In the great tradition of tsk, chortle, and Bronx cheer, is there a word for the expression of distain produced by the sharp release of air between the bottom lip and top teeth? As in, "Pft!"

in the great tradition of tsk, pfft.

-ron o.

The A-H dictionary has "[u]sed to express or indicate a usually sudden disappearance or ending". In the tradition of tsk to represent /ǀ/ (a voiceless dental click) but sometimes pronounced /tɪsk/, I wonder if poof is a variant of pfft? (Along the lines of tut, too.)

>ron o.

True. But what I mean is: Is there a non-onomatopoeic word for going, "Pfft!"

oh, I wondered but was led down the other path by tsk.
did you note that one source for pfft (Cambridge I think) gives U.S. for 'phut'?

gives U.S. for 'phut'?

Piffle!

phut

Bronx cheer is the same as the British raspberry, isn't it.

Bronx cheer is the same as the British raspberry, isn't it.

AFAIK. It is sometimes called a voiced linguolabial trill /r̼/. Raspberry is Cockney rhyming slang for fart: raspberry tart. It doesn't seem to be used in any languages phonemically, but it does occur in Coatlán Zapotec (link, p.5.) in sound symbolism.

Do you mean for the act of blowing out an unvoiced labial sound with a dental stop at the end of it, or for the act of saying something that immediately ridicules, derides, denies and puts down what has come before? If the latter, then in Australian idiom the answer would be a mild expletive beginning with 'b' and ending in 'ullshit'.

You're saying that the act of ridicule and the object of ridicule are the same thing? Or you are what you deride?

No, I'm saying that using that word as a response to something you wish to dismiss as inconsequential or rubbish serves the same purpose as responding 'pfft' or 'piffle'. You could also use the word "rubbish" or "garbage" I guess.

But we're not looking for what it means; we're looking for what you call that particular vocalization.

I wasn't giving a definition. I was giving a word. I was responding to Hydra's question "TBut what I mean is: Is there a non-onomatopoeic word for going, "Pfft!""

Someone else suggested the word 'piffle'. I suggested another one.

T-but: theft by unlawful taking.

Wull, OK, but I don't see how this differs from what I'm saying.

I mean, I ain't saying, I'm just saying.

The Pook, you and Faldage appear to be talking at cross-purposes.

I did not ask for a word having the same effect as "Pfft!", though if I were, "Balderdash!" would be fine. My question is, what is the word describing that sound. It is an optimistic question, but the infinite English language has given us technical terms for all sorts of strange noises emanating from the body by design and otherwise. You seem to be hung up on the idea that the term describing a sound must mean the same thing as that sound. If some one tells a joke, you do not shout, "Laughter!" The word "laughter" describes the staccato sound you make in response to something funny.

So, let me rephrase: Laughter is to "Ha ha ha!" as X is to "Pfft!" What is X?

laughter is really a pretty general term for all kinds of audible mirth.

so, a general, technical term for pfft, phutt, fut, phut, phfft, phtt, or other forms with p, ph, f, or t occurring three or more times all could be referred to as plosives, for a start.

It is an optimistic question, but the infinite English language has given us technical terms for all sorts of strange noises emanating from the body by design and otherwise.

Well, I'd have to hear how you pronounce it, but the way I do I'd transcribe as /pft/ (or more narrowly [pft̚]) in IPA and if I had to tell somebody what that transcription was, I'd use: a voiceless bilabial-labiodental affricate which transitions into a voiceless unreleased alveolar stop.

Dear Hydra,

I understand what you're asking. But alas, I have no answer.

That's still capable of being taken equivocally. But since 'laughter' is not a phonetic/linguistic/physiological term like 'plosive stop' etc, it sounds like you are not asking for technical terms but a generic everyday term?

Like 'disapprobation' or something? (although that's not specific enough of course)

All I've ever seen is 'sound of derision'. Sorry.

Now that's a term of elegant literary possibilities:

“Don't you still love me, Robert?” says Ida, worrying the cord of her bathrobe. Without looking up from the floor on which he has just spat, Robert emits a voiceless bilabial-labiodental affricate which transitions into a voiceless unreleased alveolar stop, acidly.

LLOL

elegant literary possibilities

/ʘ/!

Sorry if I "ron" the joke, zmjezhd, but can you 'splain cos I don't get it.

Wiki says the bullseye symbol is IPA for a click consonant. You've put it between two solidi in response to "elegant literary possibilities".

What gives?

can you 'splain

It's a bilabial click. The sound of a kiss. It's between virgules because that's where one usually finds IPA (wide) transcriptions, and it ends with an exclamation point to mark its emphatic nature.

>The sound of a kiss.

Okay, it's the sound of a kiss. Okay. But why are you kissing elegant literary possibilities—and ron be damned!

How'd you know it was a bullseye, Hydra? All I ever see is two slashes with an empty box between them.

You don't see it? Must be something to do with your browser. For example, mine sees Bishnupriya Manipuri Script as rows of identical boxes.

But why are you kissing elegant literary possibilities

The kiss was for your exemplar of "elegant literary possibilities", Aquarius. La! And what's up between you and Ron?

All I ever see is two slashes with an empty box between them.

You really ought to upgrade from VMS, Jackie. If you click here you might see a graphic image of the bilabial click glyph.

>And what's up between you and Ron?

I guess we're just thick as thieves.





Aquarius? La?

Oh, forget it.

I guess were just thick as thieves.

Better than me, being thick as a brick.

as long as you don't have locomotive breath.

as long as you don't have locomotive breath.

Nope, it's now officially t-shirt weather here in sunny Norte Califas.

you might see a graphic image of the bilabial click glyph. I did, thanks. But JFTR, I have no idea what VMS is,

VMS

It's an operating system (link).