What is the name in India for what foreigners call the head waggle or head bobble?

Risposte

AanChan

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione India

@jo_bloxham head bobble or head waggle is simply called - ‘sir hilana’ or shaking your head. It can mean slightly different in different parts of the country. A swift bobble from right to left means NO in north india. And up and down movement means YES. However, a head bobble from right to left slightly making X sign can mean YES in south India

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jo_bloxham

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione Regno Unito

It’s the X shape movement common in South India I’m interested in -so is there a Tamil word, for example, for just that movement and not just the vertical nod or horizontal head shake?

jo_bloxham

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione Regno Unito

@antara_basupandey so is sir hilana hindi? So if i understand you correctly that name applies to all head shakes and nods not just the X movement common in South India. is there a word to describe the x movement? thanks soooo much!

AanChan

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione India

@jo_bloxham I don’t know if there is any particular word for that movement. It is used by South Indians especially, Tamil, Malyaalam, Telugu, Kannada speaking people. I speak Bengali, Hindi and English only.

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AanChan

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione India

@jo_bloxham yes, in Hindi it is ‘sir hilana’ if you tell me the context in which you want to use this word, may be I can help you further. As far as I know there is no word equivalent to ‘bobble’ ... it just means ‘hilana’ that is ‘move’

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jo_bloxham

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione Regno Unito

jo_bloxham

3 feb 2021

Paese o regione Regno Unito

Hello, I’m an intercultural trainer and i find the English description bobble and waggle for the x type movement a little bit pejorative maybe so i was seeking an alternative but maybe that’s not so easy! I liked your description of the x movement -maybe i can quote you with that one! it distinguishes it from what we would call a nod or shake of the head!