When you listen to someone speaking in a foreign language that you’re unfamiliar with, can you pick up any meaning? Surprisingly, most people can because a lot of body language is universal, and up to 90% of all communication is nonverbal. However, most of spoken language isn’t universal, and there is a very limited number of words which are the same across all languages. Modern linguists are beginning to study these universal words.
Mark Dingemanse is researching one of these rare words. What’s remarkable about this universal word is that it conveys the meaning of “I don’t understand.” The word ‘huh?’ is a universal term understood in almost every language.
In some circles, the word ‘huh?’ is perceived as a bit crude. It’s often considered informal and impolite to use, except in highly casual situations. While that may be true, the fact that countless diverse languages use this word makes it one of the most significant words globally.
Dingemanse has been studying ten different languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Icelandic, and indigenous languages from Australia, Ecuador, and Ghana. Each of these languages uses a unique version of ‘huh?’. Although the word’s pronunciation varies slightly in each language, it’s spoken using the same movements of the mouth and tongue.
Some people have attempted to debunk this theory, claiming that ‘huh?’ is merely a sound, not a word. Dingemanse firmly sticks by his theory. He argues that ‘huh?’ is indeed a word, as it lacks an equal in the animal kingdom, unlike roars and grunts. Additionally, children don’t use ‘huh?’ until they start speaking in actual words.
Since ‘huh?’ is used all over the world, this implies that you’re acquainted with at least one word in every language. If someone communicates something to you that you don’t understand, uttering ‘huh?’ might prompt them to repeat their previous statement.
While ‘huh?’ may not be particularly beneficial when traveling, it does offer insight into the commonalities shared by all humans. All people cry over loss. All people smile when they’re happy. And apparently, we all share at least one word. What’s your opinion? Is ‘huh?’ a word, or could it be something more primal, akin to a laugh or a scream?
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Everybody in Almost Every Language Says “Huh”?
When you listen to someone speaking a language you don’t understand, can you pick up any meaning? Most people can because a lot of body language is universal, and up to 90% of all communication is nonverbal. Most of spoken language is not universal, though, and there are very few words which are the same across all languages. Modern linguists are beginning to study these universal words now.
Mark Dingemanse is studying one of these rare words. What’s surprising is that this universal word is a word used to mean, ‘I don’t understand.’ The word huh? is a universal word, understood in almost every language.
In some circles, the word huh? is thought to be a bit crude. It is seen as informal and impolite to say, except in a very casual situation. While that may be true, the fact that so many different languages use the word makes it one of the world’s most important words.
Dingemanse has been studying ten different languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Icelandic, and indigenous languages from Australia, Ecuador, and Ghana. Each of those languages uses a distinct form of ‘huh?’. The word is slightly different sounding in each language. Still, it is pronounced using the same movements of the mouth and tongue.
Some have tried to dispel this theory, claiming huh? is a sound and not a word. Dingemanse sticks by his theory, though. He says ‘huh?’ is a word because it has no equal in the animal kingdom like roars and grunts do. Children also don’t use ‘huh?’ until they begin speaking in real words.
Since huh? is used all over the world, this means you know at least one word in every language. If someone says something to you which you don’t understand, saying ‘huh?’ might cause them to repeat their last sentence.
While ‘huh?’ may not be that helpful of a word when traveling, it does teach us something about what all humans share. All humans cry over loss. All people smile when happy. And apparently, we all share at least one word. What do you think? Is ‘huh?’ really a word, or is it something more primal, like a laugh or a scream?
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