The Language Sounds That Could Exist, But Don't

The International Phonetic Alphabet: one sound for each symbol, and one symbol for each sound. Except for the sounds we can't make. Pull down the description for the references! MORE LANGUAGE FILES: • Tom's Language Files
Written with Gretchen McCulloch and Molly Ruhl. Gretchen's new book, BECAUSE INTERNET, is available now:
🇺🇸 US: amzn.to/30tLpjT
🇨🇦 CA: amzn.to/2JsTYWH
🇬🇧 UK: amzn.to/31K8eRD
(Those are affiliate links that give a commission to me or Gretchen, depending on country!)
Gretchen can be found at lingthusiasm.com/
REFERENCES:
Harbeck, J. (2009). Presented at the 30th annual Editors’ Association of Canada conference, Toronto, June 6, 2009.
Algeo, J., & Pyles, T. (2004). The origins and development of the English language (5th ed.). Boston, Mass.: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Nicolaidis, Katerina (2005). "Approval of new IPA sound: the labiodental flap". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 35 (2): 261.
🟥 MORE FROM TOM: www.tomscott.com/
(you can find contact details and social links there too)
📰 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with good stuff from the rest of the internet: www.tomscott.c...
❓ LATERAL, free weekly podcast: lateralcast.com/ / lateralcast
➕ TOM SCOTT PLUS: / tomscottplus
👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: / techdif

[@TomScottGo]

And that's it for this run of the Language Files! Thanks to co-authors Gretchen McCulloch and Molly Ruhl, and animator Stephen Houston-Moore. And to answer the question that'll get asked ten times in response to this, these videos and comments get scheduled weeks in advance so I don't have to worry about actually being online when they launch.

[@phwaedih]

Pls more language files in future 🙏🙏

[@ResilientVulture]

3 weeks ago? Someone explain this please thanks

[@lunaraine]

i was actually just about to ask how this comment was made 3 weeks ago (no offense) so thanks for answering that ^^ also great series can't wait to see more in the future (if you're up for doing more that is)

[@hiebrantsify]

Next video - Languages that exist but shouldn't

[@TotoDG]

A’ight, see ya in three years.

[@loopiloop]

The distinct lack of him trying to pronounce non-symbol phonemes displeases me

[@evilelf6188]

The sounds that could make this into an awesome youtube vid, but don't.

[@DerWaschbar2]

You mean what's expected from the title?

[@TheBrokenSolstice]

Idk, a back of the throat trill is just a gargle sound, isn’t it? I can do it just fine with my uvula..

[@bradbradlylife9918]

phuc ewe I can do that with the seed I swallow. The sunflower seed. I got it from my mailman.

[@bradbradlylife9918]

phuc ewe Here's the mail it never fails it makes me want to wag my tail

[@sleepyLili]

I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to hear how those "possible but never used in any language" consonants sound like.

[@pogogo51]

Come on! Brbrbrbrbr! We know you want to!

[@EmeraldMinotaur]

Some of them do make limited appearances in some languages. If you research a little bit, you can figure out how to make them yourself.

[@b3z3jm3nny]

One has your bottom lips on your top teeth like /v/ but you don’t actually let any air escape like a /b/ or a /d/; you just let the air pressure build up with a perfect seal.

[@BigShrimpin_]

@@b3z3jm3nny So silence then?

[@safebox36]

Put the tongue to your roof of your mouth and breathe in while making any sound...there's one for you, a sound that's not used in any language (technically). It is used in some stereotype nerd accents but other than that, not a lingual sound.

[@lonestarr1490]

I can totally imagine a bunch of scientists sitting together trying to produce all kinds of strange sounds just to decide whether a box of the table should be white or gray.

[@JaimeIsJaime]

sounds like a lot of fun

[@cogithefool4284]

You definitely haven't attended a phonetics class then.

[@StainlessHelena]

There's a party game hidden here...

[@christianwetzel2199]

@@StainlessHelena or a big bang theory episode

[@cenedra20]

That's why phonology was my favorite course, it was funny as hell to sit through the class, every class 😄

[@ViceroyoftheDiptera]

Of note: "hiccough" is a back-formation, "hiccup" is the older term. The spelling -cough came about from false-association with coughing.

[@jhonbus]

Let's do this with more words. Oughots oughore oughords! (Actually that last one should definitely oughork!)

[@myhlosic]

​@@jhonbus i literally cannot read this

[@sarcasticmoray6648]

@@myhlosic I think he said, “what’s more words?”

[@nadirhikmetkuleli]

Hiccup is associated with an unattested Old English verb Hiccan* and up as we know it, (Hicce up!*). Equivalents of unattested hiccan can be found in many languages in Germanic family. Frisian: Hikke, rarely hikke op Dutch: Hikken Danish: Hikke Norwegian: Hikke Swedish: Hicka Icelandic: Hiksti

[@PC_Simo]

That definitely makes sense 🤔.

[@carrotmandoespixelmon1296]

“By all means try it” if you think I haven’t been imitating a dying owl for the past 30 seconds already...

[@vinos1629]

Same

[@phs125]

I think I can do it. Say kaaaa, but don't change position of your tongue. Keep it near the throat so that there's a layer of saliva that vibrates.

[@CathodeRayKobold]

RRRR! RRRRRRR! Wait, that's uvular. *Makes Gollum sounds.*

[@Concretizer]

@@phs125 i just tried this and it's quite cool

[@shitinsahu2267]

@@phs125🤣 But can you form that layer of saliva at will? For sure it isn't always there.

[@TheManWithTheFlan]

although i thought i could pronounce things thoroughly enough, "hiccough" just ploughed right through me.

[@telloy9467]

Nice!

[@mixtlillness9825]

That must’ve been tough.

[@charlene.w.6124]

niceee one

[@Jason-re4dw]

Most people seem to use hiccup as hiccough isn't a word you write down often.

[@Kai_On_Paws_4298]

How i say it: h-ih-ck-auff. Am i right?

[@susmitislam1910]

So this is basically a periodic table of human linguistic elements.

[@georgiangelov13]

Wow! I have never imagined that way.... I always see the chart as a Map of Coordinates, and when meet the x and the y you’ll get a Linguistic sound cool

[@Jr-ft9ii]

A periodic table of sounds 😜

[@BidwellRunner]

Well, it's only the consonants. You need another table for the vowels.

[@nayaland9115]

Oh wow I never thought of it that way

[@obviativ123]

Affricates are molecules ... ?

[@williamjones7163]

Took a beginning Spanish class once that had a bunch of teachers in it. They were complaining how hard Spanish was. The teacher asked how do you pronounce "comb", "tomb", "bomb" and why are they pronounced that way. Suddenly Spanish words were making a whole lot of sense.

[@alexpallaressierra7730]

Spanish is very easy to read, but has more words

[@koalaunknown]

@@alexpallaressierra7730 Spanish has way fewer words than English; it’s not even close.

[@luxraider5384]

spanish is very easy.

[@julianburke7225]

@@luxraider5384yeah

[@_fedmar_]

Spanish is very simple! Few words, not many grammar rules, and just the right amount of tenses.

[@JohnFoley1701]

I just tried a glottal lateral, now i need a fresh shirt.

[@horstherbert35]

glottal lateral is basically what death metal vocalists do

[@BierBart12]

@@horstherbert35 RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

[@mr.flibblessumeriantransla5417]

@Jim Panse I know you were probably joking, but in case not I thought I’d point out that most singers who use those kinds of growls are usually relying on the “False Glottis” also called the “False Vocal Chords,” which are two soft fleshy folds in the vocal tract which don’t vibrate on their own, but can be brought closer together by constricting the muscles in your neck, which when combined with forcing air out of your lungs, produces a sound usually at least an octave lower than can be produced with your normal vocal chords. Alternatively, violently forcing air through your throat while constricting your normal vocal chords can also achieve that “gravelly” sound, but will damage them if done repeatedly.

[@larks.]

Make sure it’s a red shirt

[@rathole36]

Same-

[@BurazSC2]

new pick up line: "hey baby, don't mean to brag, but I can velar trill"

[@bee4622]

Thats literally throwing up tho 😂

[@ferociousfeind8538]

"Mother can I have loose folds of tissue along my velum?" "For food?" "Yes." _actually produces velar trill_ Velar trill time

[@malachiwilliams4938]

@Yokai369 Oh, that’s good.

[@JulianDanzerHAL9001]

you could do a glottal lateral approximant - with some help

[@nathanfryar3773]

I immediately tried

[@boeman6702]

"A velar trill is judged imposibble." Me for 5 minutes: *gghhghhhhhhhghgrhhgggrghrgrgggrghr*

[@Balou]

I dont know if this is meant, but in german the r is regulary made in where you speak the k

[@AlohaFourpeaks_]

+111

[@Guilhermetwc]

@@Balou that's i thought, in portuguese also there are a few words you speak the R in the same place where you speak the K

[@porpus2117]

I did it? Maybe unless I’m not thrilling the right place but it was really easy

[@Rinkerbro]

I just made the predator sound

[@dilldoe1492]

Learning English is difficult, it can be taught through tough thorough thought though…

[@dilgeatakan9366]

And they are *wildly* similar to each other. I mixed 2 of those up just because my mother language doesn't have dental fricatives /θ/ and /ð/ and I pronounce them as alveolar plosives /t/ and /d/.

[@Miracle12348]

My head is spinning

[@APR1037]

English pronunciation is challenging to learn but not the most difficult. English grammar, however, is much, much simpler than the grammar of other languages, like Romance languages.

[@JoaquinMartinezKeen]

someone should make a machine to pronounce the grayed-out areas.

[@jamyreaf]

@@piggyzig ok... where

[@sophiaw8177]

I feel like im missing a reply...

[@rdaisydraws]

You could always try pink trombone

[@alexandrei8275]

@@rdaisydraws ah, yes the pink trombone

[@mohdkhairi7591]

That why dubstep come in

[@kitioppa]

The language sounds that could exist but don't. *proceeds to talk about the ones that do exist and the ones that can't

[@penngheeney]

Exactly! Very interesting video, but also highly disappointing given the title.

[@larsatticus6807]

Technically the white spaces are in that category- they could exist, but not yet.

[@fpsgod3028]

@@larsatticus6807 youre actually dumb

[@Wigalot]

@@fpsgod3028 could you explain why he's dumb?

[@colefrazier4371]

@@Wigalot we wanted to hear them

[@almostfm]

As someone once said: English is a language where "cough" "rough" and "through" don't rhyme, but "pony" and "bologna" do.

[@wesleymays1931]

English isn't a language. It's 3 languages in a trench coat pretending to be one.

[@Somnogenesis]

@@wesleymays1931 Yes, and in the one I speak those two things don't rhyme at all - I automatically see the latter as "bo-lon-ya", as in the city.

[@Q75]

Wth is bologna

[@macaroon_nuggets8008]

@@Q75 Some weird processed meat.

[@Q75]

@@macaroon_nuggets8008 ok

[@MNder3a]

Of all the things you make videos about, linguistics are by far my top favourite. They have really made my ears more sensitive to things in speech I never knew existed, and have made me realise that what I thought was unique to certain languages probably exists in other languages, but just really less emphasized and less central to them.

[@jaewok5G]

"a language with words that can only be pronounced while momentarily choking on a bit of undercooked salmon" - this sounds like something douglas adams would've invented.

[@SoluKissin]

I can already read it in the slight condescension I read Hitchhiker's in.

[@ChasMusic]

I've heard the x in German, Yiddish, Hebrew, and, I think, Arabic, is best approximated by the sound of trying to clear a fish bone from your throat. (Don't swallow one just to try, please. Just pretend.)

[@metaparalysis3441]

@@ChasMusic I learn quranic arabic and I think you mean hamzah which I refer as a short a sound

[@emilwibergh1014]

Basically Danish.

[@spencer6580]

This is the best comment in youtube history

[@YellowBunny]

Are you choking? No, I'm just practicing the glottal lateral approximant.

[@sorenkair]

That would be a hilarious retort if you weren't suffocating.

[@craideus1943]

Bless you

[@Asidders]

Danes.

[@Tondadrd]

Of course, I am choking! *?L ?L ?L*

[@generrosity]

(gargle gargle)

[@elietheshark1497]

I want to imagine a bunch of 1890s era gentlemen sitting around a table in a very official building trying to make those impossible sounds and choking on their own voice limitations like khhhhhhkllkkkhhhhhhhhhhhhhkkhhsssssshhhhhhkkllllhhhhhuuuuuuuuuh

[@nikkiofthevalley]

That would be hilarious!

[@sherbatt4769]

Rutherford, for the last time we can't make a bilabial lateral fricative. Now let's try a labiodental lateral fricative.

[@RandomPerson-py8yi]

@@sherbatt4769 I laughed

[@adararelgnel2695]

@@sherbatt4769 omg 😂😂😭

[@PaulNDeputy]

As retired Speed-Language-Pathologist with a specialty in phonology, I enjoyed your presentation (as well as others you’ve made). They say you can always learn more and I have through you. Thank You.

[@gomezfriesen]

I thought from the title you would be pronouncing the letters that can be pronounced but are not found in languages. I would love to hear those.

[@tolgacetiner1243]

Me too

[@ellasedits_]

@Figgy Newton all of those are used in at least English and possibly more as onomatopoeias

[@ursulap.6722]

Seriously, I feel clickbaited :-/

[@GiraffeFlavored]

@@waggyn My brain: eSports League..? English.. sign language? Eastern... Saint.. Louis?? OH! English Second Language!

[@qwertyuiop.lkjhgfdsa]

@@ursulap.6722 but it isn't. you misinterpreted the title, it wasn't intentionally marketed as something it wasn't.

[@HakureiReimuOfficial]

"You can't get your tongue down in your throat" Well, not in this website

[@E4439Qv5]

**Seinfeld theme**

[@CemeteryDriveClown]

**credits rolling**

[@leerye2227]

**some laughing in the background**

[@xtremefps_]

But what if I have surgery to allow me to do it 🤔

[@StormTheSquid]

I think I just laughed so hard I made one of the greyed out sounds XD

[@abolishgender3240]

The best thing is to imagine a group of phonologists and linguists trying to judge whether a sound is impossible or not, these PhDs and postdoctorals making choking sounds without stopping the movement of air, trying to roll their Ks....

[@miniraptor3211]

Honestly, "trying to roll/trill your K's" sounds like an insult for someone trying something impossible. Might keep that one for later.

[@yaboimagnus4776]

as someone taking an alevel on linguistics that is currently at the phonetics section, that is exact what my class sounds like every single lesson , and it really is hilarious

[@juliaabreus]

@@yaboimagnus4776 I'm so glad I'm still doing online classes, nobody can hear me choking over sounds that I theorically could make bcs they exist in my language but not in my accent

[@freyafreyat]

"OMG tom was that a pharyngeal plosive? 😍"

[@zjmullan]

@@miniraptor3211 Not really. If you're that sensitive, stay off the internet.

[@shangerdanger]

funny you said "hawaii" which has a written glottal stop in hawaiian "hawai'i"

[@derekschmidt5705]

How is that funny? He pronounced it correctly to demonstrate exactly what he intended to demonstrate at the time it was appropriate to demonstrate it.

[@kidzbop38isstraightfire92]

​@@derekschmidt5705was just about to give same reply. Way to stay on his ass!

[@quintonconoly]

How so many subs

[@gccwang24]

- Everything the light touches is a possible sound - What about that shadowy place? - That's beyond our borders. You must never try to pronounce them

[@thesaltedlamp3444]

Wait... So, who are Scar and the Hyenas???

[@user-zl1fx3lw9c]

@@thesaltedlamp3444 The loose folds hiding out in your throat that come out to laugh at you if you choke on food in exactly the wrong way.

[@ananttiwari1337]

@Alexander Nawrot moo

[@thomasmelbournemusic4182]

Just me who wants a simulation to hear what the impronounciable sounds would sound like?

[@utetopia1620]

Only possible in the fifth dimension.

[@blastodermis]

It'll be speaking the language of gods

[@S0up3rD0up3r99]

Do you want to summon elder gods? Because that's how you summon elder gods!

[@KuraSourTakanHour]

I think this is a Job for AI generated speech

[@larsatticus6807]

I want someone to build a robot that can troll in the back of their throat. But usually robots use human voices to make words... hm.

[@AdeleiTeillana]

Well, I'm disappointed. I thought you were going to actually sound out what the sounds in the white boxes would be. 😕

[@bradbradlylife9918]

Well that's what u get for being homeschooled

[@alejrandom6592]

do it yourself

[@Liamhvet]

@@bradbradlylife9918 i dont like you

[@nottoofast]

@@bradbradlylife9918 I also don't like you

[@bradbradlylife9918]

I feel like I'm in highschool again They don't tell u that when u drop out, the world drops out with u 🏄

[@jorgee2320]

I learned IPA symbols and it helped me pronounce any language I want to learn easily. While other people struggle for long times to be able to pronounce a single word, pronunciation is not a big issue for me anymore.

[@Nina-x7m5q]

how did you learn? speaking as a language builder for a fantasy setting.

[@christeebs]

I'd appreciate a deeper look at this video. 20 minutes of Tom making noises pls

[@asterism343]

_but what if it was asmr_ ...just kidding that'd be extremely cursed

[@elietheshark1497]

"20 minutes of Tom making noises." +14.8 point for phrasing

[@wowwhatabeautifuldayoutside]

fun party game: gather all your friends and you all take turns trying to make the FORBIDDEN SOUNDS and then vote on who did it best

[@Molybdaenmornell]

And make sure someone cleans up the spit and treats the sore throats.

[@nemui9654]

*accidentally summons demons*

[@Anonymous-df8it]

I tried to do the 'velar trill' and here's what I did (spoiler: when I tried it, I failed): 1. Bring your tongue to the back of your mouth. Also, keep the tongue on the top of your mouth, like rolling your r's. 2. Open your mouth wide to give your tongue space. 3. exhale, but don't let the air go around the side Verdict: I was able to make the tongue vibrate, but it moved forward slightly meaning it was more of a palatal trill instead!

[@tzshchsjsjxijyo]

@@Anonymous-df8it congratulations you just made me pronounce a breathy r, is that even a thing

[@bearcubdaycare]

@@Molybdaenmornell I wonder if this isn't really the thing about them being listed as impossible...

