[Closed] the indian head wobble

@perthmtb - you'll all be wanting to come home when the minerals run out and the Chinese take their cash elsewhere.

Oh, and it's lovely and sunny outside here in the countryside, where nothing is waiting to terminally bite, sting, eat or generally kill us. 😀

and pretty dull by all accounts, hence why all the old brits are wanting to live there and be dull and boring, and virtually everyone under 25 wants to move to the UK 😉

Everyone I met who wants to emigrate to Aus seems to be a constant whinger. The Aussies that I've met here seem to be looking for (and finding) excitement and adventure.

So I'm not that bothered about the weather 🙂

Thinking about it, the 'two fingers' thing isn't a bad analogy actually.

Good to see you thought about it after writing it.

He was talking alut his colleagues, i did read that. The streotyping came from it being called the Indian Head Wobble, stereotyping because it's not a particualrly Indian thing. Much calling it the European shrug. Or the European 2 fingered salute.

...and i don't think we are having a discussion about racism are we?

But that's not to say all Europeans are into cheek-love or that it's an exclusively European trait

So we wouldn't call it the Eurpoean Cheek kiss?

the most expensive place in the world to live

nothing is waiting to terminally bite, sting, eat or generally kill us

pretty dull by all accounts, and virtually everyone under 25 wants to move to the UK

Everyone I met who wants to emigrate to Aus seems to be a constant whinger

He he, forget about the Indian head wobble, now we're getting some really good generalisations and stereotypes coming out ...

I could address each of your gross misconceptions individually, but it's easier to just leave it to the UN who I'd hope you'd believe more than me anyway, and who've consistently rated Australia as number two in their Human Development Index, which the tabloids like to call the "where's the best place in the world to live" table...

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Now, let me see, where's the UK in this...

Oh, there you are, at number 27, right above the Czech Republic 😀

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Wujalukkadat, how the bejaysusin ****in' love of mary and joseph did Oireland make it onto dat list?!?!?!?

good point even the Oirish dont want to live there

Oirish

🙁

Et tu...

Oireland

@perthmtb

He he, forget about the Indian head wobble, now we're getting some really good generalisations and stereotypes coming out ...

Bloody right Bruce, don't mind if we call you Bruce do you, saves confusion?

[img] [/img]

"There's more to Ireland den dis"

Bloody right Bruce, don't mind if we call you Bruce do you, saves confusion?

Don't mind at all, but that's clearly a Pom (don't mind if I call you that do you?) trying to impersonate Bruce as he's so pasty white...

stereotyping because it's not a particualrly Indian thing

That would be making a mistake, rather than stereotyping, I reckon.

I could address each of your gross misconceptions individually

There wouldn't be much point, since it's meaningless banter.

But if you are going to bring out league tables, can I ask - are whinging ex-pat poms considered a factor in the UN statistics?

PS I could have moved to no 3 on that list, but instead we live in no 27 cos we much prefer it...

Best place to live and place where people most want to live are very different.

If I were to live abroad it would be in Australia or USA.

The reason it wouldn't be Norway (number 1 best place) is because I don't speak the language and so my employment prospects would be worse.

Also Ireland coming in at 7 makes a mockery of that list anyway! No weather, no economy, no chance.

I would learn Norwegian or another Scandinavian language for the benefits it'd bring tbh.

For example that if you have a kid in the USA you still have to pay many thousands of dollars even if insured, and the statutory maternity leave is two weeks un-paid.

In Finland you get it all for free and a whole year's paid leave to divide up between either parent as you wish.

Norway is just so ridiculosly expensive, Stavanger at least is, and i dont think many brits could adapt to the lifestyle out there.

Best place to live and place where people most want to live are very different.

i dont think many brits could adapt to the lifestyle out there.

Why so? (interested, not challenging)

It has very tough winters, the day light is very short in winter and I think most brits would be too soft to cope with it.

considering how shit we are in the UK when we get a few inches of snow, I think most would crumble in Norway.

