[Lingtyp] Default expression for singing ("la la la")

[Jess Tauber]

Not in the languages I've looked at. However, from the perspective of
phonosemantics, there does seem to be a tendency for words for 'sing' to at
least contain segments whose iconic mappings represent the notion of
sinusoidal (or similar cyclic) wave types, types of reverberation or
vibration, etc. For many languages these are liquids, but not all. In
Muskogean languages from northern Gulf of Mexico, it is /n/ that has this
sense, rather than a liquid. But the sense of /n/ in these languages isn't
limited to sound- it refers to ANY sort of reverberation, continued
rotation, or vibration.

Jess Tauber

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On Fri, Jul 22, 2022 at 3:14 AM JOO, Ian [Student] <ian.joo at connect.polyu.hk>
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> In most languages, does the default expression for singing consist of
> repeated CV syllables with coronal sonorant onset + low vowel nucleus?
> In other words, is it mostly la la la, na na na, etc.?
> I assume that it's because it’s the least marked syllable with the
> greatest amplitude?
>
> From Hong Kong,
> Ian
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