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languagevariesfromcountrytocountry.itdiffersnotonlyinwrittenandspokenlanguagebutalsoingestures.
oncemyamericanteacher,dr.joejohnson,wentontshopping.hewassurprlsedtofindoutthathecouldn'tevencountonhisfingersproficientlyinchina.hetriedtobuysixoranges.theorangesellercouldn'tunderstandhistwohandedcountingwhenheshowedhimfivelefthandfingersandonerighthandfinger.hewasalsoconfusedwhenadriversaidhewouldpickhimupatsixo'clock,andheldhisrightbandinagesturefamiliartohimself.thegesturewasnotfamiliarasasix.itresembledapipe.
therewerenotroublewiththenumbersone,four,andfive.inchina,weshowthemiddleandindexfingerstomeantwo,but,fortheamericans,itmeansvictory.thechineseguestureforthree,toamericans.means"okay."thechinesesevenislikemanypeoplefromsoutherneuropeaadthemiddleeastgesturetomean"money".achineseeightislikeasymbolforapistol.achinesenineinanamericantvstudiomeansthatyouhavethirtysecondslefttofinishwhatyouaredoing.andachineseten,toanamerican,canbeanexpressionofanger,butnotifthereisapleasantchinesefacebehindit!