Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2022 June 21

Language desk
< June 20 << May | June | Jul >> June 22 >
Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.


June 21

edit

Help identifying a vowel

edit

What vowel is this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAVL61yeCYs&t=1s 2601:18A:C500:C00:9DEC:7A55:4A1:B65E (talk) 01:20, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

It's a vowel that Odobeni can make, but humans can't, because Odobeni and human vocal tract anatomies are different, so there is no name in any human language for it.
Slightly more seriously, which of the several different vocalisations featured is the one you mean? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.201.73.64 (talk) 05:13, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]
I was referring to the first vocalization in the video. The reason it is of interest to me is because, when I am asked "How are you today?", that vowel (at least I think it's a vowel) usually expresses how I feel better than any words I can think of. I am aware that a raspberry can be described as a voiceless linguolabial trill, and I was wondering if there was any similar way to describe the vowel which the Odobenus is shown producing. 71.235.101.14 (talk) 07:45, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]
It does sound something like a mid-back rounded vowel to me, although more guttural. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 11:15, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]
While we're at it, what vowel does this Loxodont produce? (See also Joseph Pujol.)  --Lambiam 09:01, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Are you sure that's a vowel? It sounds more like a consonant to me. Probably some kind of fricative. 2601:18A:C500:C00:38BE:DF84:5421:F1D5 (talk) 09:32, 21 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]