Just today, experienced a situation with someone who had moved from India whom had a very little grasp of English.

I have been around people from India (university and through work situations), but many have been here a while or have been westernized back home. Today was the 1st time I had witnessed the “head wobble” as a form of communication.

Always, people from India seem to be more gesture and enthusiastic in conversation, (i study and have visited Italy and am familiar with gestures), much more so than native-English speakers (we’re very bland in that regard).

I am so glad I found this post, I’ve been wondering all day if how I interpreted this gesture was correct. In western context, up and down means “yes”, while left to right means “no”. What she was doing was very circular, almost to be interpreted as a joke “yes-no”, a westerner would play on a friend.

Thank you for putting this into relevant context!!

I have two more thoughts as an American who lived in India and realized I was doing this after some Americans came to visit (6 months into my stay) and asked me, ‘How did you do THAT!’

1. I think the wobble also means, “Ok, I am listening, tell me more…” If the wobble stops and the wobbler doesn’t say much with the wobble…like, I am listening, but I need more clarification. (All done in context, of course..)

2. When I was caught wobbling by the Americans I was doing it because I came in late to the hostel and was being ‘scolded’ by my hostel warden. I was saying ‘Yes, ma’am’ continuously while wobbling my head. It was in deference, apology and kind of ‘saving face’ in a way- feeling embarrassed to be in trouble and wondering how to ‘butter her up’ to not get in more trouble! Interestingly, I was doing the wobble then out of pure habit, not really thinking of why! Only now I am analysing it.