Czech gestures are slightly more reserved. Here are some of the things to remember:
Smiles
Czechs don't smile at people they don't know. People smiling in the streets are the exception to the norm. It is not a sign of unfriendliness, it is simply not expected. Conversely, if you smile at people without a reason, they will be surprised. This is especially apparent when compared with Americans.
Counting on fingers
The Czech system is as follows: 1 - thumb, 2 - thumb and index finger, 3 - thumb, index finger, middle finger, 4 - two alternatives: a) thumb tucked in, four fingers outstretched b) the little finger tucked in, thumb and three fingers outstretched, 5 - all fingers.
Interestingly, the Czech language doesn't differentiate between toes and fingers, so a Czech has 20 fingers.
Miscellaneous Gestures and Body Language
Czechs are not great gesticulators and do not have a wide array of widely recognized gestures. Also many gestures considered international are not so common. For example, only 55% Czechs recognized the well-known index-finger gesture as obscene and more than 15% didn't know it at all.
Below is a list of some common gestures.
- Shrugging shoulders = I don't know or I don't care.
- Pointing with your finger at your forehead or temple = You are stupid.
- Holding thumbs in a closed fist = luck wishing
- Thumbs up = good; thumbs down = bad
- Slapping palm over the top of a fist = obscene, sex related gesture.
- Pointing a thumb of a hand with outstretched fingers to one's nose = ridicule, jeering
- Shaking a finger away from one's face = reproach or accusation
Taboos
There are few explicit taboos (other than those shared by the majority of the Western world). Talking about personal relationships is uncommon except among close friends. It is acceptable, however, to talk about earnings, although this is changing with the new economic environment.
Embracing is reserved in most instances. Cheek kissing is rare as a greeting with Czechs. Kissing is accepted, however, when presenting awards or congratulating.
Most Czech swear-words are stronger and therefore less acceptable than their English dictionary counterparts. From this follows a more reserved approach to talking about bodily functions such as flatulence. Compared with English Czech lacks a neutral description of a sensitive area. For instance, it is more difficult to express 'to have sex' neutrally. Czech lacks many common speech terms for sexual deviations such as foot-fetish, etc. On the other hand, the Czech culture is generally very tolerant of nudity and pornography which is freely on display on newsstands.
Some Western taboos are conspicous by their absence. Particularly in the country, it is still possible to talk freely about how much a person earns. Some bodily functions are also less taboo than in the English and American culture. Children can freely urinate in public, they can also run around naked. An injunction to shower in a bathing suit found in many British swimming pool shower rooms would be extremely puzzling to a Czech.
Miscellaneous "facts"
These facts are generalizations of different validity but most Czechs and foreigners living in the Czech Republic are likely to agree with them.
- Czechs are more afraid to show that they don't understand.
- To Czechs, westerners and especially Americans seem to ask more and their questions are more direct.
- Czechs often appear shy foreigners (especially in communication with strangers).
- The "How are you ?" question can be generally more often answered with a negative attitude, even if the state of speaker is not particularly bad.
- Czechs very often complain/express that they are not content and they quite often underestimate themselves. It could be considered rude not to do it. Czechs rarely boast.
- Czech men are more helpful to women than may be the standard elsewhere. It is common for a man to help a woman to put on her coat, offer a seat, let her enter first, open the door for her, and women usually accept these expressions of politeness. Important: men should enter restaurants first.
