The cow goes “moo.” The sheep goes “baa.” What do little kids in Africa learn instead? What does the wildebeest say, for example? –Bill Kinnersley, via the Internet.
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You are a lucky guy. I’ve just been reading a book on this subject by Hank De Zutter, an English professor and honorary chairman of the zoophilology department here at the Straight Dope Institute of Knowledge. Hank writes the kind of book the world of science could use more of: big type, lots of pictures, and titles like Who Says a Dog Goes Bow-wow? I have counseled Hank that if he’d called his book “Differential Ethnic Perception of Animal Vocalization” he would have been awarded a chair at Harvard by now, and perhaps a nice coffee table to go with it. But he says he’s happier in the kids’ department. “Sure my readers get into childish arguments,” he says, “but at least they’re not over tenure.”
“Your correspondent also mentioned the lamb, which most languages render into some kind of braying sound that starts with either a B or an M, producing either “ba-a-a’ or “ba-a-ay,’ or “ma-a-a’ or “ma-a-ay.’ Most of my African sources said a lamb there said “ba-a-a.’ My Zimbabwe source, a poet and actress, says that in her native language of Ndebele a cow indeed goes “moo’ and a lamb or sheep goes “maaa.’
Is there something you need to get straight? Cecil Adams can deliver the Straight Dope on any topic. Write Cecil Adams at the Chicago Reader, 11 E. Illinois, Chicago 60611, or E-mail him at cecil@chireader.com.
