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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?
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.
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.
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.
OP
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?
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.
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.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
I understand what you're asking. But alas, I have no answer.
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