Huh?

[rug]

A new study from the Netherlands suggests that all languages share one word: "Huh?" Guest host Don Gonyea talks with linguistic anthropologist Nick Enfield about how "huh" sounds around the world, and why it's so prevalent.

November 16, 2013 8:00 AM

DON GONYEA, HOST:

OK. So, let's say you're at work. Someone comes up while you're doing something else and says, hey, did you get that e-mail I sent you yet? And you have no idea what they're talking about, so you spin around and say, huh? But what if you were in Spain?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Eh?

GONYEA: Or Ghana?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Ah?

GONYEA: Or Laos?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: Heh?

GONYEA: Turns out, anywhere really, there's some form of the word huh?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=245584057



2:59 audio at link.

[arcane1]

1. This will be fun to read. Thanks!!!

[rug]

2. There's a nice 3 minute audio report from NPR there.

It caught my attention in the car today.

[catnhatnh]

3. Also Gjinentonix...........N/T

[arcane1]

4. LMAO!

I see what you did there