NationStates Jolt Archive

So, in my Languages class today, we went over "Whistle Languages", which is quite intriguing really. In a sense, they are entire languages based on whistling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistle_language

Example of Whistle Language(From the Canary Islands):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMXu6Gyu278

My professor played a sound clip in class from the Canary Island(As well), and it was really quite a haunting sound listening to shepherds talk about sheep using whistling.

Anyway, the question is this: Have any of you ever had contact with a whistle language(Not just whistles that are denoted with meaning, such as the "hot chick" whistle, but the actual language system), and if so, where and how involved were you with it?
.

I haven't heard of them before.

Never had direct contact with them, but having an interest in linguistics, I've come across them before.

So, in my Languages class today, we went over "Whistle Languages", which is quite intriguing really. In a sense, they are entire languages based on whistling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistle_language

Example of Whistle Language(From the Canary Islands):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMXu6Gyu278

My professor played a sound clip in class from the Canary Island(As well), and it was really quite a haunting sound listening to shepherds talk about sheep using whistling.

Anyway, the question is this: Have any of you ever had contact with a whistle language(Not just whistles that are denoted with meaning, such as the "hot chick" whistle, but the actual language system), and if so, where and how involved were you with it?
.

Anything like the clicks used by the Bushmen in Africa? (which I understand is a language used for hunting purposes rather than everyday communication. Supposedly it sounds like twigs clicking together and breaking and stuff so as not to scare away prey . . . )

Anything like the clicks used by the Bushmen in Africa? (which I understand is a language used for hunting purposes rather than everyday communication. Supposedly it sounds like twigs clicking together and breaking and stuff so as not to scare away prey . . . )

In a sense, yes, in another, no. It's used pretty much solely in mountainous/hilly regions, where yelling what you want to say doesn't carry very far, but whistling does. I don't know of any that rely on it for day to day communication within in a community. Prevalent mostly in low population density areas, for the most part.

It's definitely not what most people would consider "speech". However, it is, and people can actually carry on long conversations in it, if they know how to "speak" in it.

I've certainly heard of it, but never encountered it. Something to do with the higher pitched whistles carrying further than the relatively lower pitched human voices.

Well there was some in Abe's Oddysee. That game was great.

Never had direct contact with them, but having an interest in linguistics, I've come across them before.

Seconded.

I've heard of whistle-language, but never encountered it.


I am however, curious as to why a hot dog with bacon and cheese is referred to as a 'whistle dog'. Why? Can you whistle with it? Is it made with the deliscious taste of 'whistle'?

Perhaps they were invented by people from a whistle-language background.

This is the first I've heard of them. Interesting stuff.


I can't whistle :(

I wonder what would happen if you went there and whistled 'My Old Man's a Dustman'.

I hadn't even heard of them before. Pretty cool.