# Head nod vs. Head Shake

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 24, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507 "2015-02-24T13:10:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507/1 "2015-02-24T13:10:16Z")

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Hi SD,

I went to a restaurant recently with friends. As I was eating, I asked the person across from me how their food was. They nodded and said it was delicious.  
I then asked the person to my left. They shook their head (as if disbelievingly) and said their food was delicious as well.

Why is it that I am interpreting a shake of the head gesture (which generally means no) to be a more emphatic expression of approval than a nod of the head in the same situation?

Picture it in your mind. If you had no other context clues, would you determine that the head shaker feels his emotions more forcefully than the head nodder? Why is that, if the head shake is a general expression of “no?” Doesn’t the head nod seem to be a relatively reserved reaction in comparison to the head shake?

I can’t help but feel in comparing the two that the head shaker must have enjoyed his food more than the head nodder.

Is there an inherent quality in the head shake that communicates extreme emotion? Are there any other expressions or gestures like this?

Or is this just my imagination?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507/2 "2015-02-24T15:44:09Z")

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My take is the nod is seen as a non-committal positive response, as in “yes, it’s good”. The head shake is seen as “I can’t believe how good this is!”. So it’s expressing a kind of mock negative of disbelief.

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**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507/3 "2015-02-24T19:50:41Z")

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Right: it’s ironic negation. Compare with “verbal irony.” This is nonverbal but otherwise it’s the same thing.

[Examples of verbal irony](http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-verbal-irony.html)

[Irony and Negation (pdf)](http://www.tau.ac.il/~giorar/files/Giora95_OnIrony&Negation.pdf)

Let’s not digress into a discussion of Alanis Morisette, please. 😉

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**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507/4 "2015-02-24T20:59:12Z")

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Was the second person from India? They have a [head gesture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_bobble) that can sometimes look like our “no” guesture.

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**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-nod-vs-head-shake/713507/5 "2015-02-24T21:49:18Z")

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And of course in [Bulgaria](http://goeasteurope.about.com/od/bulgariaandthebalkans/qt/yesandno.htm), the whole thing’s flip-flopped!