We say that nonverbal communication is <u>ambiguous</u>.
Explanation:
According to the passage we are completing here, our actions may have more than one interpretation. Anything that has more than one interpretation is, by definition, ambiguous. Ambiguity is so often related to non-verbal communication because people are likely to interpret what they see according to their own opinions, values, ideas, and context. Suppose, for example, that your best friend has tears in her eyes. You don't know what happened and, since she hasn't had the chance to explain it yet, you assume she is sad because of something bad. You do that because you're filling in the context with your own opinions and values. You've learned to associate tears to sadness. It may very well be that she is happy and relieved after receiving good news about a loved one who was discharged from the hospital.
It was important for doctors at Ellis Island to spot people with contagious diseases. If immigrants had a serious illness that could not be treated, they were not permitted and had to go home.
