Learn about Bulgarian body language
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Intro |
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| Michael: Do Bulgarians really nod their heads to say 'no'? |
| Yana: And where does this difference come from? |
| Michael: At BulgarianPod101.com, we hear these questions often. Ben asks his friend, Lidiya, if she would like to join a party. He is surprised to see her shake her head from side to side and asks, "You don't want to join?" |
| Ben Lee: Не искаш да дойдеш? (Ne iskash da doydesh?) |
| Dialogue |
| Ben Lee: Не искаш да дойдеш? (Ne iskash da doydesh?) |
| Lidiya Angelova: Не, искам. (Ne, iskam.) |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Ben Lee: Не искаш да дойдеш? |
| Michael: "You don't want to join?" |
| Lidiya Angelova: Не, искам. |
| Michael: "No, I do want [to join]." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: When one hears that Bulgarian people nod their heads to say "no," it is a little hard to wrap one's head around the idea. You may wonder if it is true. Well, the answer is |
| Yana: да (da) |
| Michael: which means, "yes" in Bulgarian. Let's make it clear: Bulgarians don't write or say "yes" and "no" in a different way. However, when it comes to answering "yes" and "no" questions in gestures, their body language is definitely different from most of the rest of the world's. Instead of nodding their heads when they answer "yes" to a question, Bulgarians shake their heads. On the other hand, if a Bulgarian person nods their head to answer a question, they are actually saying "no." |
| Actually, other Balkan countries such as Macedonia and Albania follow the same custom. You will also run into people in Greece and Turkey who do the same thing. |
| Where does this custom come from? There are a few theories, but no one can really say which one is true. |
| In the past, the Balkan people were ruled over by the Ottoman empire for about five hundred years. During that time, the Ottoman forces were in the habit of capturing Orthodox Bulgarians in order to compel them to renounce Christianity. The Orthodox Bulgarians, in defiance of their overlords, would answer with inverted gestures to save their lives, and avoid abjuring. |
| This is one of the theories. Another theory is that the tradition may even have its roots in India. Indian people are well-known for their unusual head wobble, which is somewhere between a nod and a shake. Its meaning is rather vague as it can be used in a variety of contexts to mean, "yes," "no," or "maybe," and can even convey respect or gratitude, among other things. The theory goes that, as a result of numerous wars and invasions, the head wobble may have found its way through the Ottoman Empire and eventually to Balkan countries like Bulgaria. |
| There are other theories, but no one is absolutely sure which one is true. Whatever the origin may be, it remains a fascinating and unique custom. |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: A word of warning. These days, especially in the big cities, many Bulgarian people are using the more universal gestures related to saying "yes" and "no." In fact, it is not uncommon for Bulgarian people to use a mixture of both, which, to a non-native Bulgarian can be very confusing! If you happen to be in Bulgaria, take care to ensure that you have properly understood what someone is saying to you if they nod or shake their heads! |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them! |
| Yana: До скоро! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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