Why do indians bobble

When an local slightly dips his head and ducks his chin quickly about three or four times, it means he agrees with you. You will observe that the same head shaking gesture is used by someone to show their gratitude. At such times the head nod is accompanied with a smile. So, next time you tip your driver or the guy who helped you park, you will see this head nod with a grateful smile. When the head is tilted slighty from left to right in quick motion, this also means yes.

For example, if you take an auto-rickshaw tuk-tuk and you talk to the auto driver while he is driving, he might not make a sound to acknowledge what you said. Instead, he will reply with a silent head nod. When the head nod looks like the person is moving his head slightly from left to right from the neck , it means he is saying no.

You are bound to experience this with local transport, especially taxis and auto-rickshaws on your Indian holiday. The peculiar Indian head shake, wobble, or bobble is the source of much confusion and wonderment among foreigners, especially the first time one is confronted with it. It looks like a cross between a nod and shake, but does it mean "yes"?

Or, does it mean "no"? Or, even "maybe"? The confusion is increased when the gesture is silent. However, once you discover the meaning of the head wobble and its many uses, what's really surprising is how infectious this gesture becomes. Anyone who's spent a considerable amount of time in India is likely to have caught themselves unconsciously wobbling their head.

Even Indians who don't normally wobble their heads very much will automatically do so in response to another head wobble. A lot of the time, they don't even realize they're doing it!

So, what's the mysterious head wobble all about? In essence, the head wobble is the non-verbal equivalent of that multipurpose and omnipresent Hindi word achha. It can mean anything from "good" to "I understand".

The most common use of the head wobble is to respond in the affirmative. For example, if you ask someone if the train is going to your destination and they wobble their head in reply, it means "yes".

The head wobble is also often used as a sign to show that what's being said is understood. No matter where you go in India, you will encounter many episodes of head wobbling as it is a universal practice throughout the country.

You might also come across head shakes or gestures that might be totally unique, and will bring about a sense a confusion, and curiosity. Many locals will not be able to communicate in your own language, and will extensively rely on using head shaking gestures to communicate. Hope this article has thrown some light towards unveiling the art of head wobbles in India, and helps you with your journey in this incredible country.

If you are a human, do not fill in this field. Why do Indians Wobble their Heads? Culture Why do Indians Wobble their Heads? Indian body language explained: head nods, hand flicks and mouth clicks. Where did it come from?

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