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The word, "Huh?" Appears To Be Universally Understood
Scientific American ^
| 11/16/2013
| Karen Hopkin
Posted on 11/17/2013 7:17:58 AM PST by SeekAndFind
What’s the most universal utterance in languages across the globe?
Male voice: Huh?
Correct!
Male voice: Huh?
That’s right.
Male voice: HUH?
Exactly. Because a new study finds that everybody around the world does indeed say “huh?” The finding is the journal PLOS One. [Mark Dingemanse Francisco Torreira and N. J. Enfield, Is “Huh?” a Universal Word? Conversational Infrastructure and the Convergent Evolution of Linguistic Items]
The researchers were exploring linguistic tools people use to assure fluid communication. In this case, they were looking for an interjection that signals that a listener missed something, and prompts the speaker to repeat or rephrase the original statement. In other words, something that works like the English word “Huh?”
So they eavesdropped on nearly 200 conversations in 10 different tongues, from Italian to Icelandic. And they found that, in language after language, a word that sounds a lot like “huh?” gets the job done. For example, [international huhs]. It’s short and sweet so it’s likely to stop the speaker before the listener gets too lost. And it sounds like a question [more international huhs], so it warrants a response.
The sound appears not to be innate. Babies don’t use it before they say mama. But most five-year-olds are masters of “huh?” No matter where they come from.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
TOPICS: Science; Society
KEYWORDS: language
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To: SeekAndFind
2
posted on
11/17/2013 7:19:25 AM PST
by
Fzob
(Jesus + anything = nothing, Jesus + nothing = everything)
To: SeekAndFind
3
posted on
11/17/2013 7:22:03 AM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
To: SeekAndFind
I detest that damn word! To me it make the person saying it sound ignorant.
I taught my children at a very early age to use either ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon me’ when they did not hear what a person said.
4
posted on
11/17/2013 7:22:51 AM PST
by
TheMom
(Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts!)
To: SeekAndFind
5
posted on
11/17/2013 7:23:50 AM PST
by
dfwgator
(Fire Muschamp.)
To: SeekAndFind
According to our daughter, even our dog says it.
6
posted on
11/17/2013 7:36:02 AM PST
by
DeaconBenjamin
(A trillion here, a trillion there, soon you're NOT talking real money)
To: SeekAndFind
7
posted on
11/17/2013 7:39:54 AM PST
by
Cyber Liberty
(We're At That Awkward Stage: It's too late to vote them out, too early to shoot the bastards.)
To: SeekAndFind
nuqjatlh?
8
posted on
11/17/2013 8:01:52 AM PST
by
shibumi
(Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
To: SeekAndFind
Right after Huh must be OK.
9
posted on
11/17/2013 8:03:44 AM PST
by
Mister Da
(The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
To: DeaconBenjamin
To: SeekAndFind
11
posted on
11/17/2013 8:35:41 AM PST
by
Smokin' Joe
(How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
To: TheMom
"I'm sorry, you're breaking up. Please try again."
I even had a two-year old granddaughter make static noises and squeals at me one time...(8^D)
12
posted on
11/17/2013 8:38:11 AM PST
by
Smokin' Joe
(How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
To: SeekAndFind
Well, I guess “Huh” is better than “Duuuh...”
13
posted on
11/17/2013 8:48:58 AM PST
by
fidelis
(Zonie and USAF Cold Warrior)
To: Mister Da
14
posted on
11/17/2013 9:47:07 AM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
To: BenLurkin
15
posted on
11/17/2013 9:50:03 AM PST
by
ErnBatavia
(The 0baMao Experiment: Abject Failure)
To: TheMom
16
posted on
11/17/2013 10:15:38 AM PST
by
ansel12
( Democrats-"a party that since antebellum times has been bent on the dishonoring of humanity.)
To: ansel12
17
posted on
11/17/2013 2:35:17 PM PST
by
TheMom
(Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts!)
To: TheMom
To me it make the person saying it sound ignorant. Yes, cussing does that.
18
posted on
11/17/2013 2:54:35 PM PST
by
ansel12
( Democrats-"a party that since antebellum times has been bent on the dishonoring of humanity.)
To: ansel12
19
posted on
11/17/2013 3:13:57 PM PST
by
TheMom
(Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts!)
To: SeekAndFind
"Say 'Huh' Again....I dare you."
20
posted on
11/17/2013 3:18:44 PM PST
by
dfwgator
(Fire Muschamp.)
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