# Are there any universal vocal exclamations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271 "2010-07-19T20:52:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/1 "2010-07-19T20:52:09Z")
I’ve often that a very few facial expressions are universal, as in anyone from inuit to busman would understand a happy smile. Are there any vocal utterances that are similarly universal? I turned up one thread from 2001 in which it is agreed that “Ouch” is not universal, in which one poster offered “huh” and a quizzical expression of confusion. I thought of this on the 4th as I was watching fireworks, and wondered if people everywhere said “Oooh!” Somewhat related question, I also wondered to what extent the exclamation of “ooh” was an involuntary manifestation of one’s mood, as opposed to an attempt to communicate one’s mental state. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/2 "2010-07-19T20:53:58Z")
Crying is universal. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/3 "2010-07-19T20:58:02Z")
Something very close to “mah” means “Mother” in almost every language. I have often wondered if this is a universal baby sound for “one who cares for me.” ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/4 "2010-07-19T20:59:36Z")
Laughter. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/5 "2010-07-19T21:02:50Z")
I suspect a moan is a moan is a moan. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/6 "2010-07-19T21:07:23Z")
huh? What do you mean by “vocal exclamation”? Or as we’d say here in Finland; Häh? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/7 "2010-07-19T23:57:50Z")
Uhhh… Is that universal? I’ve heard people speaking other languages use “uhh” or “ehh” when searching for a word. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/8 "2010-07-20T00:04:07Z")
I read in a book on dog training that pretty much everybody uses higher pitched staccato noises to speed an animal up (horses, camels, etc.) and a low, slow sound to slow it down. Contrast “Giddyup!” with “Whoa!” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/9 "2010-07-20T00:19:58Z")
I realize that crying and laughter have sound elements, but they are not exactly what I was thinking about. What do you think about the voluntary/involuntary nature of such expressions? Are you more or less likely to say “ouch” if you stub your toe, or “eek” if you see a bug, depending on whether you are alone or in company? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/10 "2010-07-20T00:32:11Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Something very close to “mah” means “Mother” in almost every language. I have often wondered if this is a universal baby sound for “one who cares for me.” Yes it is nearly universal. The reason is that infants naturally make the “m” sound while nursing (lips touching, air passes through the nose.) Regarding the OP, afaik, the only other universal expression is nodding/head shaking for yes/no, and even then, there’s an exception. At least one culture does the opposite. In fact, different cultures interpret animal sounds differently (in other words, a cow moos differently in Korean. In Korea, a cow says “uma.”) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/11 "2010-07-20T01:12:04Z")
Jai guru deva om. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/12 "2010-07-20T02:02:27Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Uhhh… > > Is that universal? I’ve heard people speaking other languages use “uhh” or “ehh” when searching for a word. Nope. In Japanese, you here “anoooo”, when someone is pausing to think. Or, if you ask a question that makes them uncomfortable to answer, they well make an “s” sucking sound, while tilting their heads, and/or rubbing the back of their heads with their hands. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/13 "2010-07-20T02:14:39Z")
_jynnan tonnyx_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/14 "2010-07-20T02:33:44Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Uhhh… > > Is that universal? I’ve heard people speaking other languages use “uhh” or “ehh” when searching for a word. Except, of course for a billion or so Mandarin speakers looking for that uh, that uh, that uh, that uh other word phrase “ne ga.” You’d swear they are saying nigga nigga nigga nigga. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/15 "2010-07-20T02:57:13Z")
D’oh! I guess that’s not universal yet, but 700 million results on google is a start. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/16 "2010-07-20T12:36:57Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Uhhh… > > Is that universal? I’ve heard people speaking other languages use “uhh” or “ehh” when searching for a word. I don’t think so - I’ve heard francophones use something like “la-la-la” when searching for a word. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/17 "2010-07-20T12:50:55Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > _jynnan tonnyx_ > 😛 No thanks, but I could use a ouisghian zodah. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/18 "2010-07-20T13:44:50Z")
Ka-powza!! ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/19 "2010-07-20T14:38:10Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Something very close to “mah” means “Mother” in almost every language. I have often wondered if this is a universal baby sound for “one who cares for me.” In Georgia , the country as opposed to the US. “Mama” is the male parent with “Deda” being the female. Papa is Grandfather. I think “okay” is pretty much universal. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271/20 "2010-07-20T16:01:08Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I don’t think so - I’ve heard francophones use something like “la-la-la” when searching for a word. Maybe you’re right, but right now it doesn’t ring a bell. I’m not sure what you mean by “la-la-la”; is it like a song, or something else? When I’m searching for a word, I use something like “uh” with maybe a ‘m’ at the end. > [@Superhal](#): > > In fact, different cultures interpret animal sounds differently (in other words, a cow moos differently in Korean. In Korea, a cow says “uma.”) Sha-zoom! > [@manila](#): > > I think “okay” is pretty much universal. Very unlikely, as it’s a word of American English origin. If it’s used in many languages today, it’s only because of the influence of American culture. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-universal-vocal-exclamations/547271.md?page=2)