[@CaptainMorghan4152]

But could we use an AI to simulate those “impossible” sounds? It would be really cool to hear them

[@breadispain454]

No

[@thatoneasian5660]

@@breadispain454 mans straight up declined the idea

[@CaptainMorghan4152]

@@breadispain454 yes

[@kjarakravik4837]

There are sounds certain animals make that humans can't. Maybe it's a bit like that?

[@MsNikeNike]

The chart doesn't really describe sounds, but how they're produced, so if it can't be produced, there is no sound it corresponding to the chart.

[@shadowsjoys]

I’m taking a linguistics class this semester and I couldn’t stop laughing imagining a language based on the sound you make when choking on water

[@cheesuschrist4473]

French

[@Miracle12348]

NO-

[@alyanahzoe]

@@Miracle12348 then, what is it?

[@Miracle12348]

@@alyanahzoe what is what?

[@alyanahzoe]

@@Miracle12348 the sound you make when choking on water.

[@KyleJMitchell]

Wow, I had completely forgotten about that spelling of 'hiccup'.

[@Narsuaq]

Same

[@Sammie1053]

Only reason I remembered it is because of that Barshens video where they used the mouth separators

[@BetaDude40]

I think it's kind of interesting how you can clearly see in British English that "cough" and "hiccough" are clearly derived from some jerking motion in the lungs producing a course sound. I never made the connection because I use American English, and it's interesting that you acknowledge how similar they are!

[@girv98]

@@BetaDude40 funnily enough, they're actually not related at all. The reason it's spelt like that is the same reason 'island' has an 's'. Someone thought they were related and changed the spelling to reflect that.

[@misoweli]

*sameeeeee

[@mei.creates]

the reason why that glottal stop occurs in “hawai’i” is because the hawaiian language actually uses the glottal stop as a letter, called the ‘okina. the closest a modern keyboard can get to writing an ‘okina is using an apostrophe, which is what i’m doing here, but in reality, the ‘okina is a separate character and it is included as a letter in the hawaiian alphabet. it’s also present in words like a’a (a type of lava) and pa’u (a traditional skirt). The ‘okina can’t just be left out of words either, because, and using pa’u as an example, “pau” just means “done”, not “skirt.” It affects pronunciation and meaning, and it’s really just a fascinating part of hawaiian language.

[@sonictailsandsally]

Reminds me of a similar concept in Japanese: いた (ita) vs いった (itta)

[@beth12svist]

@@sonictailsandsally Doubled consonants are a thing in Finnish as well. I've also somewhat recently realised that English as an overarching concept does not necessarily differentiate vowel length the way many languages including my own (Czech) do - even though I also think many dialects of English actually do (just like some dialects of Czech kind of don't), it's just that English on the whole has a habit of dismissing such differences...

[@AJthe13th]

oh cool, that's something new that I just learned. So that's why there are a lot of apostrophes when we read hawaiian words in english

[@OogyTheMango]

An ‘okina is typically depicted as a backwards/upside down apostrophe. If you're using a mobile keyboard and hold down the ' key it might show up: ‘ Otherwise you have to use a special shortcut on the computer.

[@bitmap4766]

A glottal stop is a separate letter in Klingon as well!

[@Ryutix]

3:59 Today I learned that I speak welsh when the sun hits my eyes

[@alphamoonman]

Comedy genius

[@lewisbaitup6352]

Its like a disturbed snake

[@AnasHart]

Minecraft spiders lmao

[@Elias-hm7we]

Vampire hiss

[@keyesey0796]

Today i learned that i speak welsh whenever i go to school

[@breakbeat_hardcore]

this video has caused 7,630,046 cases of people spending 30 minutes straight mumbling to themselves like dying aliens

[@tiggysheppard3170]

Them: “Velar Trill is impossible” Chewbacca: GRGRGRGRGRGRG

[@ashrose6946]

who needs English when you have Shyriiwook?

[@hellcrafter5965]

Wouldn't Chewbacca's vocals count as a uvular trill though?

[@tiggysheppard3170]

@@hellcrafter5965 I honestly have no clue 😂

[@ferociousfeind8538]

@@tiggysheppard3170 For that distinct gargling sound, I'd definitely prescribe a uvular trill, or fricative. It's something waaay back there, with something bouncing around.

[@nagranoth_]

for humans...

[@kenny7593]

I want a video with all of the "possible, but unused" sounds being pronounced.

[@ancients6498]

I thought that was this video, I'm so disappointed

[@artifactU]

i wish, but i doubt anyone currently alive iz able to do a palatal trill

[@SuryaBudimansyah]

Sounda like a TikTok challenge

[@martijnvanweele6204]

Imagine meeting aliens and trying to learn their language: "No, you're saying it wrong; it's said with a velar trill." "How am I supposed to make a velar trill!?" "You press your globox against the back of your throat." "Humans don't have a globox." "What an awful way to live..."

[@Majima_Nowhere]

"Imagine having no globox This post was made by the X̷̢̡̧̧̡̢̨̨̘̙̭̩̩̩̤̤͕͙̮̜̬̺̭̪͉̼̲͈͉͓͉̮̻̮͚͔̺͖̞̯̜͎̯͚̣̣̗͍̩̻̘̤̲̪̺̘͚̠̟͎̜̠̩͚̎̀̿̿͆̎̕̕͜͜ͅͅe̸̛̛͎͙̟̘͙̻͇̠̰̪̫̻̘̓͐̉́́͂̅͊͌̅̾̄̌̇͊̉̌̓̌̋̒̈́͑͋̓̒̂͐̈́̄͋͆̆̾̀̃̉͑́̆̈́̕͘͜͝͝͝͝͝ṇ̷̨̧̧̢̡̧̨̛͎͈͈͖̰͕̗̱̤͚̱͙͚̗̰̳͈͙̠̦̗̪͈̤̥̥̮͕̳̻̯̫͈̬̱̟̳̞̬̙͕̼̦̮̲̹͍́͛̈̾́͛̿̎͌̔̋̒̎̈́͆̑͆͑̄̈́̓́̓̈́̑̔̈́̋͌͛͂̀͆̃̈́̒͌̈́̆̄̂͒̒̀̔͗͆́̉͘̚͘͘̚͜͜͜͠͝o̷̧̢̭̣̲͖̜͓̖̪̾̀̂̿͑̂̈́̋̄̈́̈́͛̊̅͐́͗̉́͆͋̀̾͆̇̊̋̅͒́̓͛̈́͛̇̇̄̐́̂̽́͒̉̚̚̚͘̚͝͠ gang"

[@cheesecakelasagna]

@@Majima_Nowhere This but unironically.

