This reminds me of something interesting about the Inupiaq people. Usually I will express a yes by shaking my head up and down or no by shaking my head from side to side. However the Inupiat here express yes by lifting their eyebrows and no by "squishing" their faces. It took me a long time to notice this but after I did it became easier to recognize answers from the kids.
Is it usually as dramatic as that, or are you exaggerating for illustration? Those differences seem like they could possibly be very subtle. Also, since I read you live in Alaska, I did imagine that you probably had a big beard. Often, the body plays a larger role in languages than at first glance, but in very important ways. For example, in many Asian cultures, pointing with one finger is terribly rude, but using the whole, open hand with the fingers fully extended and together with the thumb held close, is acceptable. Also, the 'come here' motion, made with the palm up, with the index finger beckoning, is really rude and generally used to call dogs and children. More polite is to extend the arm, and loosely flapping a relaxed hand downward. The closest things I've experienced to what you show, are 'no' in Vietnamese, which is written: không. It looks like it might sound like 'kong' with an aspirated 'k' but it sounds more like 'howm' with a short, sharp 'h' from the back of the throat. Furthermore, as the word ends with the lips together and the cheeks puffed. Another one is in the Philippines where many people point with the lips. As a kid, I didn't realize that that gesture was uncommon in America until I was asked about it. Is Inupiat a tough language?
It depends from person to person, but from what I've seen with the kids they are all VERY expressive and will express in the same way that I've shown in the picture. The Asian thing now makes sense because I've noticed that movement in some Asian movies. The actual language is called Inupiaq I actually only know a few words and I don't know any of the syntax (I couldn't use an entire sentence for example). Here is a dictionary for perusal : http://www.alaskool.org/Language/dictionaries/inupiaq/dictio... An interesting word is arrii (Pronounced AH-Dee here but maybe different in other villages) which is something said when you're through with something or disgusted with something. For example "Arrii, no homework" or "Arrii I'm done!" It's such a great way to express yourself that I've been using it "Arrii I don't want to work tonight" Interestingly I've not noticed the kids say the word "huh" but I'll keep an ear out. Because they speak english and inupiaq I would suspect that they do use the word.
Very cool. Interesting stuff in that dictionary. These two caught my eye: naluktuq swims (of sea mammals and polar bear) I am always interested in finding out the first one. I was shocked that Vietnamese has no particular word for "hangover", which is instead described as being tired from drinking alcohol. It's fascinating the way that languages are shaped by the environment they deal with. I'm sort of wondering now, if any other languages have verbs for particular animal actions, like sea mammals and bears swimming.naluksrifuaqtuq has a hangover (N)
The New Yorker provides some colorful international expressions: Egyptians: “still drunk” Japanese: “two days drunk” Chinese: “drunk overnight” Swedes: “smacked from behind” Salvadorans: “made of rubber” French: “wooden mouth” Germans and Dutch: have a “tomcat” Poles: “howling of kittens” Danes: “carpenters in the forehead”naluksrifuaqtuq has a hangover