Saturday, April 2, 2011

It's like that only

 I am obsessed with this phrase that is uniquely Indian.
  "It is like that only."
 It is a response to many of my questions that I secretly think they don't have an answer to. So this phrase, accompanied by the Indian head wobble of course, pretty much slays any further questions I might have.
 It implies, how can you argue with this?
 "It is like that only" or "Just like that only" reminds me of when mothers say, "Because I said so!". No further argument please. And, how your mother would sometimes shorten it to "because!", my husband shortens "just like that only" to "just!"
 "Babes, why do Indians do the head wobble so much? "
 "Just!"
 No further comments required.
 You can put "only" on anything. "Sister-in-law, where did you go this afternoon?"
 "There only."
 Well.
 I love it. Every time I hear it, I copy it and do the head wobble. It might be the only thing I pick up in India, but I believe it will serve me the most. :)

4 comments:

  1. LOL!!!
    The Punjabi equivalent amongst those that I know is "Just like that"... Example 'why did you go to ...?' 'just like that'...
    I guess meaning no reason/I am not telling!!

    :P

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  2. My husband in Punjabi so I guess that is why he says "just!". It cracks me up, and I have been using it to his dismay!

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  3. Just like that.
    Simply.
    It's like that only.
    Just, Aise (hindi), Chumma (tamil)

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  4. Lol! I too find it interesting and funny at times. Besides the wobble of the head, include the very Indian shake of the fingers/hand whenever they make a point.

    That "only" word at every end of the answer used to irritate me, but then I learned to accept that it's part of their Indian identity.

    Glee
    offbeat marriage

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