The Language Sounds That Could Exist, But Don't

And that's it for this run of the Language Files! Thanks to co-authors Gretchen McCulloch and Molly Ruhl, and animator Stephen Houston-Moore. And to answer the question that'll get asked ten times in response to this, these videos and comments get scheduled weeks in advance so I don't have to worry about actually being online when they launch.

Isn't a Velar Trill just gurgling?🤔

wow

That is not how you spell hiccup, that’s not a real word. Right? Right??

A parrot can pronounce them.

Watching this to find out what to add to my vocabulary

The glottal trill is very possible. Listen to some metal or watch the Grudge. Source: metal singer

the goal of IPA is to taste as disgusting as possible

the amount of noises i made watching this is sad

I have been trying to researching phonetics, but couldn't find a way in, until you mentioned the international phonetic alphabet. Thank you.

I learned to make the “impossible” velar trill!

Ifthey went to my uncle's house and listened to him sleep on his recliner in the middle of the day, those grey areas will be filled in.

IPA created the IPA

You still never pronaunced the ones that could exist

You... you can't do a trill in the back of your mouth? I definitely can make a noise that seems a lot like that.

"English isn't a language, English is three languages in a trench coat"

You can do a velar trill with enough spit saved up.

I can totally produce that R sound in the back, I sound like a growling dog doing it.

Eveloution itself prevents us, that a intresting though you can train any of these, which would mean you could develop vocal skills to potentially pronounce some of the grey boxes, unsure why you would need this though.

So why not just use these characters for languages that have spelling problems?