I'm not very sure if grunt is the right word. I think a grunt is louder and comes mainly from the throat. I'm looking for a word that expresses a softer noise.
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@EdwinAshworth Please make this an answer.– bibJan 24, 2015 at 15:02
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Please record this noise and post a link to the resulting sound file. Otherwise my answer would only be a guess.– Erik KowalJan 25, 2015 at 6:05
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4 Answers
I think a possible word for this might be 'hum'.
Hum
to say with closed lips, without articulating words.
Tom agreed with him and gave a hum, "Mm.".
Delightful question. A nasal pragmatic (subset backchannelling!) marker! Is this the ah-hah? (rising intonation, if that's the right word for hums). Or the mono'syllabic' Hmm.
Other 'hums' include
the equivalent of 'What!?' (hmMMM?).
The 'No!' (uh-huh; falling intonation).
The eureka Aah.
The discovery of a sinister plot by the kids (A-hah)'
The disgusted eugh.
The 'haven't a clue' (single high note) (possibly rendered Huh?.)
If bib wants a nasal dictionary, he can write his own.
answered Jan 24, 2015 at 15:38
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It makes you realise that pigs really might be super-intelligent. I missed the exasperated ... dismissive cline (Hah!?) Jul 6, 2016 at 6:29
The act of sniffing might suggest what you are describing:
- To inhale a short, audible breath through the nose, as in smelling something.
I don't think there's a word for it - you'd just imitate the noise.
(I'm assuming here...)
The sound you're referring to is usually spelled "Mm" or "Mm-hmm" (the latter to differentiate it from the sound you make when something smells yummy)
"I don't know if he was listening, or not - he just 'Mm-hmm'd' at me - so, I'll take it as a 'yes'." (US)
