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.

  • Square Singer@feddit.deOP
    2·
    1 year ago

    To add to the Anannas thing: Here in Austria old people use the word Anannas for strawberries. Because there was a version of strawberries that were called “Ananas Erdbeere” (so pineapple strawberry) before there where pineapples available in Austria. So they linked the word Anannas with strawberries.

    Redarding mama/papa, that’s what I figured. Mama is one of the first sounds a baby can reliably make, so it’s super similar in most languages, while papa/dada is the second sound they make, and thus it differs more.