Related to the question about whether facial expressions are universal.

Are there words/verbal expressions/sounds that exist in every language and have the same meaning in every language?

(I’d also count words that are very similar.)

One example, that I believe is universal is M followed by a vowel followed by another M and optionally another vowel, meaning “Mother”.

At least in any language I know, this seems to hold true (mom, Mama, mamma, Mami, …).

Any other examples?

Edit: To clarify, I am not looking for very popular words that have been imported into most languages (like how almost everyone worldwide knows what Ketchup is), but about words that are “native” to humans. So if you pick someone from an uncontacted native tribe and tell them nothing, they would be able to understand/use that word/sound/verbal expression.

  • 667
    5•2 years ago

    “No,” or some very close variation of it is fairly common. Though in Filipino it’s “hindi” so not universal.

    • Square SingerOP
      2•2 years ago

      Might be (like mom/mama/mami/…) a baby-derived term. My two month old baby of course can’t speak a word. But when she expresses bad feelings, it sounds a lot like “neineineinei” or “nononono”.