The Russian smile has a significant national identity—in practical terms, it fulfills completely different, even contrasting, functions from the smile in other countries. Many foreigners view Russians as sullen, gloomy and unsmiling. However, there is no correlation between sullenness and the lack of a smile.
In Russia there is a phenomenon of “everyday unsmilingness,” which stands out as one of the most striking and nationally specific features of Russian non-verbal behaviour and Russian communication as a whole.
It is possible to distinguish specific national particularities of the Russian smile.
1. Most often, Russians smile only with their lips, only occasionally showing the upper row of teeth slightly; revealing the top and bottom teeth is considered vulgar, and this is known as smiling through bared teeth or a “horsey” smile.
2. In Russian communication, a smile is not a signal of politeness. Russians call a perpetual polite smile an “attendant’s smile,” and it is considered a negative feature of a person, demonstrating his insincerity, secretiveness and unwillingness to show his true feelings.
3. In Russian communication, it is not acceptable to smile at strangers. Russians smile mainly at people they know. This is why salespeople do not smile at shoppers—they do not know the shoppers. Salespeople will smile at shoppers they do know.
4. Among Russians, it is not acceptable to automatically respond to a smile with a smile. Russians rarely even automatically smile back when an acquaintance smiles at them—doing so is generally seen as an invitation to make contact and start a conversation.
5. To Russians, a smile signals personal affection. A Russian smile demonstrates to the recipient that the smiling person has personal affection for him. A smile demonstrates a personal liking. Therefore, Russians smile only at people they know because they have no personal liking for a stranger. Hence a smile directed at a stranger may elicit the reaction, “Do we know each other?”
6. Among Russians it is not acceptable to smile while performing one’s job or any important business. Customs agents do not smile because they are occupied with serious business. This is the same for salespeople and waiters and waitresses. It is not acceptable for children to smile in class. Russian adults teach children to not grin and to be serious in school, while studying and communicating with adults. One of the most common remarks Russian teachers make is, “What are you smiling at? Write.”
7. The Russian smile is seen as a sincere expression of a good mood or liking for one’s present companion, and it is meant to be only genuine.
In the Russian communicative consciousness, there is a rule: the smile must be a genuine reflection of a good mood and a good relationship. In order to have the right to a smile, one must truly get along well with the present company or be in an outstanding mood at the moment.
8. A Russian person’s smile must have a valid reason that is known to the people around him; only then does the person have a “right” to it in the view of others. If the reason for a person’s smile is not clear to a Russian, the Russian may seriously worry—he needs to determine this reason.
9. The other people present must consider the smile to be appropriate for the context. It is not acceptable to smile in a difficult situation or if there are people around with known serious troubles, or if someone is ill or preoccupied with personal problems and so on.
10. Among Russians there is a blurry line between a smile and laughter; in practice, these phenomena are often the same and are likened to each other. Russians often say to people who are smiling, “What’s so funny?”
Sincerity and openness are hallmarks of Russian communicative culture; the unity and collectiveness of the Russian’s everyday life call for everyone to know everything about everyone else, and there should be no particular secrets from others. That’s why there’s the aspiration and habit of not concealing one’s feelings and mood.
For many centuries, the Russian’s everyday existence and everyday life were a strenuous battle for survival. The life of the common Russian was grueling, and worry became entrenched as a standard common facial expression. In these conditions the smile reflects an exception to the rule—well-being, prosperity, a good mood—and while all of this may occur to some people and in exceptional circumstances, it is noticed by everyone and may spark questions, envy and even enmity―“What is there to smile about?”
