Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2022 June 21

= June 21 =

Help identifying a vowel
What vowel is this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAVL61yeCYs&t=1s 2601:18A:C500:C00:9DEC:7A55:4A1:B65E (talk) 01:20, 21 June 2022 (UTC)
 * It's a vowel that Odobeni can make, but humans can't, because Odobeni and human vocal tract anatomies are different, so there is no name in any human language for it.
 * Slightly more seriously, which of the several different vocalisations featured is the one you mean? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.201.73.64 (talk) 05:13, 21 June 2022 (UTC)
 * I was referring to the first vocalization in the video. The reason it is of interest to me is because, when I am asked "How are you today?", that vowel (at least I think it's a vowel) usually expresses how I feel better than any words I can think of. I am aware that a raspberry can be described as a voiceless linguolabial trill, and I was wondering if there was any similar way to describe the vowel which the Odobenus is shown producing. 71.235.101.14 (talk) 07:45, 21 June 2022 (UTC)
 * It does sound something like a mid-back rounded vowel to me, although more guttural. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 11:15, 21 June 2022 (UTC)
 * While we're at it, what vowel does this Loxodont produce? (See also Joseph Pujol.) --Lambiam 09:01, 21 June 2022 (UTC)
 * Are you sure that's a vowel? It sounds more like a consonant to me. Probably some kind of fricative. 2601:18A:C500:C00:38BE:DF84:5421:F1D5 (talk) 09:32, 21 June 2022 (UTC)