Monday Humans have come up with thousands of different words to describe everything under the sun. Sometimes the meaning of a particular gesture depends on the part of the world it is used. In Italy, when a person claps one hand around their own throat, they are probably expressing frustration. Tuesday Language is one of the most important things that binds a culture together. We're not always aware of it, but we communicate as much with our hands and faces as we do with our words.
Some expressions are pretty much universal - no translation is needed to understand their meaning.
A smile is a smile no matter where you are in the world - it is taken as a sign of delight or a desire to be friends. In his book Body Talk , Desmond Morris says the smile is unique to human beings. Most facial expressions that involve pulling back the lips originated as a fear response. We've learned to alter this expression when we want to express pleasure by turning up the corners of our mouths. Even very young babies learn to beam that irresistible, toothless smile.