Except for a few nomadic tribes of North Africa the universal sign for "yes" is nodding the head up and down and the universal sign for "no" is turning the head from side to side. Any ideas how this came to be? And why?
2006-08-03 14:19:19 · 6 answers · asked by Albannach 6 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
Here's an interesting explanation of this:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_450b.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nod_(gesture)
2006-08-03 14:24:42 · answer #1 · answered by Ginger/Virginia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, dogs wag their tails and cats put their tails up in the air when they are happy. Is this learned or instinctive?
A universal sign for yes in humans is a smile and no is a frown.
Otherwise, it could be instinctive like cats and dogs.
2006-08-04 05:00:51 · answer #2 · answered by hellbent 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It probably was a behavior used by colonists throughout much of the world, and the indigenous societies picked it up as an easy means of communicating "yes" or "no."
2006-08-03 21:25:51 · answer #3 · answered by RG 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, but I do know the universal sign for up yours.
2006-08-03 21:23:44 · answer #4 · answered by wondering 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the apes shaking thier heads up for approval and back and forth for disapproval...or, we may never know
2006-08-03 21:25:11 · answer #5 · answered by windrunner333 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope no idea
2006-08-03 21:30:34 · answer #6 · answered by jojo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