Italians are supposed to be voluble, excitable and incapable of talking without using their hands. This last, although a stereotype, seems to be particularly true:  neither I nor any of my friends are capable of talking while sitting on our hands.  The New York Times dedicates an article, accompanied by a video and an interactive “tutorial,” to Italian hand gestures and body language. Beyond the amusement factor, gestures are readily recognizable forms of non-verbal communication that are used for emphasis and to highlight emotions about the topic of conversation.  Italians use gestures not simply as signals but to add inflection to what they are saying.  Look at the interactive feature:  it’s fun!