🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct30.113240.29063@dde.dk> ct@dde.dk (Claus Tondering) writes:
>In most countries a nod means "yes" and shaking the head from side
>to side means "no".

In most _languages_, that is.

>I have heard from two independent sources that in Bulgaria
>it is customary to nod when you want to say "no" and to shake
>your head when you want to say "yes".

If by "nod" and "shake" you understand a strictly vertical and a
mainly horizontal head movement, respectively, then yes, that is true.
But a Bulgarian `no' is not the same kind of nod as a non-Bulgarian
`yes', and a Bulgarian `yes' is not the same kind of shake as the
non-Bulgarian `no'.

>(I have no reason to doubt
>this; one of my sources has it from his Bulgarian colleague, my other
>source has noticed it when visiting Bulgaria.)

I am a native Bulgarian and a quasi-native Russian speaker, so it is
safe for you to take my word.  It is not that difficult to tell the
difference between the four head gestures.  Here goes:

Non-Bulgarian `yes': Head goes down and then relaxedly up and down
again around a slightly lowered position.  (In Bulgarian this means
`yes, I'm listening / I understand / I agree'.)

Bulgarian `no': Head goes up and then violently down and up again
around a slightly lifted position.

Non-Bulgarian `no': Head moves violently, strictly horizontally.

Bulgarian `yes': Head moves relaxedly, usually (but not necessarily)
in an arch, being tilted from side to side.

-- 
 `If ye hiv ears oan yer heid - then use them tae lissen.' (The Glasgow Gospel)
Ivan A Derzhanski   (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk;  iad@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,  Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK