4 Strategies to Navigate Language Barriers While Traveling

When visiting a country where you don't speak the language, creativity becomes essential for effective communication. While translation apps can help, over-reliance on them may strip away the personal touch and lead to misunderstandings—some amusing, some awkward. ASL interpreter Anna Mindess shares her approach: using gestures to engage with locals and break down language barriers. Here are her suggestions.

During a recent visit to a humble noodle shop in Beijing, I found no signs in English. With my Chinese vocabulary limited to ni hao (hello) and xie xie (thank you), I knew spoken words wouldn't help. Instead, I pointed to a photo of noodle soup on the wall and mimed the shape of a smaller bowl, leading the girl at the counter to respond. She pointed to some peppers, which I declined, then indicated onions and garlic, to which I nodded. When I acted out drinking, she gestured toward a cooler. After paying, we exchanged smiles, having successfully communicated without spoken language.

I've often seen travelers struggle in similar situations, expecting that clear English will be understood by anyone. However, after 25 years as an ASL interpreter, I prefer to communicate through gestures from the start. The Deaf community excels at cross-cultural communication, and I’ve learned to follow their lead.

Many people mistakenly believe that sign language is universal; in fact, each country has its own. Yet, at international Deaf conferences, I've observed attendees, whose sign languages are incomprehensible to each other, find clever ways to convey their messages. I've incorporated some of their methods into my travels, discovering that they not only facilitate communication but also enhance one of the joys of visiting new places: connecting directly with locals. So next time you travel, embrace silence, set aside the translation app, and try gestural communication using these tips.

Begin with the main topic of your inquiry

While at a spa desk in a Shanghai hotel, I observed an American man asking a Chinese staff member if she spoke English. When she nodded slightly, he quickly fired off a lengthy question: “Could you tell me the price for a deep-tissue massage today?” This resulted in complete confusion.

Instead, he could have begun by miming “massage” and waited for her to indicate understanding. Then, he could have communicated the idea of “money” by rubbing his thumb and fingers together with a curious expression. Alternatively, he could have taken out a bill or two while shrugging in question.

This approach is effective because it uses an alternative grammatical structure known as “topic-comment,” which is common in ASL, Chinese, Japanese, and many other languages. This structure establishes the topic first, making it easier to follow up with questions or comments once understanding is reached.

Employ gestures to convey fundamental ideas

My experience at the noodle shop highlighted that various cultures often share common gestures for everyday topics like eating and drinking. Additionally, I employed a technique from ASL called “contrasting feature,” which explains something by indicating what it isn’t, often using a pattern of three. I mimed a small bowl (nodding yes), followed by a large bowl (shaking my head no), and reiterated the small bowl (nodding again). The meaning was unmistakable.

However, while universal actions can typically be conveyed through gestures, be cautious when expressing positive or negative judgments with your hands. Many of these familiar hand shapes are culturally specific. For instance, a “thumbs-up” may be interpreted as an insult in some regions, while the thumb and forefinger forming an “OK” sign can be considered rude in others.

Sketch out the specifics

During a stay at a resort in Hungary, I developed tonsillitis. Feeling awful and confined to bed, the only thing I craved was a comforting hard-boiled egg. Despite carefully articulating a phrase from my Hungarian for Travelers book, room service repeatedly brought me runny, soft-boiled eggs. Frustrated, I went to the kitchen in my pajamas with a drawing of a chicken, an egg, a pot on the stove, a clock showing 5 minutes (which I crossed out), and another clock indicating 15 minutes with a smile. I finally got my hard-cooked egg.
For two Deaf individuals who share the same sign language, drawing is rarely necessary. However, for Deaf travelers in foreign countries, sketching can be incredibly useful. A drawn map can clarify directions, while sketches of a calendar and clock can pinpoint dates and times for events. For example, when my Deaf friend Ryan visited Tokyo, his Japanese Deaf host drew a colorful diagram to help him navigate the complex subway system, illustrating how to transfer lines outside the station. Ryan was then able to use it to communicate with the station agent.

When uncertain, just act it out

At a conference in a quaint Finnish town, I was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of eating reindeer. When our meals were served by waiters who spoke only Finnish, I resorted to a little charade to identify my dish: I flapped my arms to signify poultry, made a round snout with two holes for pork, and outlined horns on my head for beef, or large antlers for reindeer. The waiters managed to understand my visual multiple-choice query, and I felt relieved to have avoided dining on Rudolph’s relative.

While a simple gesture for a drink is often easily understood, more intricate questions may require full-body expressions when communicating with someone who doesn’t share your language. At international conferences I've attended, I've noticed that Deaf participants become particularly inventive when tackling complex ideas. They usually start by identifying their home countries—simple enough. The next question often involves their profession, which can be more challenging. However, skilled Deaf signers can effectively convey their jobs through expressive movements, whether they’re house painters, portrait artists, or nail technicians.

Mastering these techniques may require some hands-on practice. However, following the example of Deaf individuals—true experts in cross-cultural communication—will help you express yourself non-verbally, enabling conversations no matter where you are in the world.

This article was initially published in 2018 and was last updated on June 28, 2024.