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: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL96C35uN7xGLDEnHuhD7CTZES3KXFnwm0
Written with Gretchen McCulloch and Molly Ruhl. Gretchen’s new book, BECAUSE INTERNET, is available now:
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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.
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@TomScottGo
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
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.
@evolancer211
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
You mean hiccup?
@4whomittolz846
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
If linguists can't work out how to do a velar trill they clearly drank responsibly in college.
@nerosssssssssss
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
when i tried a Velar Trill, it sounded/felt like a C and/or G and it was similar to when i would play animals with my siblings or friends and there's this growling/hissing thing we'd do and I swear it's that
@R-BGamingUK
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
5:28 "And ye can't get ye tong down ye throat to create that center blockage"
@LiberatedAmon
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Where did you learn to spell hiccup?
@d93hf
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Try it. Traies it. Dies
@Orenotter
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
A velar trill is a gargle. That's not only possible, it's easy, and it is a phoneme in Isalwut.
@PirateSurgeon116
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Nasal-Glottal is what my dad does every day
@DriftingDraftsman
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
I was just thinking about this yesterday!
@bartusiesiek
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
i tried doing a velar trill, i sounded a motorbike engine that also doubles as a duck
@JosephFoxMcree
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
In the end English, Russian,and German are superior to illustrating our world
@midnight.blue42
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
I tried to say G with a thrill and I ended up pronouncing ʀ.
@anitaheubel3228
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Phonetic? Should this not be FONETIK?
Same with International and Alphabet.
@icarus-wings
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Nobody spells hiccup as hiccough.
@killerbunny7206
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
I can propably do more trills than the average person, I'd say. EDS makes your everything more soft and that kind of helps. It has more bad effects than good effects but at least I can try to make illegal consonants.
@xona123
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
I love how he transitioned off-screen and back on-screen at 2:40 for literally no reason lmao, the picture he was talking about didn't change or anything.
@opoaotoroiocoko
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
0:12
Who in their right mind spells it "hiccough"?
Nobody.
It's Hiccup.
@haydenspence7107
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
I make a Velar Trill at almost every minor annoyance
@Rensra
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
5:04 A velar trill is just a gargle, try it, it's possible and very hilarious…
@algotkristoffersson15
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
1:03 why did we need this at all when we can just record audio?
@HeySeusReborn
November 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
The K trill sound can be made by pooling spit at the back of your mouth and using that instead of your tongue.
Comments are closed.