[@colorfulchameleon9891]

But there are probably some sounds humans could make that they can't "you can't make a friative dental? How quaint"

[@martijnvanweele6204]

@@colorfulchameleon9891 No. If sciencefiction has taught me anything, it's that aliens are always humans plus.

[@colorfulchameleon9891]

@@martijnvanweele6204 Honestly I personally dislike sci-fi for that reason. I think it'd be more interesting if aliens were completely unique species. But you're right. In modern sci-fi, they are just humans - BUT BETTER.

[@pineappleisthebest8768]

I don't know how you're so good at talking about topics I assume will be boring but then making really interesting videos about it

[@randoiguess]

We've been spelling 'Briʔish' wrong this whole time

[@jangamecuber]

b˞ɪʔɪʃ

[@huskyfluffers9017]

I§&

[@Lexaine]

Bri'ish

[@quickfeather]

thats so good lmao

[@kaiserwilhelm1914]

Ish

[@DoctorDex]

Every time you mention the international phonetic association, I imagine a kind of Jedi council for human speech.

[@NoahHornberger]

they are always on the streets handing out chap-stick, bottled water, and loads of alphabet soup

[@raywilliams6717]

@@NoahHornberger I want an alphabet soup will All possible letters/characters!! It would be amazing.

[@lioraselby5328]

What about the droid attack on the glottal laterals?

[@graysongdl]

That's what I've always thought of when Tom mentions the Unicode Consortium.

[@ZeppelinBigFan]

I just wanted a beer.

[@Brockohliflower]

'by all means, try it' *spends 10 minutes unintentionally insulting Donald Duck's grandma*

[@TheShadowflare1]

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@chickenintrousers6723]

Underrated comment right here

[@fatherindia4810]

666 likes ur welcome

[@hirandompeopled4968]

700

[@graceswan4353]

I can make a trill in the k area what does this mean for humanity

[@sadiesavanna8369]

Not me being in my room trying to pronounce the letters like: aEH lLiH Eei rrRrRr zxsßa BbUh cUHCFah

[@amiga2025]

this is how you raise demons.

[@hobobobo5244]

I wanted to here some of the sounds that aren't in any language :/

[@thenthson]

Given that there is a language that if I am not mistaken is just straight up whistling

[@ApollyonZKX]

You mean hear right?

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

Anonymous User They do have a spoken language, but the whistling was mostly used to have a conversation over a wide space from a distance.

[@kasirrokas5473]

Try arabic 😐👌🏻

[@thenthson]

@@candicehoneycutt4318 I didn't know that. Thank you

[@statelyelms]

I was hoping for him to make some of those ignored, but possible sounds.

[@blockyhour4224]

Same

[@javieralejandrotrianapaz6343]

I'd like to give a symbol to the postalveolar trill: a horizontally flipped r

[@meisteraffe2239]

The Velar-trill is just the sound Perry the Platapus makes

[@khaitranngoc4176]

Thank you. The secret to velar trill is revealed, it's just an edited voice of Dee Bradley Baker.

[@inkanonymous3064]

EXACTLY I LITERALLY THOUGHT THE EXACT SAME THING!!!

[@ewanhendry1106]

I was literally thinking that!!! and we can definitely do it

[@minecat1839]

Agent P!!!!!

[@kalebwingfield]

wouldnt that be more uvular rather than velar?

[@crayolasun]

My son has apraxia so I've been exposed to these before but never in such depth! Thank you! Also, more examples would be utterly fascinating!

[@kijeenki]

a·prax·i·a | āˈpraksēə | noun • inability to perform particular purposive actions, as a result of brain damage

[@jeremy1392]

Everybody: "this is cool" Fantasy Writers: "This looks like a job for me."

[@Daelyah]

...as an aspiring writer, I feel only slightly called out...

[@anthonyt4154]

someone can make a fictional language from this haha let's give languages besides Klingon and Elvish a chance

[@Alchemy818.]

I mean, I made two languages with clicks, whistles, hums, and chirps. They’re spoken by mermaid like creatures (clicks, whistles, hums) and harpy like creatures (whistles, chirps) so there’s that.

[@danielsjohnson]

"...so everybody. Just follow me." I'm probably overthinking this, but you reminded me of Eminem.

[@obviativ123]

Am I the only conlanger who creates languages without stories? I mean, most people also don't need stories for their pictures/drawings.

[@phillipsandgren3094]

"Imagine making the sound like ga or ka with a trill" *Perry the Platypus noise intensifies.*

[@quadpad_music]

DUDE I WAS THINKING JUST THAT. I seriously wonder how that noise was made for the show. I mean, it was probably a foley artist, but how?

[@normiedorian6873]

@@quadpad_music its not hard you raise the back of your toung up where the hard bump is and put the rest down like a slide and blow air out, it also sounds like the predator if you slow it down/ blow less air out

[@joeybarela363]

@@normiedorian6873 I almost choked on my own tongue trying to do this, now I just feel dumb

[@compulsivecommenter990]

That would be a ʀa and a qa

[@nuxapower]

@@quadpad_music Palatal Trill

[@1337fraggzb00N]

Meanwhile in Germany: "Good day, how are you?" "Hello my friend, actually I feel splendid." "That is good to hear, I wish you best." Translation: "Und?" "Jo." "Jo."

[@Codricmon]

That is actually a surprisingly accurate observation. Or in German: Passt.

[@theteddychannel8529]

@@Codricmon sitzt, passt, wackelt und hat Luft.

[@holgerbussen2033]

muss ja ne

[@DrSpaceman42]

wat.

[@1337fraggzb00N]

@@DrSpaceman42 k

[@MaddieFishblob]

WAITTTTTT! Now I understand why when writing Arabic words using the English alphabet, some of the letters nonexistent in English are written as the numbers 2 and 3. There’s a 3 and a symbol similar to 2 on this chart! 😆 one of the great mysteries of the world unexpectedly solved tysm

[@finnnaginnn]

The "3" is more of a "z" with a tail.

[@thevalarauka101]

the one that looks like a 3 is an old Z with a tail (for the zh sound) and the one like a 2 or a ? is a glottal stop

[@OrigamiAhsoka]

This was actually really interesting. I wasn’t expected to be so captivated by a periodic table of possible noises

[@yourfriendlyneighborhoodju3406]

That's a sick ass username🤣

[@HOTD108_]

@@yourfriendlyneighborhoodju3406 That username is a sick ass.

[@DanielHarris171]

Fun fact: My wife’s grandparents worked as Bible translators in Brazil and discovered two phonemes which has never been used before in the indigenous language they were working with.

[@SM-yz4hi]

that’s really cool! do you remember what they were?

[@Inktron]

whaat

[@lucianasoriagutierrez5593]

That's so cool! Love to everyone who is translating the Bible to indigenous languages!! "The best missioner is the Bible in the native language. It doesn't need vacation and it isn't consider foreigner"Cameron Townsend

[@JohnGisMe]

I heard that someone translating the bible into a language used by a Pacific islander group had trouble translating the word "mountain" as the native population had never seen any.

[@georgecabrera9039]

So you're parents are continuing the Spanish inquisition today🤔

[@lumpwurtroot]

"Try and make a velar trill" Well i would if i knew what velar or trill meant

[@goldeviolets4314]

Brig B Velar means it’s made at the same place where /k/ and /g/ are made, and a trill is a manner of articulation

[@CaveyMoth]

[Cat purring noise] Is this really impossible for people?

[@goldeviolets4314]

Cavey Möth A cat purring noise isn’t a Velar Trill

[@goldeviolets4314]

Actually it’s kind of like an alveolar trill

[@starrix4712]

And I thought trills were only assigned to kitties

[@dad49998]

I literally just did a velar trill and it’s super easy. It’s literally just snoring backwards.

[@Релёкс84]

It was uvular, sorry

[@ohifonlyx33]

Alternate title: Language Sounds That Can't Exist. I thought we'd hear the sounds that we actually COULD use.

[@drausino]

I agree. I was slightly disappointed. Those white boxes scream RPG potential.

[@Laeiryn]

I assure you, if it's a sound the human vocal tract can make, someone somewhere at some point in history has used it in a language. Clicks are a good example but so is, say, Fluffy's bit of comedy about how that 'tsk' sound means entire paragraphs to a Latina mother.

[@wesleymays1931]

I can produce 2 separate pitches at the same time. Hint: I'm _not_ using my larynx to produce those pitches.

[@AlexBrown9635]

Tom: **impossible and unusable sounds** Beatboxers: I recognize the council has made a decision, but given that it's a *stupid* decision I've elected to ignore it.

[@Loctorak]

Tom: talking about spoken language. Beatboxing: not a language. Or in other words: how many English words require you to make a noise like a record scratch to say them? Z-z-z-zero.

[@sheridan5175]

@@Loctorak How very English centric And besides, you're reffering to the letters in white. OP was referring to the letters in grey.

[@kidsdomath1330]

You mean like clicks or ejectives?

[@notablediscomfort]

[laughs in deathcore]

[@user-mv9vg8nc5o]

Liked for the marvel reference

[@Kluneberg]

Pronouncing the grey boxes is how you summon Cthulhu and open portals to other dimensions.

[@patrickreilly478]

You know, you jest, but Lovecraft's preferred pronunciation of Cthulhu actually attempts to use a glottal trill, and sounds just awful...

[@C28_Music]

bios47 and with the black boxes, you can alter reality

[@dreadcthulhu6842]

Yes, that is correct.

[@vitonildo]

One of the most interesting videos I ever watched in KZbin. Thanks, Tom.

[@Sadarac152]

Concept: Alien language that include some of the forbidden sounds, generated by computer simulation, in a movie/show

[@daanmollema6366]

Look up about the alien language in Subnautica, it's a videogame but the alien language uses computersimulated sounds that humans can't produce

[@AlexanderRM1000]

An alien language could also include noises that are totally outside the chart on account of a totally different mouth shape or a completely different sound-producing organ altogether, I think. Also dang now I have the urge to check out Subnautica.

[@Unmannedair]

People are capable of far more linguistic sounds than that chart shows. I could personally demonstrate a couple, but instead I offer the example of the Canary island's language.

[@stellar783]

Or by some deities

[@elbowsbuns1896]

Perhaps using the pink trombone?(or whatever the mouth/voice simulation thing online)

[@marbleracingstudios9552]

Let’s be real. We all tried to make every sound that was deemed “impossible”

[@iwbmo]

i couldnt think up how

[@emilys1418]

I ended up making gargling noises for most of them

[@crazywyvern4704]

I don’t know if I’m doing it right but I think I can make the L sound in my throat, I’m probably just stupid though

[@natekurz4029]

In Hebrew we use the chhh sound

[@thelocalnecromancer1224]

I didn't. I simply didn't understand how any of it worked.

[@stevevernon1978]

OK, so there's sounds we can't make. got it. More interesting, would be a video about the sounds we CAN MAKE but no language does make! Not the grey boxes, but the empty white ones.

[@Shaun.Stephens]

True - with a cunning linguist demonstrating those sounds for us.

[@wade2112]

Maybe they dont want to release those sounds because they dont want to make those letters when we use them

[@HeadsFullOfEyeballs]

There's the implosive palato-uvular trill, for a start. That's the sound you make when you snore :D

[@6cylindertuned]

Already a symbol for that, 'Zzz'

[@RedHair651]

There are no empty white ones, this chart is a simplification.

[@caroleanderson4020]

Thanks for book recommend. I've been shopping vainly for a new book to read during hibernation. This one is good for the job.

[@jamesslick4790]

"Manner of Articulation" is a good name for a band. "Loose Fold of Tissue" would be their debut album.

