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  What it means

  Literally “speech of the body.” This is the standard Polish term for non-verbal communication. It encompasses everything from facial expressions and eye contact to posture and hand gestures that convey feelings or intentions without using words.

  Vocabulary

  • mowa — speech / talk
  • ciało — body
  • gesty — gestures

  Grammar note

  'Ciała' is the genitive singular of 'ciało'. This is a "genitive of origin" or possessive genitive, effectively meaning "the body's speech."

  Cultural context

  Poles are generally quite expressive with their "mowa ciała," though perhaps less so than Southern Europeans. Maintaining eye contact is considered a sign of honesty in Polish culture.

  Beginner

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