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Article In: Gesture: Online-First Articles

The silent order

Gestural emblems and symbolic meaning-making in Jordanian street coffee shops

ORCiD logo with link | The University of Jordan
 | The University of Jordan
ORCiD logo with link | The University of Jordan
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Abstract
This study investigates non-verbal hand gestures used in street drive-thru coffee shops (gahwet taka:si) in Amman, Jordan, focusing on their role as stand-alone emblems for quick transactions. Integrating Symbolic Interactionism with theories of conventionalization and embodiment, the paper examines how meaning is negotiated between customers and employees through joint action. The methodology consisted of qualitative identification of the gestural lexicon through interviews and observation of 19 coffee shop employees, followed by quantitative validation with 71 participants. Qualitative analysis reveals pathways of conventionalization, including iconicity, pantomime, and shared cultural knowledge, which codify these movements into a system. Quantitative results indicate a high level of recognition among frequent visitors, suggesting that exposure and interaction frequency drive the acquisition of this gestural competence. This study demonstrates how gestures become codified within a commercial context, offering a real-world application of Symbolic Interactionism in understanding the development of an informal, culturally embedded transactional gesture system.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Literature review
  • Methodology
    • Study context and participants
    • Data collection procedures
    • Data analysis procedures
    • Ethical considerations
    • Limitations
  • Results
    • Qualitative analysis
    • Quantitative analysis: Public recognition and interpretation of gestural signs
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • AI statement
  • Data Availability Statement
  • References
References (29)
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