@perthmtb - strewth no mate, it's more polite than I get most of the time. 😉

Think he must be a Crim, there are too many detailed clichés for a simple Pom to figure out. 😀

Well no, cos you'd have winter tyres on your car and your town would employ teams of snow clearers and hundreds of ploughs working all winter long. At least that's what they did in Helsinki.

We're actually no softer than anywhere else. We just don't spend the money that other places do, cos we don't need to. The only thing that really makes us different as people is how much we bloody well whinge about how rubbish we think we are.

Also, in terms of latitude Norway overlaps the UK. Stavanger is on the same latitude as parts of Scotland, so there's not that much different in daylight amounts.

I struggle with long sentences

Back to the OP.

The "Indian head wobble" as you describe it, I've seen it occasionally. IIRC Michael Palin described it in his Round The World in 80 Days series when he was in southern India. Not exactly sure which area but it was common there and not generally seen else where in India. Just a local trait really.

Not racist or stereotyping. The hand wringers do like to be offended proxy don't they?

Sooooo, I haven't missed much while I've been away.

*The STW forum*
🙄

Hand wringers need to look at what Wiki says:
Head bobble
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The head bobble, head wobble, or Indian head shake refers to a common gesture found in South Asian cultures, most notably in India. The motion usually consists of a side-to-side tilting of the head in arcs along the coronal plane.[1] A form of nonverbal communication, it may mean "Yes", "Good", "OK" or "I understand", depending on the context.[2][3]
In India the gesture is common in the southern parts, but may not be used consistently all around the country.[4][5][6

overlaps Scotland?

please about 5% overlaps the rest is in the arctic circle.

and as brits dont do things properly it would be a tough learning curve to get used to life in Norway,
As for day light I can't remember the uk being famous for its endless nights of winter.
And Helsinki is in Finland.

Damn racist wikipedia.... 😉

Is it restricted to India? I ask because my ****stani agent used to ask me to do an Indian impression, which involved wobbling the head and uuttering silly Indian type expressions. He always used to ask when we were relaxing over a fresh lime and Seven-up and he and his family used to roll on the floor with laughter.

The same agent, when I asked him which nation was the scapegoat for ****stanis, told me "We make jokes about sick people". I was a bit shocked and replied that it wasn't their fault they were sick and I thought it was poor taste. "No!" he replied, "not sick people in hospital, sick people with turbans!"

Can't believe anyone who visits India, even for a day, could miss the ubiquitious head wobble!

As for day light I can't remember the uk being famous for its endless nights of winter.

Surely you're not getting 'the UK' mixed up with 'the South-East of the UK'.. ?

yeah quite a bit of hatred going on between indians and ****stanis, can get ugly at times.

but never noticed the ****stani guys doing the head thing.

Can't believe anyone who visits India, even for a day, could miss the ubiquitious head wobble!

Once again, not ubiquitous.

The "Indian head wobble" as you describe it, I've seen it occasionally. IIRC Michael Palin described it in his Round The World in 80 Days series when he was in southern India. Not exactly sure which area but [b]it was common there and not generally seen else where in India. [i]Just a local trait really.[/i]
[/b]

Not racist or stereotyping. The hand wringers do like to be offended proxy don't they?

1) no one has said it is racist
2) by your own hand younhave saidit is a local trait, not national, hence to ascribe it to all the people of that nation is generalisation and stereotyping.
3) no one is wringing hands
4) no one has claimed to be offended.

But othert than that, you make some very good points.

Damn racist wikipedia....

Does wikipedia have an entry for Indian Head Wobble? What's that? No? Well, that isinteresting

I came across the side to side head wobble a lot in north India around Darjeeling and in Sikim. It seem to be multi-functional meaning ok, yes, I understand or even just an acknowledgment that they were listening. I've seen a few people from Kashmir living in the uk using it as well.

Jeez, I like to be uber-PC and challenge 'isms, stereotyping and all of that aplenty, but this really is the most contrived argument I've seen on here, ever.

Not really an argument, despite the subtle manouevring and sidetracks. It is clealry stereotyping. I think the discussion has moved beyond that.