[@Babyteef]

Their most popular song is ‘’Velar Trill’’ 100 percent

[@auri8810]

check out the band "magma", the drummer made up a whole fuckin language just for the band and it has some very interesting sounds in some songs

[@jamesslick4790]

@@auri8810 Sounds interesting, Will check them out! 👍👍

[@arnelarboleda2870]

Too long

[@barrettdecutler8979]

The final album is called "Glottal Stop".

[@Akovor_]

My mum walked into my room and wondered why i was going "haghh" and "lllllhhhh" in front of my computer

[@xraptor10]

I laughed out loud picturing this...

[@Jayden3649]

@LaBelle424242 stop using that many emojis. It makes your comment hard to read, and you don't even need to include them since if you sentence makes sense you won't need to use emojis.

[@acat4701]

@LaBelle424242 go back to Instagram or stop spamming emoji like some normie. Your comments are making me sick due to the overuse of emoji.

[@IIIRobIII]

That sounds like an NPC from Oblivion that ate a poison apple

[@Naomi-gr7fm]

@@acat4701 You could just... ignore it.

[@balrogdahomie]

I still have yet to see anyone write “hiccup” as “hiccough” except when talking about the “Ough” sounds

[@Altoclarinets]

I had it in like one book I had as a child, which I think was printed in the UK (I'm American) and quite old, and I was very confused

[@woodfur00]

I've seen it, although I always used to assume it was pronounced like "hic-cough" and was some kind of combination of a hiccup and a cough.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

It's fairly archaic and old-fashioned. You'll see it in relatively old English literature

[@PrisonerZero]

I distinctly remember it being spelt like that in harry potter

[@jonathanccast]

@@ifuj Resisting reform spelling and then complaining English spelling makes no sense is a very British thing to do

[@tielessin]

I hope no one heard me while I was watching this video, otherwise they'll think I am turning into a zombie right now

[@phosphoros60]

Tom: "A velar thrill is judged impossible. By all means, try it!" me: *chokes

[@jamielonsdale3018]

Rolling a G is uncomfortable, but not impossible. Before you try it, get a towel or something because when you succeed saliva will go flying everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE.

[@rareblue9543]

@@jamielonsdale3018 I tried this without a towel... *regret*

[@douglasrobles-thome7321]

@@jamielonsdale3018 Isn't this the sound that you make in french when you say Croi or Sacre?

[@KarasuInaiga]

*trill

[@wesleymays1931]

Chewbacca noises

[@willprae2992]

Imagine being sent to A&E after injuring yourself from trying out forbidden sounds.

[@foxkit69]

What is A&E?

[@Qwazor]

@@foxkit69 Accident & Emergency

[@foxkit69]

@@Qwazor Ah, is that another word for emergency room?

[@harrisonchui2596]

I tried to make a trill in the back of my throat and threw up. Give me my money back

[@brickstrike4926]

Isnt this just the french r?

[@patheddles4004]

So that's why cats vomit so easily! They're doing trills in their throats all the time by purring...

[@aliceliddell8413]

I could do it

[@Eraliali]

Voiced Alveolar Lateral Fricative is a feature in Mongolian it represents the letter “л”

[@danbrew2487]

You can trill a k, just pretend you're on a walky talky. Over.

[@salemsmith7085]

Dan Brew brilliant

[@cora-illus]

Also kinda works by growling but like. With more K involved

[@JoshLeRose]

Yes this is correct except it’s actually more of an [X] or an achlaut. It’s used in German.

[@Oddn7751]

That's just a fricative! A trill requires something to vibrate.

[@635574]

It makes a kchhh sound but thats not what it was supposed to be

[@henryrichard7619]

“You can’t pronounce all those ‘P’s” _laughs in unvoiced bilabial trill_

[@kurzeme]

@The Flying Dolphin Gemination would only yield a long pause and possibly, a release into a schwa

[@kurzeme]

@The Flying Dolphin better

[@ferociousfeind8538]

@@kurzeme _non-pulmonic bilabial release time_

[@AbdulHaseeb-ze7pu]

(letting your lips hang loose without using your vocal cords. Think the raspberry "pffff")

[@eclipse-music]

For those interested (i.e., only me) that would be written /ʙ̥/

[@NormalLunk]

"Velar trill is impossible" Perry the platypus noises intensify.

[@-jfk2306]

Pfp checks out

[@Mia-kk3sm]

I did it XD

[@cheesecakelasagna]

Fitting pfp

[@constantineravenna86]

ptttttttttrrrrrrrrr

[@psygamez7727]

If anyone ever typed me hiccough instead of hiccup I’m going to do something unseenly

[@ThousandStars1000]

I want to hear the sounds that we can make but don't use

[@PC_Simo]

So do I :-P.

[@adamshirley9594]

A good subtitle for this video would be "An Excellent Concise Introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet."

[@arnbrandy]

It would be a less disappointing title, too...

[@alastairward2774]

Tom's probably killed a few people challenging them to make the shadow sounds.

[@honkhonk9089]

0:12 I remember how I was trying to get to the Slough station in London and didn’t know how to say it.

[@Релёкс84]

It's your fault for every having such a dumb idea as to try and get to Slough

[@Azeria]

3:15 Tom goes right No’num… (that’s Nottingham, for those from elsewhere)

[@Akhimed]

Cool

[@lukekingsland5851]

Haha, hello from No'num

[@sssophie9292]

Is tha' like goin t'pub?

[@Azeria]

@@sssophie9292 I’d associate that more with a Yorkshire accent, but they’re our neighbour to the north, so they’re closely related and that kind of thing does get said here.

[@EpicB]

Welcome back to Bo'om Gear mates.

[@stludachris]

Tom: “you physically can’t make that sound” Me: hold my beer... “łèhįœfæç”

[@Perseus3248M]

Do you want to summon cthulhu? Cause thats how you summon cthulhu...

[@EmpireAntz]

Seeing "æ" there, that's in the vowels chart ,':^)

[@DnKmagic]

Hold my IPA*

[@bingbonghafu]

You can definitely pronounce that

[@thegamingempire7746]

I hope people get the joke.. rather than going oversmart mode

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

Time to invent a fantasy race & language that communicates entirely in “shadowlands” phonetics.

[@Mezurashii5]

And then put it in a movie script so the actors and audio crew have a major headache

[@Qiyunwu]

Lovecraft likes this very much

[@MattLondoner]

That's Klingon.

