Contents Various Aspects of Body Language

3. The Indian Head Shake

In Western cultures, when we say “Yes,” we nod our heads up and down. When we say “No,” we swing the head from left to right. These gestures aren’t universal. Are you beginning to see a pattern here?
The extent of the differences between cultures can be seen in the way people from India and other South Asian countries use their heads to express so much more than just a simple “Yes” or “No.” In India, “Yes” is expressed by tilting the head from side-to-side—that is, towards the shoulders. And the faster the shake, the more certain the “Yes” is.
This head shake gesture can also be used during a conversation to indicate that the listener is paying attention and being agreeable. Likewise, it can be a sign of courtesy and respect.

4. The Italian Pinecone

You can probably picture a young Italian man doing this with both his hands—with a yearning face that asks, “What the heck is going on!?”
With palms up, the pinecone is formed by bringing the tips of all your fingers to a single point. Rock your wrist back and forth, and you have the most recognizable hand gesture in the Italian world.
Think of it as the accompanying gesture for asking questions—especially when you’re utterly confused or desperate for the answer, for example: “What were you thinking?!” or “What’s happening?!”

5. The French “So-so”

As connoisseurs of the good life, the French have high standards for almost everything (not just with food and fashion), so you might hear them often say Comme ci comme ça, which is the equivalent of the English “So-so.”
When you ask them, for example, how their day went or how was the event, they can tell you it was okay—nothing really memorable or worthy of discussion. This “so-so” answer would often be coupled with a gesture of a palm-down hand is rocked from side to side—like a boat rocking back and forth.
So, how about you, “How was your day?”