Does wikipedia have an entry for Indian Head Wobble? What's that? No? Well, that isinteresting

The head bobble, head wobble, or Indian head shake

Because calling it the Indian head shake instead of wobble makes it entirely different...... 🙄

sorry molgrips i thought I was going mad there for a minute.

yes the UK does overlap with Norway

where the Shetland islands are about 60'N and the average UK Latitude is 54'N,
Oslo is at 60'N and Norway stretches up to about 73'N

oh how our two countries are so alike, I should have realised.

It is clealry stereotyping

I vote no.

oh how our two countries are so alike, I should have realised.

Are they really into sarcasm in Norway then too?

Anyway, just to settle that particular silliness - Inverness mid-winter = 6h35m of daylight, Stavanger = 6h11m of daylight.

Does wikipedia have an entry for Indian Head Shake? What's that? No? Well, that isinteresting

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Does wikipedia have an entry for Indian Head Shake? What's that? No? Well, that isinteresting

Because calling it the Indian head shake instead of wobble makes it entirely different......

This one?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_bobble

Does wikipedia have an entry for Indian Head Shake? What's that? No? Well, that isinteresting

Erm.. it does. It has an entry for [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_bobble ]Head bobble[/url] and [b]lists "Indian head shake" as a synonym[/b]. That's why googling for it brings up that page.

Perhaps we should call it [b]The Indian "Yes" Head Gesture[/b] ?

(As the book [url= http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QDqkdaNwGwgC&pg=PA37&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false ]"Speaking of India: Bridging the Communication Gap When Working with Indians"[/url] refers to it)

No, that one is for head bobble

I can confirm it exists. Generally the smarter more internationally savvy don't tend to do it. It goes up a notch when the conversation is Indian to Indian.

I believe it's just a habit, a little like Italians being very animated with their hands when they talk

quite a bit of hatred going on between indians and ****stanis

I do like those who get offended by those who get offended by proxy....apart from the stew man oh the ironing

by your own hand younhave saidit is a local trait, not national, hence to ascribe it to all the people of that nation is generalisation and stereotyping.

So basically, this boils down to the trait being the "Southern Indian head wobble" rather than "Indian...".

I'd hazard that what you're claiming as stereotyping is more likely to be ignorance of that fact (or indifference), so if you're looking to enlighten us all that the scope of wobbly-headedness is limited to a subset of Indians then your work here is done. Next time I order an Italian pizza I shall first ensure that it's available throughout Italy so that I don't unfairly stereotype baked flatbread products.

Christ, was that really worth arguing about for four pages?

Christ, was that really worth arguing about for four pages?

You have just called the entire existence of STW into question, it will all vanish in a puff of logic.

edited. Can't be arsed.

Some Bulgarians do "the head wobble" and it means yes or agreeing with you.

Christ, was that really worth arguing about for four pages?

Not really, but my position was clear very early on. It would have been a lot easier if the arguers had agreed in the first place.

Not really, but my position was clear very early on. It would have been a lot easier if the arguers had agreed in the first place.

Yeah, but you call it the Indian Head Wobble. So unless you have seen more than just your colleagues, and many many more Indians and no non-Indians do it, then yes it is stereotyping

I called it the Indian Head Wobble because, as repeatedly shown here, that is what it is called*. I didn't ascribe the name to it. I didn't think 'ah, that head wobble thing is peculiar to Indians, I will call it the Indian Head Wobble', as you seem to repeatedly and mistakenly insist.

*bobble seems an acceptable alternative.

You accused me of stereotyping. I'm arguing that.

So what if calling it "Indian Head wobble" is stereotyping? In this context, it being used as a generalisation in order to facilitate communication.

It might not have been entirely accurate, but it was short enough to stick in the title and for plenty of people to recognise it, know exactly what he was talking about and give him the information he needed.

That's pretty much it, isn't it?

It meets Einstein's plea for people to "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."

You're not going to get very far very quickly discussing much if you refuse to generalise.

It isn't stereotyping though. If i'd said "you know that head bobble thing that Indians do?" [i]that[/i] would be stereotyping. But I didn't. I simply referred to the gesture by it's accepted name.

