The Head Bobble
We told you we’d get to the head-bobbing gesture, and here it is. When you speak to someone from India, they might bob their heads in random directions while talking to you. This is a major source of confusion for the uninitiated since we may only know of two head movements—nodding and shaking.
In Indian culture, the head bobble can be considered somewhat of a cross between yes and no. So, in a sense, they might be just as confused as you about the bob! But to put it in easy-to-understand terms, bobbing your head can mean you’re too polite to accept something but wouldn’t refuse it if offered to you. “Do you want $50?” Head bob (“I do but don’t want to say yes. However if you insist, I won’t refuse”).