4 ms·

Besides the heterogeneous nature of being an "Indian", the wobble is just agreement. The person who's wobbling their head is agreeing to what is being said. It

Besides the heterogeneous nature of being an "Indian", the wobble is just agreement. The person who's wobbling their head is agreeing to what is being said. It's not a yes/no. It's mostly a "Go ahead and say what you want, I'll do what I want to do after you're done". I didn't grow up in India, so I can see it for what it is, but I am Indian, so the subtleties are visible to me. And aptly, people who don't need to take any shit/be kind in that instance/appear submissive don't "wobble" their heads. Those people mostly reserve it for their elders (parents/elder relatives mostly). Take all of this with a huge grain of salt.

masklinn 8y ago
> The person who's wobbling their head is agreeing to what is being said. It's not a yes/no. > It's mostly a "Go ahead and say what you want, I'll do what I want to do after you're done". So "sure"/"ack" ("it resolves")? That's roughly how I'd interpreted it from interacting with colleagues, an acknowledgement.
- namanyayg 8y ago
  Yes, it's an agreement, or like "sure yeah".
  - noir_lord 8y ago
    As some from Yorkshire I like 'aye' it's an anachronistic affirmative yes, old people still use 'nay' as well. Language is a wonderful thing.
- carlmr 8y ago
  Yeah, it's definitely not an agreement. Acknowledgement is the most apt description.
ggambetta 8y ago
> "Go ahead and say what you want, I'll do what I want to do after you're done". Doesn't sound like "agreement" to me!
germinalphrase 8y ago
Perhaps similar to the verbal “uh-huh” or “sure” that Americans - at least in the Midwest - would use to affirm attention to what a speaker is saying but without actually stating agreement.
- nkrisc 8y ago
  Specifically, "sure, I know you think that but you're wrong and I'm too polite to say it to your face right now."
  - germinalphrase 8y ago
    That was my intended meaning, yes.
    - basch 8y ago
      that sound is more of a eeehh or meeh depending on context. those two sounds verbally state "i disagree but dont feel like arguing"
      - germinalphrase 8y ago
        “Eeeh” or “meh” would indeed signal mild disagreement, but it’s stronger. I’d say there is a slight inflection to the “uh-huh”/“sure” (almost a low-tone questinging iflextion?) to indicate less-than-full-throated-agreement, but that’s difficult to convey in writing.
        basch 8y ago
        which are you saying is "more negative" eeeh or uh-huh? The way I hear it, eeeh is much more rude or insulting, but also has more levity. Uh-huh is a mild eye roll sarcasm meant as an insult, more to the side of someones back. Eeeehhh, is "pretty sure you are wrong" to their face.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
mmusson 8y ago
In my experience it can also be an ACK signal. Not a yes or no just a periodic acknowledgement that they are following what you are saying as you say it. There are forms of this in many cultures.

masklinn 8y ago

> The person who's wobbling their head is agreeing to what is being said. It's not a yes/no. > It's mostly a "Go ahead and say what you want, I'll do what I want to do after you're done". So "sure"/"ack" ("it resolves")? That's roughly how I'd interpreted it from interacting with colleagues, an acknowledgement.

namanyayg 8y ago
Yes, it's an agreement, or like "sure yeah".
- noir_lord 8y ago
  As some from Yorkshire I like 'aye' it's an anachronistic affirmative yes, old people still use 'nay' as well. Language is a wonderful thing.
carlmr 8y ago
Yeah, it's definitely not an agreement. Acknowledgement is the most apt description.

ggambetta 8y ago

> "Go ahead and say what you want, I'll do what I want to do after you're done". Doesn't sound like "agreement" to me!

germinalphrase 8y ago

Perhaps similar to the verbal “uh-huh” or “sure” that Americans - at least in the Midwest - would use to affirm attention to what a speaker is saying but without actually stating agreement.

nkrisc 8y ago
Specifically, "sure, I know you think that but you're wrong and I'm too polite to say it to your face right now."
- germinalphrase 8y ago
  That was my intended meaning, yes.
  - basch 8y ago
    that sound is more of a eeehh or meeh depending on context. those two sounds verbally state "i disagree but dont feel like arguing"
    - germinalphrase 8y ago
      “Eeeh” or “meh” would indeed signal mild disagreement, but it’s stronger. I’d say there is a slight inflection to the “uh-huh”/“sure” (almost a low-tone questinging iflextion?) to indicate less-than-full-throated-agreement, but that’s difficult to convey in writing.
      - basch 8y ago
        which are you saying is "more negative" eeeh or uh-huh? The way I hear it, eeeh is much more rude or insulting, but also has more levity. Uh-huh is a mild eye roll sarcasm meant as an insult, more to the side of someones back. Eeeehhh, is "pretty sure you are wrong" to their face.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

mmusson 8y ago

In my experience it can also be an ACK signal. Not a yes or no just a periodic acknowledgement that they are following what you are saying as you say it. There are forms of this in many cultures.