so people who do it are not consciously aware of it.
I grew up in a city that had a lot of Italian-Americans. Several of my friends and classmates were first generation Americans of Italian descent. A few had arrived from Italy with their parents. Moving their hands around as they talked was quite common. Sometimes they use a hand gesture in place of a word.
I picked up the habit from them, although I do not have any Italian ancestry, AFAIK. My husband, who was from a small WASP town, used to say that I would be mute if I sat on my hands.
People who use ASL (American Sign Language) obviously speak with their hands, but also with facial expressions and whole body language. My mother's cousin gradually lost her hearing over the years so she and her family learned sign language. She had a daughter my age who was in some of my junior high classes. A hearing impaired student was mainstreamed to our school from a school for the deaf. She and my cousin taught me to use sign language with them.
So between my cousin, our friend, and Italian-American friends, I was destined to become a hands talker. I don't use ASL unless I am with a hearing impaired person, and even then, I have forgotten many signs over the years due to disuse, so I seldom use it. But hand movements and body language expressions are so automatic to me that I never notice myself doing it unless someone points it out.
You could bring it up if it bothers you, maybe with humor, depending how well you know the person. You might duck and say, "Careful. Incoming hands." Or, "Whew. You just missed me."
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