Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is half of overall communication, so it’s crucial to understand the undertones of any conversation. Nonverbal cues can mean different things for different cultures, so when learning about a culture, and interacting with others from that culture, learning the full language, not just the spoken one, is important. Nonverbal cues are very hard to pick up, so it can be difficult to read people’s body language in a way that makes sense. Most people have a very delicate grasp on what body language means, because we are taught that the way to communicate is with our words. However, learning how to communicate through nonverbal communication needs to happen in order to become fluent.

In Finnish culture, gesturing is very minimal, but it can mean a lot. Finns are generally reserved, and it is a bit of a stereotype that they fall into. Most Finnish people, especially the ones I am related to, rarely have an animated discussion. That means that when gesturing happens in a Finnish conversation, it becomes much more emotional (Finnish Pod 101). The stoicism of the Finnish language and culture, at first, seems to eliminate any emotion in the discussion. However, because animation is so rare, when it happens, the emotions get a lot larger, which allows people to show how they are feeling about the conversation. Finnish culture is also against fake emotions, which commonly eliminates the need for general pleasantries. 

Touch in Finnish culture is also very minimal, because of their reserved cultural ideals. Finnish people often greet each other by shaking hands, but other than that, it is usually only reserved for close friends and family (Zucchet). The stereotype of Finns being reserved and calm is very true with my family members. For someone who is unfamiliar with Finnish culture, they might go to one of my family gatherings and think we all hate each other. However, learning the cultural ideals in body language and nonverbal communication of Finnish people would tell them otherwise. Finnish people can be seen as off putting, but their cultural values allow them to express their emotion in a way that almost magnifies them. 

Personal space in Finnish culture is very important, and it is rare that people give up their personal space. For example, when riding a bus full of Finnish people, it would be best to just mind your business and focus on yourself. However, Finnish-American culture is a little different. A lot of Finns, when they immigrated to America, settled down in Minnesota. Minnesota has a stereotype of having really, really chatty people. Because of that, most Finnish-Americans you meet will be very chatty and very nice when you are standing in line with them. 

Finns are very protective when it comes to their time. It is incredibly rude to be late with them, because they are such straightforward people. They are typically monochronic, which means they like to do one thing fully before moving to the next. Knowing the importance of time for Finns is crucial when communicating with them. Finnish people don’t like to waste their time in a conversation, and would prefer to be straightforward. In fact, talking about non-important stuff, like small talk, is seen as shady by a lot of Finns, because they think that person is trying to get something from them. 

Finnish Pod 101. Finnish Gestures of Communication. 16 August 2019. https://www.finnishpod101.com/blog/2019/08/16/finnish-body-gestures/#:~:text=In%20Finland%2C%20shaking%20hands%20is,making%20up%20after%20a%20disagreement.. Accessed 21 March 2024. 

Zucchet, Elinor. Berlitz. Body Language in Different Cultures around the World. 21 August 2023. https://www.berlitz.com/blog/body-language-different-cultures-around-world, accessed 21 March 2024.