Head shake

Shaking to indicate "no" is widespread, and appears in a large number of diverse cultural and linguistic groups.Areas in which head shaking generally takes this meaning include the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, North America and Australia.However, in some Southeastern European areas such as Bulgaria[2] and southern Albania, it is used for the opposite purpose, to indicate affirmation, meaning "yes".An early survey of head shake and other gestures was The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, written by Charles Darwin in 1872.Darwin wrote to missionaries in many parts of the world asking for information on local gestures, and concluded that shaking head for "no" was common to many different groups.
Example of head shake
gesturetransverse planedenialWestern cultureslinguistic groupsIndian subcontinentMiddle EastAfricaSoutheast AsiaEuropeSouth AmericaNorth AmericaAustraliaSoutheastern EuropeanBulgariaAlbaniababiesThe Expression of the Emotions in Man and AnimalsCharles DarwinmissionariesHead bobbleGesturesAir kissApplauseBiker waveCheek kissElbow bumpEskimo kissFinger heartFist bumpForehead kissHand heartHandshakeHand waveHigh fiveILY signLiberian snap handshakeLip kissNamastePinky swearPound hugThumb signalAñjali MudrāCanonical digitsCurtsyFist-and-palmGenuflectionHand-kissHat tipKowtowKuji-inPranāmaProstrationSampeahSembahSchwurhandZolgokhSalutesBellamy saluteNazi saluteRaised fistRoman saluteScout sign and saluteThree-finger salute (Serbian)Three-finger salute (pro-democracy)Two-finger saluteVulcan saluteWolf saluteZogist saluteCrossed handsFist pumpLow fiveVictory claspV signFinger-countingChinese number gesturesChisanbopFinger binaryObscene gesturesAnasyrmaBras d'honneurFig signMiddle fingerMooningMountzaShockerSign of the hornsWankerTauntsAkanbeTalk to the handAir quotesAllergic saluteAussie saluteAwkward turtleChe vuoi?Crossed fingersDistress signalDuterte fistEyelid pullFacepalmFinger gunGang signalHand-in-waistcoatHand rubbingJazz handsLaban signMerkel-RautePointingPollice versoSign of the crosslesser sign of the crossList of gesturesArticulatory gesturesHand signalsManual communicationMudrasNonverbal communicationSign language