TATTOOS AND TABOOS IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
TATTOOS AND TABOOS IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Summary/Abstract: When communicating with people from other cultures, one has to pay attention to their verbal and non-verbal messages. Besides what they actually say, it is equally important to notice what they do not say, what gestures they make – or avoid making – and what other ways of expressing themselves they resort to. Tattoos and taboos are two of the key factors that are worth taking into consideration when dealing with people from other countries, as they may reveal interesting aspects of their personality and culture. Both tattoos and taboos have ancient origins and reach the deepest levels of humanity. They can explain how we have evolved as acultural species endowed with the power of communicating both through language and through images or gestures. This article aims at presenting the importance of tattoos and taboos for understanding the core features of a culture, with a view to improving intercultural communication.

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