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Is huh a universal word? (2013)

huh.ideophone.org

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Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#41

Post by titanix2 »

jmalicki wrote: post #17
packet_nerd wrote: post #7

They only studied 10 languages. That doesn't seem like enough to call it "universal". What about those African languages made up of all clicking sounds?

They studied 31 languages. One of the languages studied is ≠Akhoe Hai//om, which is a click language. It was not one of the 10 studied in deeper detail, but they found huh there.

Still, studying only 31 languages and argue that something is universal is dumb as heck. Given there are 6000 of them safer approach would be the search for almost universal or widely distributed phenomena.

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#42

Post by [deleted] »

tokyodude wrote: post #30

I must be skimming too much. They say "huh" is universal but point out Japan (and apparently Korean) use "eh". "eh" != "huh", not even close nor is its usage. Maybe these are are different but you can use "eh" to acknowledge you heard. With a question inflection to point out you didn't hear.

[deleted]

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#43

Post by deanCommie »

I moved from Russia to Canada as a kid and remember reading English-language books and being really confused by the word "ouch".

I thought it would be really weird to say "ouch" when you accidentally stumble or hurt yourself - it felt completely unnatural. It was fascinating that different cultures have such different exclamations for pain!

Well it turns out that it's not the case. Humans all make roughly the same sound when they stub their toe, it's just that different countries write it down differently and think of it slightly differently.

I think "Huh" is similar. A "Confused grunt" noise is approximately similar in most of the world, but different languages write it down differently.

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#44

Post by TeMPOraL »

deanCommie wrote: post #43

I moved from Russia to Canada as a kid and remember reading English-language books and being really confused by the word "ouch". I thought it would be really weird to say "ouch" when you accidentally stumble or hurt yourself - it felt completely unnatural. It was fascinating that different cultures have such different exclamations for pain! Well it turns out that it's not the case. Humans all make roughly the same so…

I agree. I think those words are called onomatopoeia.

The same happens with animal noises. The sound is the same, just different languages write it down differently. For instance, English "woof woof!" and Polish "hau hau!" look completely different, but there is an overlap in possible pronunciations, and that point of overlap actually does resemble the sound dogs make.

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#45

Post by User23 »

deanCommie wrote: post #43

I moved from Russia to Canada as a kid and remember reading English-language books and being really confused by the word "ouch". I thought it would be really weird to say "ouch" when you accidentally stumble or hurt yourself - it felt completely unnatural. It was fascinating that different cultures have such different exclamations for pain! Well it turns out that it's not the case. Humans all make roughly the same so…

What do ducks say in Russia? In America it's quack and in Germany it's kwak.

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#46

Post by pbhjpbhj »

archgoon wrote: post #10
packet_nerd wrote: post #7

They only studied 10 languages. That doesn't seem like enough to call it "universal". What about those African languages made up of all clicking sounds?

> What about those African languages made up of all clicking sounds? I am unaware of any African language, or any language in general, that only uses clicking sounds. Which one are you thinking of?

They might be thinking of Xhosa; but I reckon I've heard a language expressed only with clicks (perhaps it's a vernacular?), and a whistle-language used by some mountain peoples (in Eastern Europe?).

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#47

Post by dgellow »

User23 wrote: post #45
deanCommie wrote: post #43

I moved from Russia to Canada as a kid and remember reading English-language books and being really confused by the word "ouch". I thought it would be really weird to say "ouch" when you accidentally stumble or hurt yourself - it felt completely unnatural. It was fascinating that different cultures have such different exclamations for pain! Well it turns out that it's not the case. Humans all make roughly the same so…

What do ducks say in Russia? In America it's quack and in Germany it's kwak.

In French: coin coin :)

No idea how to explain the pronunciation though ...

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#48

Post by pbhjpbhj »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #44
deanCommie wrote: post #43

I moved from Russia to Canada as a kid and remember reading English-language books and being really confused by the word "ouch". I thought it would be really weird to say "ouch" when you accidentally stumble or hurt yourself - it felt completely unnatural. It was fascinating that different cultures have such different exclamations for pain! Well it turns out that it's not the case. Humans all make roughly the same so…

I agree. I think those words are called onomatopoeia . The same happens with animal noises. The sound is the same, just different languages write it down differently. For instance, English "woof woof!" and Polish "hau hau!" look completely different, but there is an overlap in possible pronunciations, and that point of overlap actually does resemble the sound dogs make.

In en-gb dogs go "woof woof" (or sometimes "yap") -- we call it barking.

"Ouch" is what you say to express that you imagine something hurt, what people actually say is more like "ow" or "argh".

Re: Is huh a universal word? (2013)

#50

Post by desdiv »

dgellow wrote: post #47
User23 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do ducks say in Russia? In America it's quack and in Germany it's kwak.

In French: coin coin :) No idea how to explain the pronunciation though ...

IPA: /kwɛ̃.kwɛ̃/

Here's a French speaker pronouncing it: https://youtu.be/Dtta-mW6Pro?t=15

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