What's the word?

[Darkniciad]

I swear there's a word for this, but I haven't been able to come up with it.

It's that brief, explosive exhalation that bounces off the roof of your mouth when something happens that's a complete surprise -- and irritating. Open-mouthed, so it's not really a grunt.

Ideas? Or am I just hallucinating that there's a word for this?

 

[Ironiclaconic]

In linguistic terms, you seem to be describing aspiration, such as the English pronounciation of the letter H.

 

[Darkniciad]

Yeah, but more explosive. It 'pops' from the throat almost like a cough.

I've already reworded the passage in this story, but if somebody comes up with a word, I'll file it away for later.

 

[neci]

gah! ?

 

[Darkniciad]

gah! ?

LOL Yeah, that's sort of the sound. More like "Kuh!" though.

I just swear that at some point I've read a specific word that described it.

 

[patientlee]

I swear there's a word for this, but I haven't been able to come up with it.

It's that brief, explosive exhalation that bounces off the roof of your mouth when something happens that's a complete surprise -- and irritating. Open-mouthed, so it's not really a grunt.

Ideas? Or am I just hallucinating that there's a word for this?

Guttural would be the adjective, I think.

 

[Darkniciad]

Guttural would be the adjective, I think.

That's way too strong for the situation.

Oh well, I guess I was just hallucinating

On a completely unrelated note, I just discovered that "dunderhead" is accepted as a perfectly legitimate word by spell check LMAO

( it's not even choking on it here )

 

[NaokoSmith]

Is that a gasp? S/he gasped. (Sometimes with something: outrage, astonishment, complete abandoned pleasure.)

 

[patientlee]

That's way too strong for the situation.

Oh well, I guess I was just hallucinating

On a completely unrelated note, I just discovered that "dunderhead" is accepted as a perfectly legitimate word by spell check LMAO

( it's not even choking on it here )

I teach French and Spanish. I use "guttural" in conversation. LOL! I get in trouble if I use dunderhead though.

 

[Darkniciad]

Is that a gasp? S/he gasped. (Sometimes with something: outrage, astonishment, complete abandoned pleasure.)

Gasp it too strong as well. What I'm thinking of leans more toward the surprised than irritated side, but neither of them is really strong. It's a flicker of emotion behind it.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Gasp it too strong as well. What I'm thinking of leans more toward the surprised than irritated side, but neither of them is really strong. It's a flicker of emotion behind it.

Maybe s/he gave a little gasp of surprise? Or sucked her/his breath in. S/he sucked her/his breath in, in a little gasp of surprise.

Huh! or Uh! might do it?


(Can I really bite you? Maybe a nibble on your earlobe? )

 

[Saxon_Hart]

Chuffed? Clucked, which I relate more to the TSK sound though.

 

[patientlee]

Yeah, but more explosive. It 'pops' from the throat almost like a cough.

I've already reworded the passage in this story, but if somebody comes up with a word, I'll file it away for later.

I think I know what you mean. It's the sound I make when I finally sit down at the table, and one of my kids asks for a refill.

I don't know what it's called though. Sigh of exasperation?

 

[Darkniciad]

Chuffed? Clucked, which I relate more to the TSK sound though.

I can't see the word "chuffed" without hearing a line from "Chicken Run" in my head. LOL "Well chuffed with that I was!"

I think I know what you mean. It's the sound I make when I finally sit down at the table, and one of my kids asks for a refill.

I don't know what it's called though. Sigh of exasperation?

Not quite that strong either. Terra calls her boyfriend, and it rings four times before going to voicemail. That's where the sound comes in. Then she immediately calls him back, and he answers, so the emotion doesn't really have time to linger and snowball.

 

[xelliebabex]

Maybe the word your looking for is sough. Its like a sigh but more of a mutter or an irritation.

Just thought I would put it out there. Unusual words fascinate me, lol.

I have edited this to add susurrus, but that is more of a murmur of discontent than in individuals sigh of irritation.

 

[sr71plt]

Maybe the word your looking for is sough. Its like a sigh but more of a mutter or an irritation.

Just thought I would put it out there. Unusual words fascinate me, lol.

I have edited this to add susurrus, but that is more of a murmur of discontent than in individuals sigh of irritation.

The problem with using those words is how many readers are going to understand them?

Time to write around it, I think, if you can't think up a word that won't stop readers dead in the water on what you mean. It may not be worth the effort to be precise.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Does "whuff" fit? Not sure it's a proper word, but it's onomatopoeoic enough that it hardly matters.

 

[lovecraft68]

what about a "hiccup" not sure how it could be written in, but it kind of sounds like what you're looking for.

 

[RejectReality]

The problem with using those words is how many readers are going to understand them?

Time to write around it, I think, if you can't think up a word that won't stop readers dead in the water on what you mean. It may not be worth the effort to be precise.

That's what I ended up doing. I was probably just remembering something I read wrong -- and dimly at that.

Figured what the hell, though. May as well throw it out here and see if anyone could come up with it

 

[FAWCker]

I often use "huff" for cases like that.

 

[RejectReality]

I often use "huff" for cases like that.

You know, I think in combination with "brief", that may very well be exactly what I was going for.

I'll keep it in mind if that type of situation comes up again

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I usually write as...

The air exploded from her lungs as his tender touch...

 

[PennLady]

Okay, so I'm watching a Star Trek: Original Series featurette with Mr Penn and Nichelle Nichols is discussing filming the episode "Plato's Stepchildren," in which Kirk and Uhura kiss. A landmark moment -- the first interracial kiss on television.

Anyway, Ms. Nichols says that various takes were done, including one without a kiss -- which Shatner delayed and delayed, and at the end of which he crossed his eyes. No one noticed until they reviewed the dailies the next day, and Nichols said at first it was quiet, and then there was a "yock from the suits."

"Yock" made me think of this thread.

 

[desertslave]

Does "whuff" fit? Not sure it's a proper word, but it's onomatopoeoic enough that it hardly matters.

This. ^^^^ I've always thought of it as an exhalation, as opposed to the inhaling gasp, etc. Like the sound when your toddler nails you in the gut (sitting) or 'nads (standing).

 

[Thabes]

I laughed at this and then started thinking about fun words that might work...

yorked
burfed
eepered
wuffled
worgled
eweefed
snoturked
yimpered
quamped