The meaning of some nonverbal communication is easy to interpret and for some the interpretation is very subtle and difficult. Emblems like the OK sign made with your fingers is just like a word and fairly exact but when someone has a "hurt" look on their face we much less such of the meaning.
At least in English context is much more important for nonverbal cues than it is for the use of language. While we language we have all kinds of rules of grammar and syntax the rules for nonverbal are less obviously and certainly not as formal. Pay attention to nonverbal cues use them to help you understand what is being said but don't over interpret. Don't assign more meaning than may have been intended.
Much of the early study of nonverbal communication came from anthropologist who noted the differences in nonverbal communication between cultures. Ray L. Birdwhistell a student of Margaret Mead's wrote about kinesics. Proxemics was the concern of Edward T. Hall.
For someone wanting to study nonverbal communication deeper, I recommend the book, Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction by Mark Knapp and Judith Hall.
I imagine that all of us have stories that are at least funny and perhaps embarrassing in which we misinterpreted nonverbal cues.
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Being a man, it's hard enough to interpret verbal communications from woman to woman, much less nonverbal cues from an individual woman. While it's been some time since I've actually been on a real date; I can almost remember some of the non-verbal flirting from the young ladies at the time: she would move her head from side to side and play with her hair, and giggle - she would lick her lips and lean in closer when speaking softly - and, if the date ended well, then there would be no restraining order the next day. Like I said, it's been a long time since I've been on an actual date.
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