Arab gesture meaning “No”

Arabic translation: تسا

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Arab gesture meaning “No”
Arabic translation:تسا
Entered by: esperantiste

13:47 Apr 25, 2008
English to Arabic translations [Non-PRO]
Folklore / Gestures
English term or phrase: Arab gesture meaning “No”
Hi,

In parts of the Mediterranean, I have noticed people raising their heads and clicking their tongues to say “No”. My guess is that this gesture originates from the Arabs.

I would be most interested to find out the name of this gesture. If it doesn't exist in standard Arabic, a dialect word would be fine.

All the best,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:35
تسا
Explanation:
No. The gesture "no" may often be done by tilting the head backward, raising eyebrows, jutting out the chin or making a clicking sound with the tongue.
Selected response from:

esperantiste
Local time: 13:35
Grading comment
many thanks, exactly what I was looking for
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3تسا
esperantiste
5يومئ برأسه رافضاً
Amira Naguib
5 -1يتأتىء، يتمتم، يفأفىء
Hussein Abd-Elatif
4جكجك تعني لا
Saleh Ayyub


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
arab gesture meaning “no”
تسا


Explanation:
No. The gesture "no" may often be done by tilting the head backward, raising eyebrows, jutting out the chin or making a clicking sound with the tongue.

esperantiste
Local time: 13:35
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
Grading comment
many thanks, exactly what I was looking for

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexander Yeltsov
55 mins
  -> شكــــرا

neutral  Amira Naguib: "تسا " is just an onomatopia I don't think there is such a word in Arabic
1 hr

agree  Marcelle Nassif: I agree with Amira, it's an onomatopoeia. By the way, it is also typical of Sicily, Italy
5 hrs
  -> Thanks

agree  Mohsin Alabdali
19 hrs
  -> Merci Mohsin
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42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
arab gesture meaning “no”
يتأتىء، يتمتم، يفأفىء


Explanation:
the word "يتأتىء" is hte equivalent to the word (stammer) or (stutter) which means to gesture by one's tongue to express his opinion

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Note added at 44 mins (2008-04-25 14:31:41 GMT)
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by the way the words are formal arabic so they could be used in writing without any problem. I hope that my answer helped you

Hussein Abd-Elatif
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 16:35
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Mohamed Ghazal: Stutter does not mean to gesture by one's tongue to express his opinion. It is actually involuntary. And تمتم means mumble
8 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
arab gesture meaning “no”
يومئ برأسه رافضاً


Explanation:
the verb "يومئ " indicates a body movement that has a meaning, that's to say "a gesture"

Amira Naguib
Local time: 14:35
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
arab gesture meaning “no”
جكجك تعني لا


Explanation:
Refer to the searches below, and it is pronounced as : Jukjuk

hope this would help :)

Saleh


    Reference: http://www.google.com/search?q=%D9%8A%D8%AC%D9%83%D8%AC%D9%8...
    Reference: http://www.google.com/search?q=%D8%AC%D9%83%D8%AC%D9%83+%D8%...
Saleh Ayyub
New Zealand
Local time: 01:35
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
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