# So Do You Know "The Nod" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695 "2014-12-19T20:10:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/1 "2014-12-19T20:10:23Z")
Deliberately being cryptic. This is a men’s-centric poll but open to anyone. [ul] [li]Do you do The Nod?[/li][li]Do you know about The Nod?[/li][li]Has The Nod been done to you and you are not a member of the principal group that does it?[/li][li]Do you do The Nod to someone not a member of the principal group that does it?[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/2 "2014-12-19T20:14:50Z")
Yes. Yes. N/A Yes. With qualifications. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/3 "2014-12-19T20:23:42Z")
I think there is no principal group that does it. I think there are groups that think they are the principal group that does it. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/4 "2014-12-19T20:27:57Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think there is no principal group that does it. I think there are groups that think they are the principal group that does it. I’ve always suspected this as well. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/5 "2014-12-19T20:52:03Z")
This is “the nod” in the context of saying “Hi, I see you,” much like one might wave? If so, I thought virtually everyone does it, especially when your hands are full. Or is it some other kind of nod? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/6 "2014-12-19T20:56:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think there is no principal group that does it. I think there are groups that think they are the principal group that does it. I hadn’t heard about it as such before looking it up, but I think this is probably the case as well. I do the same thing in similar circumstances; I think it’s something natural to do no matter what group you belong to. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/7 "2014-12-19T20:57:25Z")
What the hell are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/8 "2014-12-19T21:12:29Z")
[The Nod.](https://medium.com/matter/the-nod-a-subtle-lowering-of-the-head-to-another-black-person-in-an-overwhelmingly-white-place-e12bfa0f833f) (Google is my friend.) Does this need to be cryptic beyond the op and the chance to answer the poll? I suspect something similar is done by any minority group in a circumstance in which they are more notably minority and can recognize another member of their group across the room. Probably in the early days of women in engineering they gave each other the nod (or something of the same function) when coming across each other in larger gatherings. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/9 "2014-12-19T21:51:20Z")
Ha. That article is completely wrong. The “Black Nod” is an **UP** Nod, not an subtle lowering of the head nod. It’s a visual equivalent of saying “'Sup?”. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/10 "2014-12-19T22:00:11Z")
I thought it was something about horse racing. Two horses are close, but one wins because he happens to be at the point in his gait where his nose is stretched out further, hence winning on the nod. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/11 "2014-12-19T22:00:30Z")
I do the nod, let’s someone know I understand the situation. Pretty much applies to the situation in any group. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/12 "2014-12-19T22:03:38Z")
_ **ANY** _ group that is in the minority has the nod, or some version of it. That article makes it sound like something that only ONE special group owns. Fact is, EVERY special group owns their own version of it. As a motorcyclist, we have the two finger down wave, but if you are in the middle of something that precludes removing your hand from the handlebar, then guess what? We resort to “the nod”. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/13 "2014-12-19T22:03:38Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > Ha. That article is completely wrong. The “Black Nod” is an **UP** Nod, not an subtle lowering of the head nod. It’s a visual equivalent of saying “'Sup?”. True. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/14 "2014-12-19T22:12:58Z")
My partner and I met, beginning with him doing the upward nod, followed by me doing the same (neither of us is Black). Since then, we do it only when greeting a friend or acquaintance in a crowd. Otherwise it would be somewhat misleading. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/15 "2014-12-19T22:14:11Z")
Wait, so this is not about za? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/16 "2014-12-19T23:02:34Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > My partner and I met, beginning with him doing the upward nod, followed by me doing the same (neither of us is Black). Since then, we do it only when greeting a friend or acquaintance in a crowd. Otherwise it would be somewhat misleading. So, “the nod” can mean different things in different contexts. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/17 "2014-12-19T23:05:54Z")
The title says Do You Know the Nod. Yes, I do. The poll, however, asks if I Do the Nod, and I am not one of the categories, so I can’t answer. If my category were there, old white woman, I’d have to say no. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/18 "2014-12-19T23:26:40Z")
[Stanley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyVe7W-lRhA) does not nod. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/19 "2014-12-19T23:50:09Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > Ha. That article is completely wrong. The “Black Nod” is an **UP** Nod, not an subtle lowering of the head nod. It’s a visual equivalent of saying “'Sup?”. There was some comedian who had a bit about black people nodding up and white people nodding down. My dog nods up (the exact why two people would ‘up nod’ at each other) at me once in a while, she’s black though. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695/20 "2014-12-20T00:17:09Z")
Apparently, [Homer and Skinner know](http://youtu.be/DJHFhFbhzoY). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-you-know-the-nod/707695.md?page=2)