I love to learn word origins, and also am intrigued at how thoughts and actions and emotions are portrayed on the written page, without coming out and describing in more words what is being felt or conveyed. If someone shrugs their shoulders, that means they are indifferent or don't know, right? I always thought if it said someone answered with a shake of the head, that meant NO, and nodding was how you showed agreement, although some writers have said, "He shook his head in agreement." Maybe in another culture that is how it's demonstrated.
Then there is the written interpretation of sounds we make to express a variety of emotions or comments or answers
I think the origin of all these words is pretty obvious - they are actually just the printed interpretation of sounds. I've tried to remember what I've read over the years:
NUH uh! uh-uh, and uh-huh are all similar when you look at them, but all 3 have different meanings
And further there is uh-oh.
I remember teaching that one to Danielle when she was a baby, sitting in her high chair and spilling something... it opened up a new avenue of communication for her since MOST of her toddler life was a series of uh-ohs!
And of course, she'd already mastered wahhhhh
She also taught me meh. These people have used it in a large way to express their lack of Christmas excitement.
More: Arrgh Ergh grrrrr ugh!
When I met Reeder, he was still saying "eh", having lived in Canada for 2 years. The downeast Maine version is 'ayuh', which means "Right", I think. I really wish I could find a soundbite to stick in here for that. I looked a wicked long time but didn't get anywheyuh.
I was going to write 'Oy', from down under. But that's actually a word, right?
Here are some more -- Er, ahem, oh! Ah, aha, phew... different than whew - probably depends on context.
Oooh is very different from ewww.
pffft was written to me recently, to dispute my interpretation of Leah's movie rating skills.
That might be how one prints a 'raspberry ' as well.
mmmm ... huh?... mmm hmm ... hmm ... vroom
zzzzz psst shhh P.U. ow
Then there are the obvious animal sounds, and various countries have their own versions of how these sound and how they should be written.
bow-wow, mew, meow, moo, ribbet, baa (sheep) maa-a-a (goat)
Oh, and then I've nearly forgotten the ways we write out laughter...
tee hee, ha-ha, Santa's Ho-ho-ho.
And finally I cracked up the way my friend, Michelle, interpretted Popeye's laugh in our texting exchange. This occurred the morning after we'd been to dinner together, where George and I had a brief arm-wrestling match.
ME: "So how's your man G's arm today, after last night's throw-down at the dinner table?"
Mic: "Well, he is still pumping his fist in the air, proclaiming, "She didn't take me! Meet me in Petaluma for the wrestling championship!"
ME: "Ha ha I think I would stand little chance against those Popeye-like 'muss-kells'"
Mic: "Ah gakakakaaaa ....it's the spinach", he says, "and that's why you should eat vegetables"
ME: "Ummmm, He does have a point there. ;c) "
Mic: "He loves the concession! He says, "That's your Kryptonite, Reeder!"
Hmmmm.... I wonder how much time I have before Petaluma.
Ah gakakakaaaa
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