Paphos People

NON LANGUAGE

In my opinion Non Language can best be described as the art or skill of communicating with people using gestures, and facial expressions to convey what you are trying to inform them of, otherwise known as Miming.

There have been many famous mime artists since entertainment was first conceived, but the most well known in modern times is probably Marcel Marceau. His ability to portray emotions and actions wearing white make up and bright red mouth with black crosses on his eyes as his alter ego ‘Bip’ the clown, made him a worldwide star.

Guitarist Zal Cleminson, of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, was well known for his facial expressions whilst playing long heavy rock solos. It was suggested that he went to see Marcel Marceau perform. He was so affected by what he had seen that he painted his face white with the similar accentuation of his mouth and eyes. The act was animated in a wholly different way, Alex Harvey with his Scottish tombstone teeth scowling at the front and Zal agonising as he strangled his axe behind him.

But the art of silent communication is not only used by humans, dogs and cats especially have developed their own system of noiseless communication. They will sit and stare at their owners until the message does or doesn’t get through although the latter is very rare. Who belongs to whom in that situation that is the question?

Deaf people can communicate using a system of sign language, spelling out letters or symbols which can be interpreted into words. This was developed in England, (British Sign Language-BSL) and America (ASL). The two are mainly compatible bar a few spelling differences. Indeed Britain and America are often described as two countries divided by the same language.

By far the most dangerous non language system is the insulting gesture. The two finger ‘V’ sign goes back to the medieval wars between the British and the French. English long bowmen were the most effective force of the war, so if the French captured any of them, they chopped off the bow string fingers. So if the two forces met the British would raise two fingers to the enemy to show they were ready for action. The system still works today in most parts of France!

A retired Magistrate who was being interviewed on the radio about the rise in violent crime in the UK once commented.
“In my experience the cause of the majority of cases of petty violence and should be stamped out is ‘Funny looks in Pubs’”
‘He looked at me funny’ was commonly the excuse most used in defence of a prosecution for common assault. A blatant case of Non Language indeed!