Erica in San Antonio, Texas, asks whether there’s a term for the soft noises that people make with their mouths while waiting, such as humming or whooshing, to pass the time. Another example might be that animated Typewriter Guy on Sesame Street who rolls into the frame singing to himself: NOO noo noo noo noo noo noom. Or when you’re waiting for someone to figure out a question and you reflexively hum the tune from the final round of the TV game show Jeopardy! or Countdown. If the wordless vocalization is meant to communicate something to someone — say, assuring someone waiting on the other end of a phone line that you’re still there — it’s known as phatic communication, which refers to the things we do and say that don’t necessarily convey a literal meaning, but instead serve as a kind of social lubrication. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Noises We Sing, Hum, or Mutter While Waiting”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Erica and I’m calling from San Antonio, Texas.
Hi, Erica. Welcome to the show.
What can we do for you, Erica?
So I had a question that’s not necessarily about a word or phrase, but it’s about a sound that people make when they’re waiting, passing the time.
And usually it’s like waiting on a phone call or just waiting to get handed something.
It usually sounds something like this, like…
And everybody kind of makes it when they’re just waiting around.
It’s like your own personal music.
Yeah, like your own personal music, yes.
Well done.
So I wanted to know why people do that, because it seems like everybody kind of does it, and what’s it called?
I guess my first question for you is, is this for somebody else’s benefit, or might you do it when you’re by yourself?
I would say you do it more for yourself, kind of passing time.
It’s not really to entertain or anything.
It’s just something you do.
The reason I ask is because back when I was doing a lot of magazine articles and I would call experts for this or that and they would have to look something up, I was so struck by the fact that there was this period of time a few years ago when it seemed like everybody would be looking something up while they’re on the phone with me and they would say, do, do, do, or something like that.
Do you know?
Yeah, exactly. It happens so often that I wanted to write a magazine article about that, but I couldn’t really quite figure out how to do it.
But, but I think that that happens as well when you call customer service or something like that.
And, and, and, and I think that that sort of version of it communicates a certain amount of meaning.
Don’t you think it’s, it’s like I’m, you know, you’re trying to maintain contact with the person.
I’m here. I’m here. Hang on. I haven’t forgotten you.
Right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Gosh, Grant. I mean, it’s a kind of, yeah, right?
Is that self-soothing?
I don’t.
Yeah, it kind of is, isn’t it?
It’s kind of, I don’t know, it reminds me of the tuneless humming that people do sometimes.
And you just catch them.
They’re on their own.
And they’re just like, it’s not a song.
It’s not a tune.
It’s just, it’s not words.
Yeah, it’s definitely another version.
Do you know what it’s called?
No.
Well, there is a category of language called phatic communication, P-H-A-T-I-C.
And this is language we use for the general purposes of social interaction.
This is what Martha was talking about, where instead of conveying information or asking questions, it’s just we throw it in there in order to keep the social graces, in order to lubricate the relationship, so to speak, in order to, like, just make sure everything is copacetic, you know?
And this, if there are other people involved, might be part of that.
But I don’t know if you’re on your own if that still qualifies as static communication, P-H-A-T-I-C.
I don’t know.
You know, and it’s funny, as we talk about this, I’m thinking about a couple of things.
How is it that when you’re in a group of people and everybody has to say, take a moment to privately write an answer on a card that will be submitted, everyone automatically does the Jeopardy theme.
And those of you listening in the UK, do you guys do the theme from Countdown, which is on a game show in the U.K.?
I was like, I don’t know.
And it also reminds me, if you remember Sesame Street, and I don’t know if they still have this, but there was this typewriter guy from Sesame Street.
It’s a typewriter on wheels with eyes and hands, and he comes from a distance and approaches the viewer, and he goes, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Yes.
And then he eventually types one key and says that letter.
What you’re doing, Erica, reminds me of him.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I kid down like that sometimes, yeah.
I don’t know that there’s a name for it, but boy, I’ve got to dig into this and find out more.
This is a good one, Erica.
This is a first.
I don’t think we’ve ever had this question before.
Yay!
I’m a big fan, so I’m glad I brought something new around.
Thank you so much.
We appreciate it.
Take care and be well, all right?
Thanks.
Bye.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Call us, and in the voicemail, what’s the waiting sound that you make?
