Word: hiss

Responses

1. 

   Jeremiah June 19, 2020

   How is this distinct from growling and other noises? In English a hiss is a high-pitched sound that resembles a sibilant consonant /s/, and can refer to a variety of such sounds (tape hiss, hissing pipes), while growling is a rumbling, gutteral sound such as that made by predatory animals as a warning. The Wikipedia pages for these sounds do not have many versions in other languages. Is this an English or European-language-specific concept? Is the distinction based on the sound quality or the source (animal &c.)? Are there any hissing Klingon animals?
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growling ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiss

   1. 

      Andrew July 1, 2020

      I'm in favor of having this word apply to non-living sources as well, like the sound of air escaping from a tire.

2. 

   Lieven L. August 7, 2020

   If hiss is a kind of growl, I would suggest using the word for growl and specify: bey Ham, bey pun, targh bey, etc.

   1. 

      Andrew August 7, 2020

      Hissing and growling are distinct enough, and associated with different animals (for instance) that this word has merit on its own.

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