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stranger
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stranger
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In R. Carver's short story "Tell the women we're going", two young husbands, Jerry and Bill, leave a boring Sunday afternoon family meeting for "a little run" ("Guy's got to get out", as Jerry puts it.)
After shooting a few balls and drinking a few beers, the guys get back to their car, and the story continues thus:
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Back on the highway, Jerry opened it up - little jumps of eighty-five and ninety. They'd just passed an old pickup loaded with furniture when they saw the two girls [on their bicycles].
"Look at that!" Jerry said, slowing. "I could use some of that."
Jerry drove another mile or so and then pulled off the road. "Let's go back," Jerry said, "Let's try it."
"Jesus," Bill said. "I don't know."
"I could use some," Jerry said.
Bill said, "Yeah, but I don't know."
"For Christ's sake," Jerry said.
Bill glanced at his watch and then looked all around. He said, "You do the talking. I'm rusty."
Jerry hooted as he whipped the car around.
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Now here's my question for you native speakers of American English:When Jerry hoots, what does he do:
a) he sounds the horn of his car
b) he laughs loudly
c) he does something else (please specify) ?
If you think both a) and b) could be possible, what was your first thought?
Thanks for any comments
Godot
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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c) a shout of glee; not to be confused with an outcry of derision, as are some hoots.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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As tsuwm said, a shout of eager anticipation of sexual adventure.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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C-- Yowee! or some such word that is used as an expresses of joy or excitement...
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Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
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Hooting could be laughingly. But what we used to call a hoot when I was a kid was when you sort of pursed your lips and half-howled like a wolf...sounded something like "haoooooooooo!" I remember back in 7th grade a bunch of us got "excluded" (suspended for 3 days from school) for "hooting" in the cafeteria...they claimed we were creating a disturbance and inciting to riot..."hooting" was written on the blue slips (disciplinary complaints), too. I remember being interrogated alone by good ol' Mr. Frieda, "So who else was hooting in the cafeteria with you? Names! I want names, do you hear me!?"  You should of seen that mob of angry parents 'bout near to take the vice-principal's head off for throwing their kids out of school, and marring their records over something so stupid...it was fun to watch the VP slowly slipping beneath his desk in reaction to the barrage! All the disciplinary actions, including the exclusions, were reversed, and the blue slips removed from the files.  But "hooting" in the cafeteria to get the goat of the lunchroom supervisor sure was a lot of fun!
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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HOOO-ah [see Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman]
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
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Mr. Frieda? What an unfortunate name with which to pursue a career in middle school administration...
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
Interesting, cos from a Brit perspective I'd say "whooped" if I meant (c) - as in yeeeeeeeeeeeehah. To the extent the whoop became more of an aaaooooowwwwl I'd say "howled". Hooting is what owls do over here.  I'd probably get the USn meaning of "hooted" in context, mainly because if the writer meant (a) honked the horn[repeatedly, with a bit of rhythm and fun, to be more specific] I'd expect the word used to be "tooted". Or "honked" itself, of course, though left at that our hero would be a goose. So on what side of the Pond did the phrase "It'll be a hoot" originate?
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Joined: Oct 2000
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
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HOOO-ah
==/== cross-pondial equivalent to
Phwooaarrr ?
(Good film & good ref)
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