[@pexfmezccle]

My god that is genius

[@evilconcarne5560]

I was thinking the same for some baddies, the glottal l i kade sounds like a zombie-ish exhale

[@Term-0]

I have been trying to researching phonetics, but couldn't find a way in, until you mentioned the international phonetic alphabet. Thank you.

[@alexp9303]

Kinda disappointed there weren’t captions for this video in the IPA conventions.

[@loreleihillard5078]

Tom lets anyone translate his videos into other languages, you're welcome to do it if you've got the time

[@bemo_10]

@Jakub Klimczak I'm sure there is some tool on the internet that does that automatically for you, so i guess all it takes is CTRL+C CTRL+V.

[@martiddy]

Most dictionaries already have the IPA pronunciation of every word, so I guess it wouldn't take that long.

[@LostieTrekieTechie]

Espeak is a very robotic text to speech software, but you can tell it to just output phonemes (in IPA) instead. It has multiple options for English, where different dialects tend to use slightly different vowels/pronounce certain words differently.

[@girv98]

@@bemo_10 daʊnləʊd "Gboard" ən jə kʊd taɪp laɪk ðɪs ɒɫ jə wɒnt

[@matthewthedford2041]

Tom: “You can’t do a velar trill.” Most People: *Gollum noises* Me: *Aggressive purring*

[@BadenPOWER189]

accurate

[@undyingUmbrage413]

honestly yea. a velar trill is possible, it just requires trilling with your uvula rather than your tongue. (might not count as a trill, but it still works like one)

[@lektik2941]

@@undyingUmbrage413 Totally possible. while watching the video I scoffed and then did this immediately. "There's just no flesh loose enough to bounce around right at the back of the roof of your mouth." XD

[@flux.aeterna]

@@undyingUmbrage413 I’m able to do this while inhaling instead of exhaling. Learned this after realizing, post tonsillectomy, that I could no longer glottal trill to make Chewbacca noises.

[@juch3]

God why do people keep saying this, if you use your uvula that means it's an uvular trill not a velar trill

[@lordsiomai]

Tom: these sounds are impossible for a human to produce Me: **chokes on air for 5 minutes straight*

[@aggersoul23]

Ive watched this vid years ago, but never did I think about specialising in it. Now here I am, once again, between now and then. A phonetic expert _-_

[@user-pd6im9kp2t]

"These are, with a few exceptions all the consonants that humans use" *I tried to learn Chinese and believe me that language is the all exceptions*

[@diogeek]

I am a French guy learning Chinese, I must be a masochist

[@diogeek]

@Figgy Newton hahahahaha

[@winterkeptuswarm]

Chinese isn't hard, i feel trilling with my tongue is hard (like saying "mari" in spanish) pray for me

[@itoxsin950]

I'm Chinese and I still have to think for a second before saying each phrase

[@Jc-gb7kh]

@@diogeek j'aime m'apelle me comme un table ne conduit pas se comme ça pizza monsieur

[@ExF1Guy]

Someone needs to create a language made exclusively of unused possible noises. We must fill the chart!!!

[@chadangeles3856]

schlgrpaf schlgref

[@DidrickNamtvedt]

Seeing those empty and greyed out boxes triggers my OCD so I'm all for filling the chart with new sounds, even if they are physically impossible to produce lmao.

[@ohana21984]

Instructions unclear, successfully summoned forgotten demons of the deepest depth of the underworld

[@puppypi9668]

Phnglui mglwanaf w'agna- [_gets choked by a single tentacle like bart simpson for butchering the pronounciation_]

[@indubitablyamy]

i might have done it wrong but the "velar trill" was really easy

[@Percynique]

you are not alone

[@natalya8988]

Him: “These sounds are impossible” Everyone: KGHKGHFKFJFHDJFJHH

[@philip8498]

how many people just straight up died trying these sounds?

[@erikmensinga]

@@philip8498 oh no

[@willc6577]

this man's google searches must be fascinating in and of themselves

[@voidify3]

@Say Sike Right Now mi5 agent, hes British

[@phylk4683]

My parents are actually linguists and phoneticists and they always say to me “haaaarrrr kkkkk ha! Ooooowwwaaallllah qah-zah-blahc-kaaaahhh! At 2pm”. Always brings a tear to my eye if I’m being honest.

[@missingtexturez]

Kinda wanna hear that

[@phylk4683]

@@missingtexturez its definitely special

[@charvie1147]

Looks like a google meet code

[@kcufbla]

Is that Klingon?

[@astrobiojoe7283]

You're Cardi B's child?

[@moonbyme]

as a linguistics student, im proud that i can understand this video. i did learn something afterall

[@christopherperez9845]

As a stem student I’m glad there was a organized graph to make me understand it

[@wilberforce95]

* white boxes on the IPA chart exist * Star Wars language creators have entered the chat

[@Pikamander2]

*Wookie language intensifies*

[@prim16]

For anyone interested, those are called Conlangs :) "(Artificially) CON(structed) LANG(uages)". David Peterson (creator of the conlang Dothraki from Game of Thrones) and Artifexian have GREAT videos in creating conlangs, for anyone interested in playing with your linguistic knowledge, and creating a language similar to a real world one.

[@josefwolanczyk4866]

Primaski Don’t forget Biblaridion!

[@callumburgess04]

Gareth Fairclough Klingon phonology is fairly English based. Just watch Conlang Critic’s video on it

[@alastairward2774]

Are there any actually invented languages in Star Wars in the same way Klingonese and Elvish are actual languages?

[@aisforamerica2185]

i was today years old when I learned hiccup is spelled "hiccough"

[@TheDestructiveGiant]

It's not

[@blueshoes5145]

Where did you get that info from ?

[@user-df4zw7yb4v]

That's the noun form of the word "hiccup."

[@the_biblioklept2533]

Weeb Trash It objectivily is. Both varients are correct

[@KingsleyIII]

@A is for America: "Hiccough" is the British spelling.

[@brendanmcdowell1395]

“Velar Trill is impossible” *Perry the platypus has entered the chat*

[@wesleymays1931]

But isn't that technically still a bilabial trill (Their version of the bbbbbwa sound)

[@tristintaylor7999]

I think for it to be proper the sound needs to be sped up