Sir, – In response to Brendan F Logue's inquiry (Letters, ,May 25th) as to why some presenters on TV tend to wave their arms while making presentations, I would like to cite American motivational speaker Carol K Goman and a published expert in these matters, who explains that gesture is linked to speech and gesturing while talking enhances one's thinking and thought processes.
Dr Goman makes the further point that gestures help us take what’s in our mind and make it intelligible to others.
Be warned, however, that our gestures and our speech don’t always match up, which may lead to misunderstandings of a greater or lesser extent.
Perhaps this explains our poor Eurovision performances in recent years. – Yours, etc,
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MICHAEL GANNON,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – Finally someone else has noticed the annoying habit of TV presenters waving their hands and arms around. I am sad to report that this practice is evident in Canada.
Initially I thought the reporters were attempting to stay warm in our cold winters, but alas they have continued this type of gesticulation into our warm spring season. One explanation is that they no longer have to hold a microphone. In the early days of TV news most if not all presenters were required to hold a large microphone so that they could be heard.
By the way, there is worse to come, for with one hand waving around, the other inevitably has a smartphone in it from which today’s TV reporters read us the news. – Yours, etc,
JAMES M SMITH,
Toronto,
Canada.