Gestures play an important role in communication. They can help express a speaker’s point better. For instance, when a speaker describes something as being tall, the speaker may raise his or her hand to add emphasis to what is being spoken. When a speaker wishes to show that he or she feels strongly about what is being said, the speaker may show a clenched fist. In addition, a speaker may use hand gestures to try to visualize the physical appearance of what he or she is describing. In addition, wide arm gestures may send the message that the speaker is discussing broad or general topics while hand and arm gestures closer to the body may send the message that the speaker is giving precise details. Folding one’s arms together can send different messages ranging from relaxation, apathy, or even authoritativeness especially when complemented with other nonverbal actions.
A speaker must be aware of gestures that are not acceptable particularly when speak-ing in a cross-cultural context. For example, a speaker waving an outstretched index finger may seem to be scolding the audience. The speaker must indeed be aware of the cultural ideas an audience may associate with gestures. To sum it all up, a speaker must take extra care in his or her gestures and must be sensitive enough to the reaction of his or her audience to the way he or she executes them.