History Main / IDoNotSpeakNonverbal

* Shizune Hakamichi from the VisualNovel ''KatawaShoujo'' is deaf and communicates primarily through Sign Language, presumably Japanese Sign Language. This leads to obvious communication problems that are a major frustration for her. Combine this with the fact that she is, by her very nature, very ambitious and competitive and she comes across to many people (including a good portion of the player base) as pushy and abrasive. This tends to further aggravate the problem.

* In ''Literature/GoodOmens'', a misunderstood wink leads to the newborn Antichrist being given to the wrong family, and HilarityEnsues. Though this might be more of a case of one character being TheDitz.

* ''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!"

* Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}'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.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' uses a variant: There's an alien race - the Elcor - whose facial cues are so subtle (and the body language involves scent) that other races are completely incapable of interpreting it. They sound almost exactly like Eeyore and say what emotion they are expressing at the beginning of a sentence. For example, imagine Eeyore saying: "Fearful surprise. Why are all of you aiming your guns at me."
** And then you hear [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCO_UsyhL9o a news story]] about how some rich eccentric is putting on a production of ''{{Hamlet}}'' with the cast consisting entirely of Elcor. Clocking in at ''over 14 hours long''.
--->"[[SarcasticConfession Insincere endorsement]]: you have not experienced [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare]] until you have heard him in the voice of elcor."

-->'''Silent Bob:''' The sign! On the back of the van! Said "Critters Of ''Hollywood''!", They're going to ''Hollywood,'' '''YOU DUMB FUCK!'''

* An Episode of ''Series/GeorgeLopez'' had George standing behind his mother, trying to signal to Angie why she should not let her borrow the car.

* ''{{Potemayo}}'': Poor Mikan can't perceive hostility from Potemayo, no matter how often she gestures, growls or shouts ''shaaaaa!''. Jumping onto Mikan's head in a [[Film/{{Alien}} facehugger]] fashion seems to work.

* In ''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.

* ''YoungFrankenstein'' has the hilarious scene where the monster gets spooked and throttles Frederick, and unable to tell his dimwitted assistants to give him the sedative, he has to charade it while being strangled. This is after he explicitly checked with them that the sedative was prepared before waking the monster. The strangling starts at about 2:58 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pGk0AGsIag&feature=relmfu here]].

** "Nunchi eopda" literally means "to lack a social eye", and it's a real expression in Korean. Its Japanese equivalent is "kûki yomenai" or "cannot read the atmosphere", sometimes shortened to KY.
* In Japan, "KY" for "''[[http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/06/07/japanese-schoolgirls-love-using-ky/ kuuki yomenai]]''", literally "can't read the air," is a popular slang term among the younger generation. For situations where the person is REALLY not paying attention, "CKY" for "''[[http://jessejace.blogspot.com/2008/02/lets-learn-japanese-kuuki-yomenai.html chou kuuki yomenai]]''", "really can't read the air".

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' uses a variant: There's an alien race whose facial cues are so subtle (and the body language involves scent) that other races are completely incapable of interpreting it. They sound almost exactly like Eeyore and say what emotion they are expressing at the beginning of a sentence. For example, imagine Eeyore saying: "Fearful surprise. Why are all of you aiming your guns at me."
** And then you hear [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCO_UsyhL9o a news story]] about how some rich eccentric is putting on a production of ''{{Hamlet}}'' with the cast consisting entirely of said species. Clocking in at ''over 14 hours long''.

* In ''Webcomic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld'', Brother Finland's a KnifeNut who 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 use this trope here]] only because he [[BewareTheNiceOnes can beat the crap out of Finland]].

* Most forms of sign language used by Deaf people involve the use of facial expressions to convey subtleties of meaning, to the point where specific expressions have specific meanings. So much so that one of the biggest frustrations that many deaf people have when dealing with hearing people is that they are not expressive enough to understand them.

-->'''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/Ghostbusters II''!?

** And then you hear [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCO_UsyhL9o a news story]] about how some rich eccentric is putting on a production of ''{{Hamlet}}'' with the cast consisting entirely of said species.

* ''ElfenLied'': Kouta and Yuka can't figure out what's wrong with Lucy/Nyuu clutching her crotch, running around and only able to say ''Nyuu!'' with different inflections; they just stare at her blankly, wonder what her name is and she ends up peeing on the floor.

* {{Stargate SG-1}}'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.

--->"[[SarcasticConfession Insincere endorsement]]: you have not experienced [[WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare]] until you have heard him in the voice of elcor."

* The main character of ''TheCuriousIncidentOfTheDogInTheNighttime'', due to being autistic.

It can be played for comedy or drama. It'll usually involve a CuteMute trying to convey a message. The message will invariably go ''whoosh!'' over the head of the receiver.

* ''{{Potemayo}}'': Poor Mikan can't perceive hostility from Potemayo, no matter how often she gestures, growls or shouts ''shaaaaa!''. Jumping onto Mikan's head in a [[{{Film/Alien}} facehugger]] fashion seems to work.

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* In ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'', it is remarked that Rincewind is not very good at nonverbal communications.
* The main character of ''TheCuriousIncidentOfTheDogInTheNighttime'', due to being autistic.

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* In ''[[Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]]'', Doc's secretary Judy is a gorilla who communicates in sign language. Since Doc doesn't understand sign language, he [[RunningGag invariably misunderstands her]].

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* 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 facepalm]]).

* On one ''LooneyTunes'' short, Elmer Fudd's wife wonders what to make for dinner, and their dog uses pantomime to suggest roast duck (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!"

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* YoungFrankenstein has the hilarious scene where the monster gets spooked and throttles Frederick, and unable to tell his dimwitted assistants to give him the sedative, he has to charade it while being strangled. This is after he explicitly checked with them that the sedative was prepared before waking the monster. The strangling starts at about 2:58 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pGk0AGsIag&feature=relmfu here]].

* In an early episode of 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, [[ViewersAreMorons just in case the audience didn't figure it out.]]

* Whenever characters in 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.

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* HomestarRunner will take nearly everything you say as literal, even if it isn't. He's just that dim, and that trusting.

Whether it is animation or live action, animators and actors go to great lengths to make their characters expressive and emotions believable; otherwise, they may end up making the character [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry verbalize its emotions]]. Sometimes, though, characters will be unable to perceive what the spectator can, even if it's rubbing their nose. Facial cues? Voice inflection? Grunts? Contortions? None of these will tell them anything if you can't speak.

It can be played for comedy or drama. It'll usually involve a CuteMute trying to convey a message. Such message will invariably go ''whoosh!'' over the head of the receiver, or sometimes even the emitter. If it's a comedy, the receiver is most surely a JerkAss. If it's a drama, some traumatic experience may have affected the receiver.

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* Most forms of sign language used by Deaf people involve the use of facial expressions to convey subtleties of meaning, to the point where specific expressions have specific meanings. So much so that one of the biggest frustrations that many deaf people have when dealing with hearing people is that they are not expressive enough to understand them.