h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's something I have often pondered. Why is it that, in a moment of terror, humans will scream? What's the point?

Like many things humans do it's most likely a throwback to pack behaviour... a predator comes along, the one who spots it screams or makes another loud noise, the others come over with their clubs and pointy sticks and defend their territory.

It would mess up the scripts of the B movies if we did not

I had been thinking up all sorts of interesting and frankly far-fetched reasons for screaming, but I completely missed out the alarm call . Thanks, Mr. Dreadful.

Either the pointy sticks and clubs or alternatively, it lets others know to skidaddle in a hurry

Not only does it alert the rest of the pack to bring their pointy sticks, but it also serves to instill fear into the predator. It sends two messages at once: "Look how powerful I am... I make big noises!" And, "You'd better run... people with pointy sticks are on their way!"

Big noises? Or just high-pitched, girly ones .

Depends on how you scream, I guess.

Animals will roar at you in fright for the same reason. They may not be summoning anyone with pointy teeth, but they are trying to intimidate you.

on a related point - I've often wondered were "Ow!" comes from.

I remember hearing a next door neighbour's child who must have been about 3 at the time, bump his head and after looking puzzled about what was different (i.e the pain in his head) reached up and meekly said "ow!"
I suspect it must be learnt behaviour but can anyone confirm this?

Do different cultures with different languages say the same "ow" noise?

Precisely my point

>>>Do different cultures with different languages say the same "ow" noise?

In the interests of scientific research I will now go and thump one of my French colleagues...

**NOTE TO SELF**

Next time, pick a smaller Frenchman...



Answer - they don't - they go "Hey!" and thump you back!

Spanish for 'ow!' is usually 'ai!'.

az

From http://www.etymonline.com/

"Ouch
1837, from Pennsylvania German 'outch', cry of pain, from Ger. 'autsch'. The Japanese word is 'itai'. Latin used 'au', 'hau'."

Seems to me it's learned behavior. The child falls down, and the parent says, "ow!" The sooner the kid learns how to communicate pain, the better.

The French people i know all say "Aii!" & in fact, after having lived here a few years, i quite often say "Aii!" myself, so i suppose it must be partly learned/imitative behaviour.

zdt

Isn't the vowel sound produced on receiving an injury related to the involuntary intake of breath that accompanies it? Dependant on the native language & common vocal patterns, the sound will be slightly different.
That's when it isn't an expletive of course!

Or is it again a sort of warning sound to alert others nearby to a hazard?

Speaking of which, why is it that in extreme situations (when I'm about to crash the car for example), my mom closes her eyes and covers them up in her hands? It doesn't serve to alert pack members, and it just makes it easier for whatever's about to happen to actually happen. I can't figure it out.

Your mom covering *her* eyes when *you* are driving doesn't make a crash more likely to happen. If she covered *your* eyes, on the other hand...

When we got hit by a drunk driver a couple years ago, and I saw a redwood in the headlights, I closed my eyes because there was nothing I could do to avoid hitting it, being a passenger and the car being out of control anyway, and I didn't particularly want to see a tree enter the car (we didn't hit it, BTW). Now, how much of that was an actual conscious decision at the time, and how much rationalisation right now, I've no idea