Blowing a raspberry
Blowing a raspberry, strawberry or making a Bronx cheer is to make a noise signifying derision, real or feigned. It is made by placing the tongue between the lips and blowing to produce a sound similar to flatulence. In the terminology of phonetics, this sound can be described as an unvoiced linguolabial trill [r̼̊]. It is never used in human language phonemically (e.g., to be used as a building block of words), but the sound is widely used across human cultures.
The nomenclature varies by country. In the United States, Bronx cheer is sometimes used; otherwise, in the U.S. and in other English-speaking countries, it is known as a raspberry, rasp, or razz – the origin of which is an instance of rhyming slang, in which the non-rhyming part of a rhyming phrase is used as a synonym. In this case, "raspberry tart" rhymes with "fart".[1] It was first recorded in 1890.[2]
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Etymology [edit]
Blowing a raspberry comes from the Cockney rhyming slang "raspberry tart" for 'fart'.[3] Rhyming slang was particularly used in British comedy to refer to things which would be unacceptable to a polite audience.
The term "Bronx cheer" is used sarcastically because it is not a cheer; it is used to show disapproval. The term originated as a reference to the sound made by some spectators in Yankee Stadium, located in the Bronx, New York City, New York.[4][5]
See also [edit]
- Bilabial trill
- Joe Btfsplk
- Golden Raspberry Awards
- Linguistic universal
- The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town
References [edit]
- ^ Bryson, Bill (1990). The Mother Tongue: English & How It Got That Way (Trade printing, September 1991 ed.). Avon Books. p. 238. ISBN 0-380-71543-0.
- ^ "raspberry". The Mavens' Word of the Day. Random House. 1998-04-13. Retrieved September 19, 2005.
- ^ "Raspberry tart". Phrases.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ^ Hinkley, David (March 3, 2004). "Scorn and disdain: Spike Jones giffs Hitler der old birdaphone, 1942". New York Daily News.
- ^ Partridge, Eric (2006). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: A-I. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-25937-8.
External links [edit]
- Video of raspberry blowing at 500 frames per second, taken with a high speed camera
- Video of one long raspberry