It would have been a lot easier if the arguers had agreed in the first place.

It would have been a lot easier if you realised that your opinion is just that.

And easier still if I'd given you a couple of days off for trolling and being generally disruptive four pages ago. (-:

It would have been a lot easier if you realised that your opinion is just that.

Now now, You agree too that those who called it Indian Head Wobble were probably ignorant.

I simply referred to the gesture by it's accepted name.

I didn't think 'ah, that head wobble thing is peculiar to Indians, I will call it the Indian Head Wobble', as you seem to repeatedly and mistakenly insist.

So what if calling it "Indian Head wobble" is stereotyping?

See! ned agrees with me.

As to what is wrong with it? well, that is a separate issue, but I don't like it.

And easier still if I'd given you a couple of days off for trolling and being generally disruptive four pages ago. (-:

How is it disruptive, beyond the early answers along the lines of it means the person is listening to you and others answering the OP, the discussion was the main part of the thread. I was staying on task, not disrupting.

I've just read all this thread and now want to pull the legs off kittens.

FWIW, my dad lived in India for quite a while and used to tell me that it was a southern Indian thing.

He said the British equivalent was nodding your head whilst listening to someone - didn't necessarily signify agreement, but usually just meant 'yep, I'm listening, please carry on'.

Sorry if this post is a bit too sensible.

I can be a bit more controversial if you like, but I'm trying to cut down.

I don't think he was characterising a group by ascribing things to them, he was characterising a thing by talking about the people that you see doing it.

That fact that it's not universally convertible is irrelevant to the question the OP was asking.

How is it disruptive,

It's disruptive because it's dragged the thread off in an entirely different, largely pointless direction.

Thread drift can be a good thing sometimes, but when you've got an irrelevant argument vying for contention with another subject it gets old fast.

<mod>
Anyway. I now officially have arseache with the whole thing, so here's what's happened so far and what's going to happen.

CM, you've made your point quite conclusively. Most people disagreed, and both parties have been allowed to state their case. I think everyone's had a fair crack of the whip here, and I don't see as there's anything further to add beyond beating the same drum until everyone dies of tedium.

So, we're going to draw a line under it here and attempt to go back to the original topic, if anyone knows or still cares. I don't want to have to resort to thread closures and bans, but I'm bored shirtless of needless bickering.
</mod>

OK.

That two handed jesture that Vale did after his crash yesterday, when the camera went to him in the pits, what does that mean??

soz.

So, we're going to draw a line under it here and attempt to go back to the original topic, if anyone knows or still cares

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_bobble
/p>

There's your answer.

Can we get back to the needless bickering now?

Well I'm not reading 4 pages of you stink, no you stink more. So I thought the head wobble was just to say I'm listening to what you are saying and that was all. Came across it a lot in North India when travelling there. By the time I left I was a happy wobbler myself and now feel free to shoot me down in flames.

So north [b]and[/b] south India you say?

Oh I do indeed.

Oh dear! If we accept this anecdote as evidence, then Cougar's name for it would be wrong as well!

STW at its most pointless

pointing is a very german gesture IMHO.

;o)

Just sent the link to an Indian friend of mine and he's shocked & insulted

All these white men arguing wether it's racist or not. He thinks it is and that's all that counts IMO

do i need to report myself then?

It's racist to ask what the distinctive head movement seen in ( various IME) parts of India means? Well, that is a very broad definition of racism IMO?

Is your friend truly representative or are you stereotyping? 😉

All these white men arguing wether it's racist or not

No, I think that's stereotyping.

Only with statistics can we decide.

Anyone know the global proportion of white racists to non-white racists?

Why do black American women move their heads sideways when they're arguing and why don't black American men do it ?

And why can't I do it ?

And why can't I do it ?

Aim for the moon ernie, if you miss, you'll hit the stars.

Oh no, I've incurred the wrath of the stw click by posting my Indian friends opinion.

And why can't I do it ?

Political correctness gone mad and the thought police stops you blacking up and dressing as a woman ....the bastards