You have made some excellent and very appropriate points for initiating and conducting conversations with others. I think I need to learn more about sign language, some things I know but not much. I tend to communicate quite well, although when I don't know a person some conversation starters may fail. It's a question of continuing to learn.
I thought you might agree with some of what I've written.
Body language says so much more than words and rarely lies. I could say, "it's really good to have your comment on my post," but if my arms were folded, my body slightly turned away from you and I was not looking at you would you feel it was genuine? No is the answer. There's hundreds of micro-expressions playing across our faces all the time during conversations and interactions and it's those which tell the true story. This is why there's no substitute for face to face communication.
When I studied graphology the graphologist technician taught me something, some postures and what they meant, for example the crossed feet in an interview, when the person is sitting or the crossed arms that means that he is not going to show himself as he really is... she gave me some tips and they have helped me.
Thanks for that detail.