures in their communicating.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACEPTANCE …………………………………………………………………………… …i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………… ii
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………… iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………iv

3.1.2 Evaluation on the role of using finger gestures in communicating.…………….22
3.1.3 The frequency of using the finger gestures in communicating ………………….24
3.1.4 The communicative partners with whom VNU students use the finger
gestures to talk……………………………………………………………………….25
3.2. VNU students with the five listed fingers in communicating…………… ….……26
3.2.1. The awareness of the total five listed finger gestures…………………… …… 26
3.2.2. The awareness of the five listed finger gestures’ origins………………….27
3.2.3. The frequency of using the five listed finger gestures…………………………… 28
3.3. VNU students perceive and employ the five listed finger gestures in their
communicating………………………………………………………………………29
3.3.1. “V” sign………………………………………………………………………… 29
3.3.2. OK sign………………………………………………………………………… 32
3.3.3. Thumb-up……………………………………………………………………… …33
3.3.4. The middle finger…………………………………………………………… 33
3.3.5. Beckoning………………………………………………………………… …… 34
PART C: CONCLUSION
1. Conclusions of the findings…………………………………………………………….37
2. Implications…………………………………………………………………………… 38
3. Limitations of the study……………………………………………………………… 39
4. Suggestions for further studies…………………………………………………… 40
REFRENCES…………………………………………………………………………… 41
APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………………44
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ABBREVIATIONS
VNU: Vietnam National University
ULIS: University of Languages and International Studies
UEB: University of Economics and Business
UET: University of Engineering and Technology
IS: International School

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PART A- INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study
In the context of comprehensive integration and strong globalization as it is nowadays,
it is unavoidable that all aspects of human being’s life, especially in terms of culture
and communication are inevitably affected. Because intercultural communication is
encouraged and cultural differences among nations are reduced, the communication
styles of all countries are now being interacted. Vietnam- a country opening its door to
integrate wide-deeply into the world therefore cannot be out of the trend.
As a student learning foreign languages and international studies, in my point of view,
globalization has large effects on not only Vietnamese verbal but also non-verbal
communication. Then, its impacts on the non verbal cues seem to be important, owing
to its ability of proving intercultural features happened in the country for the time
being. Of many nonverbal cues, gestures used in conversations clearly reflect cultural
interactive features and play a significant role in communicating. Thanks to
globalization, Vietnam has chance to import and practice common gestures, most of
which originate from Western countries, in “Vietnamese way”. Interestingly, those
globalized gestures have been mainly absorbed by the young in general, the students in
cities in particular. The way that these specific gestures are used and perceived in
Vietnam has both similarities and differences with other cultures using the same signs.
Accounting for a large part of the gestures, finger gestures which do not originate from
Vietnam but are exotic gestures are used and appeared the most in conversations of the
young in Vietnam nowadays.
Aware of this context, I choose the topics “An Intercultural study of some typical
globalized Western gestures done by the students at Vietnam National
University, Hanoi” to study. Among the non-verbal cues often used when Vietnamese
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young people are in touch, I focus on the some typical finger gestures, whose majority
is exotic, because it is the most noticeable signs.

Vietnamizating process of these finger gestures of the young. Hence, the study helps to
clarify how strong globalization influences the way they communicate with others
using finger gesture and partly predict their communicating trends.
Besides that, once having been completed, the study would serve as one of the sources
providing us with an overview of the functions of finger gestures in communicating in
Vietnam nowadays; so that we can balance confused aspects of these gestures caused
by globalization. It means that we can diversify our communicating style by adapting
good features and avoid unsuitable ones. As a result, we can both enrich and protect
our culture uniqueness. Finally, it would be my pleasure if my humble piece of work
can be able to contribute to the development of research in the field of cultures
4. Scope of the study
Gesture, which is part of non- verbal cues, is a large aspect and it takes a lot of time
and effort to do research. As a result, it is very hard for the researcher to cover all
aspects of this issue. Additionally, due to time constraint, resources, the researcher’s
experience and knowledge, the research is set specific scope to study. Of many finger
gestures, these five ones: O.K” sign, Thumb-up gesture, The middle finger, “V”
gestures (outward& inward) and the beckoning gestures are the most widely used in
communicating in Vietnam by the young, especially the student. Therefore, the
primary focus of the study will be on these five finger gestures. Owning to some
objective and subjective reasons, the researcher decides to choose students of VNU as
the target participants to study. The researcher could not also deliver the questionnaire
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for all students of VNU which has seven universities as members. Therefore, in the
most convenience, all the participants come from the four out of seven universities of
VNU: University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), University of
Economics and Business (UEB), University of Engineering and Technology (UET)
and International school (IS)
5. Design of the study
In order to make it clear and easy to follow, the structure of the study is mainly divided
into following sections:

