Comments on: When a Short, Sharp Intake of Breath Means “Yes” http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/ Language and Culture of the Swedish-Speaking World Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:27:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Linda Seaton http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-4765 Linda Seaton Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:58:42 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=184#comment-4765 Hello - I have watched the Swedish version of the Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - (have seen all 3 Swedish versions) and now watching for the second time. I noticed the character of Lisbeth Salander has short intake of breath when saying yes - perhaps a bit too when saying no. I found it very interesting because I do the same thing, and my grandmother and others when I was growing up in Scotland. It was used all the time. I was unaware that I had continued doing this, since I have been living in Canada over 30 years. A friend, who was from Newfoundland, Canada, commented on it - saying that his grandmother did the same thing. His grandmother was born in Newfoundland, Canada, but was of Scottish heritage. Anyway, thought it was interesting. I believe it is more common in Scotland around the western coaster/island areas - but we lived in central Scotland (Perthshire). Obviously, it has also carried itself to this side of the Atlantic. Hello – I have watched the Swedish version of the Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – (have seen all 3 Swedish versions) and now watching for the second time. I noticed the character of Lisbeth Salander has short intake of breath when saying yes – perhaps a bit too when saying no. I found it very interesting because I do the same thing, and my grandmother and others when I was growing up in Scotland. It was used all the time. I was unaware that I had continued doing this, since I have been living in Canada over 30 years. A friend, who was from Newfoundland, Canada, commented on it – saying that his grandmother did the same thing. His grandmother was born in Newfoundland, Canada, but was of Scottish heritage. Anyway, thought it was interesting. I believe it is more common in Scotland around the western coaster/island areas – but we lived in central Scotland (Perthshire). Obviously, it has also carried itself to this side of the Atlantic.

]]> By: Rupert http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-577 Rupert Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:47:08 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=184#comment-577 Spot on. I've been in Sweden for 10 years and I do it all the time. It disconcerts my friends from home when I go back and keep making all these little surprised sounds. What is this noise called? Linguistically I would perhaps call it a "reverse voiceless palatal-velar fricative". Spot on. I’ve been in Sweden for 10 years and I do it all the time. It disconcerts my friends from home when I go back and keep making all these little surprised sounds.
What is this noise called? Linguistically I would perhaps call it a “reverse voiceless palatal-velar fricative”.

]]> By: Candy http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-576 Candy Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:53:12 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=184#comment-576 LOL! I have been living in Sweden for three months now and have been noticing this phenomenon, I had to google it and found your blog! We live in Skane and the people down here (you're right mostly women) do a combo "Ja" with the quick intake of breath but my boyfriend says his cousin who grew up in Vaxjo would open his mouth very slight and make an "O" and do a very sharp intake of breath, and that means "affirmative." Is Sweden the only country that does this?? LOL! I have been living in Sweden for three months now and have been noticing this phenomenon, I had to google it and found your blog! We live in Skane and the people down here (you’re right mostly women) do a combo “Ja” with the quick intake of breath but my boyfriend says his cousin who grew up in Vaxjo would open his mouth very slight and make an “O” and do a very sharp intake of breath, and that means “affirmative.” Is Sweden the only country that does this??

]]> By: Luke (Sydney) http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-575 Luke (Sydney) Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:27:11 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=184#comment-575 That's gold Steve. Possibly how the sound was born :) That’s gold Steve. Possibly how the sound was born :)

]]> By: Steve (Västerås) http://www.transparent.com/swedish/when-a-short-sharp-intake-of-breath-means-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-574 Steve (Västerås) Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:30:55 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=184#comment-574 @Luke: Take a look at the latest TV ad for Norrlands Guld beer here on YouTube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNhOW9JVYzs While this is exaggerated for comic effect it is not too far from the truth. I like the way that the person that posted the video has even tried to spell the sound that Anna described in her post... "Pschu" @Luke:
Take a look at the latest TV ad for Norrlands Guld beer here on YouTube…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNhOW9JVYzs

While this is exaggerated for comic effect it is not too far from the truth. I like the way that the person that posted the video has even tried to spell the sound that Anna described in her post…
“Pschu”

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