Why Indians Wobble Their Heads Instead Speak

It is well known about India and nearby Asian countries that people prefer to wobble their head up, down, side to side and diagonally instead speak.

Whenever you ask something to Indian people they prefer to answer by wobbling their heads instead of speaking. Head wobble is very prevalent in India and nearby Asian countries. This is special about Indian Culture.

Why Do Indians Wobble Their Head in Conversations

Especially foreigners are very curious about that what does it mean when someone shakes their head at you. They experience it when they come to India as tourist and talk to someone Indian. Generally shaking head while talking is a gesture of answering. Here I am providing you a comprehensive analysis of the Indian head bobble origin.

1. Whenever they answer any asked question in yes, wobble their head up and down. Shaking head means yes when somebody shake his head up and down in response of a question.

2. When they answer in no, wobble or shake their head left to right. In a nutshell Indian head shake for no means wobbling head from left to right.

3. For the acknowledgement of Nod, wobble head down. Whenever an Indian is agree with someone and shaking his head down means nod of acknowledgement.

4. In case of May be, wobble head up diagonally. Majority of people in India wobble their head diagonally in case of may be.

5. If they are confused or subconscious, wobble their head slowly down right to up left or diagonally. In confusions mostly people shake their head slowly diagonally.

6. When someone says Thank You, wobble head in speed from up to down. Or you can say it Indian head dance because they wobble their head in speed, it looks like as head dance.

7. When they say I understand, wobble their head faster up down. It is also looks like Indian head dance because of shaking head in speed.

8. Also people wobble their head in the gesture of respect by side to side. The more your head wobble the more you respect.

Head wobbling is an unique and special thing about India and attracts foreigners because people are amazing, friendly and warmest here.

Indian Head Shake Meaning For Foreigners

I have experienced it with many of friends who are not Indians. They find it funny and laugh, count it as a wacky thing about Indian Culture.

Whenever they do a conversation with any Indian, start wondering why is he shaking his head and why head wobbling is so prevalent in India. Ultimately they are able to guess it that these are the gestures of answers.

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Also this is prevalent because of the topography and landscape of India. At every 100 kilometers people are different, dialects are different and cultures are different. However they don't understand each other’s dialects well. So this is also a reason behind the head wobbling.

In such cases they just guess each other and reply in gestures. So shaking head is a gesture of answering something during conversations.

Why Non Indians or Foreigners Find Shaking Head A Wacky Thing About Indian Culture

Majority of tourists from outside of India count it as wacky thing about Indian culture because they are not habitual to it and mostly see it first time while they travel to India. For them it’s a reason to laugh when they expect an answer in conversations but receives a gesture in the form of head wobbling. It’s a funny thing for them and they laugh on it.

Culture and language difference is also a reason behind it. And the language even in India people speaks more than 700 dialects. So whenever amid conversations they don’t understand something, they wobble their heads in response to show them like it’s clear to me because they feel humiliated to accept it that I didn’t get you or understand.

So these are all possible reasons behind Indian head wobble. Share it with your non Indian friends to help them in understanding why do Indians wobble their heads instead of speaking up.

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