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M is for Mhmm and other Mutterings #AtoZChallenge

4/16/2018

2 Comments

 
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All right, I have just discovered, and am sorry to announce,
The English alphabet has failed us.
​

Twenty-six measly letters are just not enough to capture all 44 phonetic sounds (and probably more if you ask Professor Higgins.)

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​That’s right folks, we’re going to have to Beyond Z for this post.



Take mhmm and mmhm for examples.
Whoa, wait, what?
Exactly. I’m trying to show the sound of someone agreeing with you – mhmm, and also the sound of someone disagreeing with you – mmhm. But it’s just not working! If you were listening the sounds coming from my throat, their meaning would be absolutely clear without me having to even open my mouth.
But, no, I can’t write it clearly without making different sounds completely.
*mmmmmhmmmmhmmmhmm*

Um, excuse me? What’s that one supposed to mean?
That was me crying silently.
Oh. I didn’t get that.
 Obviously.
Hey, can I make a suggestion?
Sure.
How about instead of actually putting in the sounds you’re making, just write *sob*.
You mean the actual sounds are not always the best onomatopoeia to use?
Mmhm – that’s me agreeing with you.
That’s – that’s brilliant! What do you think about this Muttley?
And if you agree with me that the A to Z Blogging Challenge is a fun way to visit new bloggers, check them out!
A to Z Blogging Challenge
Also, if you feel the need to go beyond the traditional 26 letters of the English alphabet, Dr. Seuss has a few suggestions:
On Beyond Zebra
2 Comments
Liz Brownlee link
4/16/2018 09:37:16 am

That must be very frustrating to find your work will not be done at the end of the challenge... I have some of the same problem. I have solved it by having more than one post a day... so what if the house is a tip and no-one has been fed for two weeks? Liz http://www.poetryroundabout.com

Reply
JEN link
4/16/2018 04:52:22 pm

Um, I think you might have missed the tongue-in-cheek of this post. I've got plans for the rest of the letters... I only meant that sometimes when you try to write onomatopoeia down, it isn't as clear as the sounds we make audibly. Like when you're talking on the phone and make "yes, I agree with you" sounds. Those sounds are hard to write down on paper.

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