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Listening in to any conversation, one will quickly realize that people don't always know what they are going to say when they start speaking. This causes them to say things like "ummm," "uhhh," or "ahhh." Each of these have their own nuances in usage in English, but many are found in other languages (whilst in Italy one summer, I frequently heard "ahhh" used in a similar manner as that found in English). Another interjection with its own nuances is "huh." This is either used as an extremely passive acknowledgement of something one has heard or found interesting, or as an interrogative when one does not understand a concept. This question about conversational softeners (specifically this comment) was what inspired this question, as oftentimes these interjections are used as conversational softeners themselves. These interjections are hardly ever written out in formal writing, and are hardly words like the ones discussed in the answers to the linked question. So, (see what I did there?) what would be the Latin equivalent of these interjections? Most are just vowel sounds, and might not be language specific, but I would still be interested in knowing whether or not instances of their usage exist.

Here are some common English interjections of the type I have discussed, and their definitions:

um- used as an expression of doubt, hesitation, deliberation, interest, etc.

uh- used to indicate hesitation, doubt, or a pause

ah- used as an exclamation of pain, surprise, pity, complaint, dislike, joy, etc., according to the manner of utterance

huh- used as an exclamation of surprise, bewilderment, disbelief, contempt, or interrogation

hmm- used typically to express thoughtful absorption, hesitation, doubt, or perplexity

eh- an interrogative utterance, usually expressing surprise or doubt or seeking confirmation

er- used to express or represent a pause, hesitation, uncertainty, etc.

Joonas Ilmavirta
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Sam K
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  • If anyone has any better tags, feel free to add them! – Sam K Aug 10 '17 at 23:49
  • Duplicate? What were used as “filler” words in Classical Latin? – Nathaniel is protesting Aug 11 '17 at 10:21
  • @Nathaniel I can see where you are coming from, but to me the answer found there doesn't really answer the question of what equivalent interjections would be present, only that they were noted in treatises on rhetoric, which is hardly the type of informal speech in which these are found. EDIT: Also, my question also pertains to interjections that are also stand-ins for sentences in their own right ("huh," "hmm," etc.) that are not just what happens when your thought trails off. To me, this provides the question with individual merit, but you are free to close it if you believe that to be best. – Sam K Aug 11 '17 at 17:41
  • See this comment, which kind of reflects my view of that answer, as well. – Sam K Aug 11 '17 at 18:10
  • You can't assume that sounds alone, in contradistinction to complete words, were used as filler. The fact that English sometimes does (ya know) is hardly a universal rule. In Arabic, the word "yani" is used. In Spanish, you can use the whole word, "este" as well as fillers (uuuy). These words--again, in Spanish--are referred to as "muletillas" (small crutches). Perhaps Latin used whole words like Spanish tends to do, and that is why there is no 'expected' answer to this question. (I.e., English has this, so therefore Latin did, so what is the expression in Latin?) – user26732 Aug 14 '17 at 11:01
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    @user26732 Then pointing out which muletillas were used in Latin would be a great answer! I find it difficult to believe that there is no equivalent of a sound of hesitation like "uhhh" in most, if not all languages, as it is more of a lapse in mind to speech continuity than a filler word. And I am hardly suggesting English is the end all be all in grammar and language. So when you make that little analogy at the end, an answer I would accept would be one were you could refute the idea Latin does have it in the form English has it, and then provide the nearest Latin equivalent. That is what – Sam K Aug 15 '17 at 01:58
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    these questions are for! So, in summary, what would be the Latin equivalents? They don't have to be just sounds and I wasn't necessarily limiting it to just that, but it is not a completely terrible question to ask whether or not Latin had something similar, seeing as interjections like "uhhh" are just sounds rather than words that express intent in a crude vocal form. In addition, according to your expressed logic, any translation question will not have an "expected" answer as the whole point of different languages is that they are all different in some discernible fashion. I don't understand – Sam K Aug 15 '17 at 02:01
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    how this question could be any different from any other. In fact, according to the translation question meta rules, you should show attempt to come up with your own solution, and is it completely out of left field for me to suggest that they also used sounds? I don't think so! Gosh, this ended up being longer than I expected... :D – Sam K Aug 15 '17 at 02:06

2 Answers2

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  • Hmm, it seems that vah/uah was an all-purpose interjection that fits some of your purposes. The Oxford Latin Dictionary notes that it was "an exclamation expressing any of various emotions ... pain, dismay, vexation, contempt for a person or idea, admiration, surprise."

Some examples:

vah, bella res est volpis uda!

Huh, a bedraggled fox is a fine creature!

Petronius, Satyricon, 58

vah! quam vellem etiam noctu amicis operam mos esset dari!

Oh! How I wish it was the custom to offer services to friends at night as well!

Terence, The Brothers, act 4, scene 1

uah! egone ut ad te ab libertina esse auderem internuntius?

Bah! Would I dare to be a go-between for you from a freedwoman?

Plautus, The Braggart Soldier, act 4, scene 1

Related is vaha/uaha, which can express both pain or gratified surprise.

  • There's also a plain a in Plautus, which I interpret, in the context, as a sort of "um, what?":

a, perii? quid ita?

um, I’m dead? How so?

Plautus, Casina, act 3, scene 5

  • Elsewhere, a simple quid could be construed as "eh?":

“quid dixisti? quid? ita te fruar?”

“What did you say? Eh? So shall I enjoy you?”

Seneca the Elder, Suasoriae, 7.12

“Quid agebas” inquit “frater sanctissime? Quid? Vesticontubernium facis?”

“What are you driving at,” he said, “my ever so pure brother? Eh? Are you for a partnership-under-the-bedspread?”

Petronius, Satyricon, 11

Penelope
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This isn't exactly authoritative, but the translator of Winnie the Pooh, A. Lenard, who had to deal with a variety of interjections, translates "O" (as in "O, mouse, thou hast....") as "O", "Oh" as "Oh", "aha!" as "eheu", and everything else is either "heu" or "heus". "Well, well, well" becomes "eheu, eheu, eheu". "Oh there you are." becomes "En, ages". His glossary defines "Eheu" as "Oh!" or "Ow!", "En" as "Lo", "Behold" or "There!", and "euge!" as "hurrah". - C. Lanz

user1695839
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    Welcome! While the Latin translation of Winnie the Pooh is not an original classical piece of work, this is a good answer. (+1!) I hope you stay on the site for some more questions ans answers, and take a look at our [tour]. – Joonas Ilmavirta Aug 22 '17 at 20:39