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up vote 9 down vote favorite

There may not be a word for it, but maybe there is a better or more concise way of describing it.

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Reference question. macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/snuffle – MετάEd Jan 23 '12 at 15:53
Gurgle might be your best bet. – Callithumpian Jan 24 '12 at 5:15

4 Answers

up vote 5 down vote accepted

Snuffle. v.i. To breathe noisily through your nose, for example because you are crying or have a cold.

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3  
The definition shies away from describing the snot-gurgle which for me is the defining feature of this awful sound, but the reference to crying and a cold suggests that it actually refers to the same thing. It lacks the onomatopoeic value I was hoping for, but it seems this is the word in English. – LaC Jan 23 '12 at 18:17
One thing to note is that this may not connote the uncouth aspect. – Daniel Jan 23 '12 at 21:09
I take "uncouth" to modify "people" in the question, not "that sound", and therefore to be tangential. – MετάEd Jan 23 '12 at 21:34
3  
I don't think this is correct: a snuffle is merely a pathetic sniffle. It is not that sound you make when you suck in the snot dripping into your sinuses, then forcefully hack it up. – Marthaª Jan 23 '12 at 22:49
@Marthaª: oh, I see! The sound I'm talking about it exactly the one you just described, but is there a word for it? – LaC Jan 24 '12 at 5:44
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up vote 8 down vote

I think you would call that a snort.

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2  
snort/snôrt/ [google.com/?q=define:snort] Noun: An explosive sound made by the sudden forcing of breath through a person's nose, used to express indignation, derision, or incredulity. Verb: Make a sudden sound through one's nose, esp. to express indignation or derision: "she snorted with laughter". Synonyms: sniff - snore – Kris Jan 23 '12 at 6:25
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And for your obscure word file, there's rhonchisonant "making a snorting noise, snorting". – Marthaª Jan 23 '12 at 22:58
+1 when I get to vote tonight. Note that snort is historically understood to be always in the opposite direction to snuffle, i.e., blowing forcefully through the nose. Recently, though, blow through the nose is of course an inhalation when "blow" means "cocaine" ... – MετάEd Jan 24 '12 at 15:32
up vote 3 down vote

Snurgling. If it doesn't exist, it should do.

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2  
This is a much better word than the underwhelming "snuffle". It is unfortunate that "snuffle" exists, otherwise we could introduce "snurgle" as a neologism. – LaC Jan 23 '12 at 18:18
Getting downvoted... You're a tough bunch here ...:) – cormullion Jan 24 '12 at 8:52
up vote 1 down vote

I would say hawk - to raise by trying to clear the throat (hawk up phlegm).

Some will say that - as with snort - the movement of mucus is up/out rather than down/in. But often it's a composite move - down the sinuses to the back of the throat, up into the mouth, then out (spitting).

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Right. The hawk comes afterward. – MετάEd Jan 24 '12 at 7:07
@MetaEd: Well, I did say "Some will say that"! But if you don't want to cal the whole sequence a "hawk", perhaps OP's action is the "pre-hawk". – FumbleFingers Jan 24 '12 at 17:48
Snuffle and hawk are onomatopoeia. "Snuffle" is the sound of noisy inbreath; "hawk" is the sound of throat clearing. Some would say. :-) – MετάEd Jan 24 '12 at 19:07
I've no doubt the dictionaries will say both are onomatopoeic, but to be honest, if you presented a person who's never heard either word before with the real-world sound of the first "operation" and the two words, I reckon he'd choose "hawk". – FumbleFingers Jan 24 '12 at 19:36

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