History Main / IDoNotSpeakNonverbal

* ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'': The cute talking chipmunk finds his voice has gone upon arriving in the real world. He resorts to highly impressive and detailed mime; cue Prince Edward completely failing to grasp the point.

->''"I'm terribly sorry, Finland, but I don't understand random-flailing-with-knife language. I tried to interpret it, but I gave up when you used the same sign for 'Vodka!' and 'There's a cat under the house!'."''
-->-- '''Åland''', ''Webcomic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld'' "[[http://satwcomic.com/dysfunctional-family Dysfunctional Family]]"

Whether it is animation or live action, animators and actors go to great lengths to make their characters expressive and emotionally believable; otherwise, the character will have to [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry verbalize emotion]]. Sometimes, characters are unable to perceive what the spectator can. Facial cues? Voice inflection? Grunts? Contortions? None of these communicate anything if you can't speak.

!!Examples

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* In ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'', Komusubi only speaks in "Powerful-ese", the language of powerful men. Which means the only members of the main cast who understand him are his Sempai Kurita - and, presumably due to RuleOfFunny, [[TeamMom Mamori]]. This is important at one point in the story, when Kurita doubts his strength so much that he can no longer understand Komusubi.

[[folder:Film - Animated]]

-->'''Abby Mallard:''' (smiles broadly) Runt, should Chicken Little have a good talk with his father and clear the air *wink*... (frowns) or keep searching for Band-Aid solutions and never deal with the problem?\\

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack'', Jay and Silent Bob's pet monkey is stolen en route to Hollywood. Jay bemoans the fact that they have no idea where the van is going. Silent Bob tries to indicate to him using hand gestures, but Jay--seemingly for the first time--doesn't seem to get it, causing both guys endless frustration. Silent Bob eventually breaks down and screams at Jay.

* ''Theatre/AFunnyThingHappenedOnTheWayToTheForum'' has a scene in which the trickster slave Pseudolus is trying to pass himself off as a soothsayer. A knowledgeable friend stands behind the man Pseudolus is trying to gull, desperately miming information to him. "You are looking for ..." (Baby-rocking motions.) "A child." (Two fingers.) "Two childs. Children!" (Friend mimes muscles.) "A big strong boy, and..." (Friend mimes floaty skipping.) "...a strange little boy. Girl! A little girl!"

* In ''Literature/{{Persuasion}}'', Anne tries to ask Admiral Croft if Wentworth seemed upset in his letter about Louisa and Benwick's sudden marriage, since they'd had every appearance of being ready to marry themselves. Croft replies that Wentworth didn't mention being upset, and even after Anne tries to clarify that she means the ''tone'' of the letter doesn't really understand what she's getting at. (It doesn't help that he knows Wentworth as his straightforward brother-in-law, whereas Anne has been repeatedly subjected to his innocuous, DoubleMeaning remarks about how upset he was over their broken engagement.)
* In ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'', it is remarked that Rincewind is not very good at nonverbal communications.
* The main character of ''Literature/TheCuriousIncidentOfTheDogInTheNightTime'', due to being autistic.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In an early episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Data's long lost brother Lore is found and assembled. It quickly becomes evident that every time he lies, he has a facial tic so horrid that you fear he's having a seizure. Yet no member of the crew ever notices or comments on this. In the end, he actually has to point this out, just in case the audience didn't figure it out.
** In another episode, a deaf and mute mediator's translators are killed, and the crew has a difficult time understanding him, except Troi (who's telepathic) and Data (who knows sign language).
* ''Series/StargateSG1'''s 200th episode, "200", has an invisible Jack O'Neill frustrated at his teammates "ignoring" his hand gestures, though this is really just a case of Jack being difficult, as usual.

* Whenever characters in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' attempt to psychically communicate with one another, there's a 50/50 chance this will either be played straight or subverted (i.e., they'll actually understand subtle eye squinting). When Robin tries to warn Lily not to open her bridal shower present (a move that involves motioning explicitly to the present) Lily merely thinks it's that time of the month.

* In ''Series/ThirtyRock'' Liz is trying to get Tracy to repeat the story she told his wife about his absence. Specifically, that his pet snake had got sick and he had to take it to the vet, which as one might imagine is difficult to convey in motions. However, he does it perfectly, so she nods her head and gives him a thumbs up.
--> '''Tracy:''' [[FacePalm Then my thumb got caught in my butt so I nodded my head til it came out.]]

--> '''Angie:''' Because . . . you will suck your thumb and milk a cow.

* Early on in ''Videogame/FinalFantasyX'' Tidus fall in with a group of Al Bhed salvegers, none of whom seem to speak Tidus' language. One attempts to convey something to Tidus through a series of grunts and gestures which are entirely lost on Tidus.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'', Doc's secretary Judy is a gorilla who communicates in sign language. Since Doc doesn't understand sign language, he [[RunningGag invariably misunderstands her]].
* In ''Webcomic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld'', Brother Finland refuses to speak to anyone except his lover. Usually he just waves his knife around, or occasionally holds up signs. Åland, who is forced to live in Finland's house, [[http://satwcomic.com/dysfunctional-family dares to lampshade this here]] only because he [[BewareTheNiceOnes can beat the crap out of Finland]].