The definition above is supported diagrammatized by Nguyen Quang (2004:58)
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1.1.1.1. Verbal communication
In Ronald D. Smith’s words, “Verbal communication occurs through written and
spoken words” (2005:142). In sum, verbal communication is an act of conveying
messages, ideas, or feelings through the use of mouth. Verbal communication is the
main way of communicating face-to-face. Among the key components of the verbal
communication are words, sound, speaking, and language. It is obvious that a specific
language assigns meanings to messages through a particular system of words.
Conventionally, verbal communication fulfills three main functions: (1) informing the
person of others’ thoughts and feelings, (2) stimulating the receiver of message by
triggering a response and (3) serving a descriptive function by imparting information
and sharing observations, ideas, inference and memories. (Watzalawick, et, al, 1967).
1.1.1.2. Non-verbal communication
When communicating, people not only use verbal cues but they also practice
nonverbal messages such as body languages, gestures, postures, etc in order to colorize
their conversations and show their expression lively. According to a research of
Mehrabian and Wiener (1972), only 7% of the speaker’s attitude is transmitted by
word, whereas 93% of the social meanings may be carried in actions or non-verbal
communication elements.
Non-verbal communication is the process of communication through sending and
receiving messages wordlessly. In other words, non- verbal communication includes
only the events, behaviors that we perceive and give meaning to, and it transcends
spoken or written words.
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In fact the way of using non-verbal cues in communicating is not the same as other
countries; therefore, it is important to know some values of other cultures and so of
other ways of communicating for, first of all, avoiding some misunderstandings and
then knowing better some aspects of different cultures

image4555172
Based on the view of the author of “Two fingers up to English history…” posted on
http://bshistorian.wordpress.com/ as well as other reliable sources [Verification -
Massey University,etc], the “V” sign was first used, as far as we know, by British
Longbowmen after winning the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The French bowmen had
threatened to cut off the first two fingers – those that hold the arrow in place – of the
British bowmen. After the battle, the British archers flashed their first two fingers to
show that they were still intact; and it was used to mock the defeated French army. It is
the origin of “V” gesture with the palm facing toward the body. From the ideas of
historians collected from encyclopedia and specially Ranman of “Hands that carry
information” posted on http://thinkingouttabox.wordpress.com/, the palm- out “V”
gesture is believed to be discovered by a Belgian lawyer named Victor De Lavelaye
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who aimed to find a symbol that could be used for the international Nazi- resistance
movement in the 1940s as well as replaced for the letter “R.A.F” – used to insult the
Germans until that time. In order to achieve his aim and not to confuse international,
he came up with the letter “V” because it was not only the English word for “victory”
but also the Flemish and French.
In 1941 Winston Churchill made what we now know as the 'V-for-Victory sign'
famous. He made no distinction between the inward and outward V sign until the latter
part of the war when someone probably pointed out he was telling the masses to, "piss
off".

Figure 2: President Wilson Churchill (1874-1965)
Source: http://antonalyptic.blogspot.com/
In America and some Western countries, many people use the outward gesture as the
symbol of Victory or Peace, or simply say the number 2 and perceive the inward one
as insulting meanings. However, in Britain, Ireland or New Zealand, “V” signs (both
inward and outward) equal as “F**king”.
ii. “OK” sign

posted on his blog (https://suite.io/), the genesis of thumbs up or down can be traced as
far back to ancient Rome, Egypt and Etruria, where it was well-known for the
gladiator – styled battles. In a bloody gladiator matches often occurring inside the
coliseums of Rome as amusement, the masses of people would linger for the life or
death indication by thumbing their finger up or down. Every so often, a thumbs up
would signal his death.
Figure 4: Thumb-up
Source: mentalfloss.com
In Western countries, The "Thumbs up", is generally accepted as a sign to show
someone that they've done well. In the US and part of Europe, hitch-hikers also use
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this gesture to ask for a lift but with the hand extended right out so that people in cars
can see. In Australia, it means “Up yours!”
In many cultures putting your thumb up (especially when moving the hand up) is a
very rude gesture, similar to extending the middle finger for example in Nigeria. In the
Middle East, you give the thumbs-up sign with your thought of saying “"Ayyyyy! I'm
the fuckin' Fonz!", but the people here may receive your message as "Ayyyyy! I'm
going to jam my thumb in your anus!”
iv. The middle finger
This gesture is believed to be an insulting gesture and be one of the most popular ones
in the world. The middle finger is a phallus symbol, a sign mimicking a penis and
testicles. So where did the middle finger originate?

Figure 5: The middle finger
Source: http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/File:Middle_finger.jpg
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