Yes, No, Maybe So

One thing that has been a little confusing but I nonetheless really get a kick out of is the Indian head wobble. Basically, if you ever ask a yes or no question, and sometimes if you ask any question at all, an Indian will respond with a 'nod' from side to side and up and down simultaneously. Does it mean yes? Does it mean no? Does it mean they understood what you just asked them? Or maybe it means that they didn't understand what you just asked them? See where some frustration could come into play?

In teaching training this week, this response has been pretty common. In my attempt to get some feedback from the team, I simply ask from time to time if there are any questions. The response-a head wobble. When asking if they had a good weekend-head wobble. Ok, maybe shoot for a question that doesn't require a yes/no response. What did you do over the weekend. Response: head wobble.

While this is a frequent response, it is more so in the minority and the team has actually been very interactive during training, much different than the majority of the trainings I have attended in the states.

The link above has some pretty good info about the head wobble, such as:

Situations where you're likely to encounter a head wobble include:

• As an alternative to "thank you", which is not commonly said in India.
• To acknowledge someone's presence. This can be particularly useful if you see someone you know across the street but can't shout out to them.
• As a gesture of kindness or benevolence, for example, if someone sits down next to you on the train.

Most often, I would say that the head wobble is most utilized as "thank you" rather than the other two situations. Also, I think the article says it best in that, "It's definitely a case of "actions speak louder than words".

The article also includes some tips for understanding the Indian head wobble such as:

• A fast and continuous head wobble means that the person really understands. The more vigorous the wobbling, the more understanding there is.
• A quick wobble from side to side means "yes" or "alright".
• A slow soft wobble, sometimes accompanied by a smile, is a sign of friendship.

Here is a very brief video as an illustration of what I'm talking about.