Human communication is a complex intertwining of words and body gestures. Much of what we transmit, in fact, does not come through the voice, but through postures, movements of the head, hands and the entire body.
However, what may seem spontaneous and universal in one culture may be interpreted completely differently in another. In general, nodding (moving the head from up to down) means “yes” or assent. But in some cultures, as in Bulgaria, Albania, Greece and parts of Türkiyenodding can mean “no”. In these places, shaking your head sideways is often interpreted as “yes.”
So, you nod thinking you’re saying “yes” but you may have communicated a refusal.
Even today the reasons for this difference are not clear. According to some popular legends, the origin dates back to the times of the Ottoman Empire, with the inversion of the gesture being used to confuse the Turkish occupiers.
This phenomenon is proof that the body, more than the word itself, tells of the complexity of social contexts and the differences and misunderstandings that can arise between cultures.
When nodding means “no”
The nodding gesture is perhaps the most emblematic case of opposing interpretations in different cultures. In the Western world and in most European cultures, moving the head from top to bottom means “yes”, while shaking it sideways generally indicates “no”. However, in countries such as Bulgaria, Albania and Turkey the traditional meaning seems to be reversed: the vertical movement of the head can indicate “no”, while the lateral movement confirms a statement.
Even today it is not clear how this method of non-verbal communication has evolved differently in these countries compared to other parts of the world. According to some regional folk legends, the origin of the gesture dates back to the time of the Ottoman Empire: the opposite meaning of the head movement was created to confuse the Turkish occupiers, so that “yes” seemed like “no” and vice versa.
In Greece, however, informal refusal can be signaled by a slight backward movement of the head, often accompanied by a sound of the tongue.
These examples illustrate how the same physical actions can convey opposing messages, requiring careful observation of the social context to avoid misunderstandings.
How important is it to know how to use non-verbal communication?
Ray Birdwhistell, pioneer anthropologist in the study of kinesics, a science that deals with the body and its language, has demonstrated that bodily movements constitute a real communication system, often more incisive than words.
According to Birdwhistell, the body transmits information, emotions and intentions through “motor patterns” that are learned in the social context: posture, direction of gaze, rhythm of head or hand movements all have culturally codified meanings.
Although some scholars, such as Charles Darwin, have suggested that some emotional expressions may have universal biological roots, symbolic social gestures, such as nodding, raising the thumb or the peace sign, are the result of learning and cultural transmission, in which there is nothing innate.
For example, according to Darwin the gesture of shaking the head left and right would arise during thebreastfeeding: the newborn, when full, shakes his head left and right to refuse the breast or the spoon. This primordial movement of “food refusal” would, over the millennia, become the universal symbol of logical refusal.
How to make our communication inter-cultural
Understanding the variability of gestures is fundamental in a globalized world.
Some intercultural communication experts and other experienced travelers recommend approaches based on careful observation, prudence and verbal confirmation: not just relying on gestures that you take for granted, but observing how others move in space, adapting to local norms and asking for clarification when necessary.
This approach reflects the so-called intercultural competence, the ability to read other people’s behaviors in the context of their culture, avoiding misunderstandings and promoting more effective and respectful relationships.
In the case of Italy, non-verbal communication has very marked and historically rooted developments. The intense use of gestures, facial expressions and postures derives from a combination of cultural, social and historical factors.
However, this marked Italian non-verbality leads to a particular phenomenon in intercultural contexts: many Italians take for granted that their gestures and internalized expressions are universal, risking misunderstandings when interacting with people from less expressive cultures or with different gestural systems.
