Understanding Nonverbal Communication of Filipinos: A Traditional Form of Literacy (original) (raw)

This research highlights how nonverbal meaning is conveyed in Filipino communication and when it is appropriate to use nonverbal communication. This unique form of communication is a cultural and traditional form that is practiced by Filipinos not only in the homeland but also in the diaspora. Evidence from this research suggests that nonverbal communication among Filipinos is just as powerful as written and oral literacy, enriches dialogue and interacts with other forms of literacy such as the written and oral forms. What remains inconclusive is to what extent Filipino nonverbal communication can be defined as a literacy practice in the same way as oral and written communication. An equally important research question is whether this important form of communication will survive the succeeding generations of Filipinos in the diaspora particularly in the United States. Significance Filipinos in the United States currently comprise 2.2 million of the nation's total population (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2004), the second largest group following the Chinese among the Asian immigrant community. Understanding some of their cultural and traditional practices, including forms of communication, contributes to a greater appreciation of and better interaction with this huge community. The activity of the Filipino community in government, education, and business in the San Francisco Bay Area points to the importance and need of gaining a basic understanding of Filipino nonverbal literacy. For the following research, I use the term " discourse community " to mean a form of interaction that is utilized by a specific group of people to connote a shared sense of culture, family, or awareness. This study of the Filipino discourse community addresses the need to understand a component of an important Bay Area culture. Rationale and Key Research Questions The rationale for selecting the Filipino discourse community for the research came as a result of several personal experiences. Although I am not of Filipino descent, through marriage I became familiar with Filipino nonverbal literacy as a specific form of communication. I had made the assumption that I could recognize and utilize this nonverbal literacy, but I had little understanding of how it developed or why it is so significant in communication. Many of my friends and professional colleagues are of Filipino descent, and one of them is my primary research subject. The central research question of my study is: How can Filipino nonverbal communication be defined? The sub questions are the following: 1. How can nonverbal communication be interpreted as a literacy practice? 2. What are the uses of nonverbal communication, such as facial animation, in creating Filipino cultural identity? Methods The research methods used for this study are primarily qualitative, anthropological observations; open ended interviews; and interpretation of texts within a theoretical framework. The theory that informed this research is that other forms of communication are commonly used outside of the realm of written and oral communication. Moreover, forms of communication beyond oral and written forms may not necessarily function as a component of either, but rather can stand alone as a form of expression within a discourse community. The key influences and literature reviewed for this study are from American, other Western, and Filipino scholars in the fields of cultural anthropology and communication, as well as sociological research on exchanges among multicultural societies. Review of the Literature Literacy has been defined as a mode of communication with a guide or system universally recognized by its users (Bakhtin, 1986). Literacy has come in the form of written symbols as well as oral communication. Similarly to the way written communication establishes symbols as a form of literacy practice, Filipino nonverbal communication also relies on a series of facial animations and movements that are consistent and universally understood within its community of users. The nonverbal literacy practice of tapping someone's arm in the Filipino community is understood as an acknowledgement of humor or joy. It is the contention of this researcher that this practice is wholly different from, for example, the pat on the back gesture used commonly in some parts of the United States (Korukonda & Hunt, 1989). The purpose of this literacy practice in the Filipino community is to present an existing understanding of friendship and camaraderie (a defined meaning), in contrast to the pat on the back that has been known to carry many different meanings depending on the situation in which it is used. Oral communication as a literacy practice represents a form of expression that can be more intimate and personal than written literacy (Daft, Lengel, & Trevino, 1987; Ng & Bradac, 1995). Oral literacy, like written and nonverbal literacy requires an audience or receiver of information in its discourse. However, oral communication, like nonverbal communication, is often a physical activity that takes place in the presence of its target audience. (Radio and television broadcasts are common exceptions to this theory). Filipino nonverbal literacy is based on many of the same principles as written and oral communication, but on some levels it is able to occur without the assistance of either. For example, sign language for the hearing impaired is a form of nonverbal literacy that is prevalent in many parts. This form of nonverbal communication has its own system of