About Whistling
With such a seemingly limited vocabulary, whistling can be a surprising versatile act. Human beings can whistle to express emotions, to attract attention or even to perform on Broadway. And although gifted whistlers often evoke low-grade envy among their peers, most people rarely realize just how impressive whistling can be.
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Features
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Whistling occurs when a stream of air enters a resonant chamber, most often the human mouth. By altering the size and shape of the chamber with the use of the fingers, lips, teeth and tongue, the whistler can alter the pitch of a whistle accordingly. Some individuals find it much more difficult to whistle than others, for yet unknown reasons. Whistling can often be learned, however: moistening the lips and relaxing the tongue may provide a smoother flow of air.
Types
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Whistling can be performed in several different ways. Pucker, or "pursed lip" whistling, is the most common form, as air is forcefully inhaled or exhaled through pursed lips. The relatively difficult wolf whistling requires that the fingers be inserted into the mouth, so that the air travels between the tongue and roof of the mouth to produce a much sharper, louder sound. Throat and teeth whistling, however, are the rarest, most difficult forms of whistling. Whistling can also be performed with external tools, such as a blade of grass or an acorn cap.
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Function
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Whistling be used for a variety of purposes, from expressing emotion to attracting attention. Some people celebrate at public events with loud whistling, which can be easily heard over the general applause. In the 1950s and 1960s, a form of wolf whistling was often used to express physical attraction towards a woman, although it has long since been considered bad form, if not downright harassment. Whistles is also used for calling cabs, summoning dogs or just for passing the time.
Misconceptions
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Whistling is associated with a number of superstitions. Despite its roots in Vaudeville, whistling backstage at the theater is thought to bring bad luck--managers used to hire sailors to run the fly loft (the system of ropes and counterweights), and whistling could be mistaken as a cue. In Russia, whistling indoors is thought to incur financial difficulties. And in Japan, whistling outside is believed to attract snakes (despite the fact that snakes are deaf).
Potential
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Skilled whistling can even stand on its own as a distinct musical form. Ronnie Ronalde, a contemporary of the likes of Sinatra, was well-known for whistling in his 1950s performances. Another musician, Fred Lowery, was renowned as "the Blind Whistler." Whistling also serves a function in several hundred languages worldwide--especially in tonal languages where meaning can be conveyed by tone and frequency, instead of particular phonemes. And La Gomera, a small island in the Canary Islands, boasts a language known as "Silbo": its speakers can communicate in over 4,000 words from over a mile away.
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