[[folder:Web Original]]
* WebAnimation/HomestarRunner will take nearly everything you say as literal, even if it isn't. He's just that dim, and that trusting.

* From the animated ''Zorro'' show from the 1980s: At one point Zorro dresses up as a Spanish soldier and takes the Captain hostage. The Captain tries to alert his Lieutenant via winking. Quoth the Lieutenant: "Captain, you are winking! Do you have something in your eye?" Captain: (FacePalm).

-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Gee, I'd hate to close you down. Maybe we can reach a little, uh, understanding here. ''(Holds out the palm of his hand and motions his fingers so as to suggest that this is a bribe)''.
-->'''Homer:''' I understand.
-->'''Bart:''' Um, hey, Dad, I... I think he wants...
-->'''Homer:''' [[NotNowKiddo Not right now, son. Daddy's talking to a policeman]].
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, let me put it this way. I'm looking for my friend Bill. ''(gestures at the stand's cash box)'' Have you seen any Bills around here? ''(gestures again)''
-->'''Homer:''' No. ''(points at Bart)'' He's Bart.
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' ''(groans)'' I... Listen carefully, and watch me wink as I speak, okay?
-->'''Homer:''' Okay.
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' The guy I'm really looking for, wink ''(winks)'', is Mr. Bribe, wink, wink ''(winks twice)'' ''(holds out hand again)''.
-->'''Homer:''' ''({{beat}})'' It's a ring toss game.
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' ''(annoyed)'' All right, that's it, I'm shutting this game down!
-->----
-->'''Homer:''' ''(sickly sweet)'' Oh, look at me! I'm making people happy! I'm the Magical Man from Happy-Land, in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane! ''(leaves the room, slamming the door)'' ''(pokes his head back in)'' Oh, by the way, I was being sarcastic. ''(closes the door)''
-->'''Marge:''' [[DontExplainTheJoke Well, DUH!]]
* Despite the extent to which ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' will go to try and nonverbally warn of impending danger (even sometimes ''shapeshifting'' into ominous images), [[TooDumbToLive Muriel]] is never able to figure it out (and often [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter implicitly trusts obviously threatening people]]), while [[{{Jerkass}} Eustace]] just angrily dismisses and occasionally physically or mentally abuses him.
* On one ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short, Elmer Fudd's wife wonders what to make for dinner, and their dog uses pantomime to suggest roast duck (WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck to be exact, whom the dog can't stand). After she misreads every clue, the dog loses his patience and outright ''tells her'' "NO! Roast D-U-C-K duck! Sheesh!"
* Played with in one episode of WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy. Eddy is trying to use some sort of hand signals to communicate a plan to his buddies. [[CloudCuckooLander Ed]] gets all excited and responds with incredibly over-the-top pantomime. Eddy nods and claims "Let's go!" This seems to be one big aversion, until Double D [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this saying "Oh like any of that really meant anything!"
* From ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' episode "Pipe Down":
-->'''Timmy's Dad''': (''to Timmy'') You are the '''WORST''' charades player ever! (''windmills his arms'') This is not a bulldozer. (''hops up and down'') This is not a fudgesicle. (''pretends to row a boat'') And how is ''this'' ''Film/GhostbustersII''!?
* In one ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode, [[TheUnintelligible Perry the Platypus]] is acting as Dr. Doofenshmirtz's wingman. When Doofenshmirtz's date asks what they should do next after dancing, he looks to Perry for advice:
-->'''Doofenshmirtz:''' "Oh, well let's see. (Perry rubs his stomach.) We can rub our stomachs and, (Perry points to his mouth) point to our mouths, and later we can roll our eyes, and put our heads in our hand..."

* Near the beginning of ''Literature/WolfHall'', Thomas Cromwell laments that he has no way to signal to Wolsey that he shouldn't be ripping Thomas Boleyn a new one; somehow there's no discreet Italian hand signal for "Back off, the king is fucking his daughter."

* In ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'', Komusubi only speaks in "Powerful-ese", the language of powerful men. Which means the only members of the main cast who understand him are his [[SenpaiKohai Sempai]] Kurita - and, presumably due to RuleOfFunny, [[TeamMom Mamori]]. This is important at one point in the story, when Kurita doubts his strength so much that he can no longer understand Komusubi.

-->'''Detective Pikachu:''' Say it! Just say it! TALK YOU STUPID MIME!

-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, let me put it this way. I'm looking for my friend Bill. ''(nods as he says Bill)'' Have you seen any Bills around here? ''(nods)''

* In ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'', Komusubi only speaks in "Powerful-ese", the language of powerful men. Which means the only members of the main cast who understand him are his [[SempaiKohai Sempai]] Kurita - and, presumably due to RuleOfFunny, [[TeamMom Mamori]]. This is important at one point in the story, when Kurita doubts his strength so much that he can no longer understand Komusubi.