The elephant says "Bbbbbbrrr!", the giraffe says . . . ?

by Linda Lee (Subscribe to Linda Lee's posts) Jan 31st 2008 4:30PM

Okay, I've got a burningly important question for all you parents out there. You know how the cow says "moo", the sheep says "baa", the lion says "rarrrr!", the doggie says "woof", and so on?

Well then, what, for the love of GOD, does the giraffe say?

No, really, I'd love to know if this has come up in your household ("What giraffe say, Mommy?") and if so, what answer you gave.

While Riley first asked me, I made up a weird sound -- kind of a gurgling "Eeee" noise -- which my husband scoffed at, declaring that I sounded like a dying gerbil. "Riley, giraffes do this," he said, and stretched out his neck as long as he could while making a slow, dramatic chewing noise, as if he were working over a fist-sized wad of gum. "Chomp . . . chomp . . . chomp."

So that's what the giraffe says in my house. "Chomp . . . chomp . . . chomp." It's kind of gross, really.

Tell me, what does your pint-sized giraffe say?

Comments (24)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Monica 1-31-2008 @ 4:41PM

I always thought they were mute, but I was inspired to search before making a definitive statement. Good thing I did :) Apparently they don't talk often, but have a huge range of sounds.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Wild-Animals-705/giraffe.htm

As giraffes are rarely heard, many people think they are mute. They are generally quiet, but will vocalize by emitting moans, hisses, snores, hisses, coughs, grunts, moos, snorts, bleats (similar to that of a young calf or sheep), low notes, low, fluttering sounds or flute-like sounds or whistles. They may make loud grunts, roars or snort when they feel alarmed or threatened. Courting males may let out a loud cough. Females may whistle to call their young or bellow when seeking lost calves. Calves can bleat and make mewing calls. Giraffes also produce infrasounds. Most of the time, the only noise made by giraffes is the gentle clicking of their hooves as they lift their feet clear of the ground.

Anthony 1-31-2008 @ 4:53PM

Hilarious! This has in fact some up with our 2 1/2 yr old (and his stuffed giraffe 'Jerome' ... Canadians will understand ...) and giraffes in our house say the exact same thing more or less! Make eating sounds with dramatic eating motion, but without saying anything ("chomp, chomp, chomp"?). Essentially it's the sound of chewing with your mouth open without actually eating anything.

A>

sheinemann 1-31-2008 @ 4:58PM

Very funny! In our house, my daughter decided that "Giraffes don't make sounds, they just eat!" so the chomping noises are right on.

Jess 1-31-2008 @ 5:16PM

Dang. That's the sound we have for a "crock-in-dile."
This parenting thing is tough!
(Of course both bears and lions say ROOOOARRR!, so I guess giraffes and crock-in-diles can share sounds, too.)

Joanne 1-31-2008 @ 5:26PM

We always say giraffes are selfish, from an old Andy Griffith show, and leave it at that.

Sharon 1-31-2008 @ 5:48PM

My husband taught our 2 year old that giraffe says.....MmmmmmmLarry......and the only way this really works is if you say is with a lot of enunciation on every sound.
Smile!!!

isisaquaria 1-31-2008 @ 5:51PM

Thankful to audio taped animal sounds purchased off the net 12yrs ago--learned as my daughter did and rewind and repeat 7 yrs later. Geoff the GERRAFE(the guy on the tape is something) had no sound for he was too busy with his head in the clouds waiting for the birds to perch upon his regal crown. (and yes, i have that commited to memory burned forever on my defenseless eardrums) The things we will do for the education and entertainment of our children.

Amanda 1-31-2008 @ 5:53PM

Okay, Monica...next sound...what in the heck kind of sounds do rabbits make???? as far as my daughter knows, they go hop hop but very quietly :D

claire 1-31-2008 @ 9:41PM

From Wikipedia:
"Other than loud screams when frightened or caught by a predator, the only auditory signal known for most species is a loud foot thump made to indicate alarm or aggression. A notable exception is the volcano rabbit of Mexico, which utters a variety of calls."
I found another source that said courting rabbits make sounds similar to "oink," but I'm not sure that one (unreliable!) was talking about the soft, fluffy kind of bunny we are.
I have this same issue with some baby books we have. They're all "the doggie goes woof, the kitty goes meow, the bunny goes bounce, bounce." Weird.
Anyway, I'd stick with snuffling noises or something for a bunny, because that scream they make is terrifying. (I had a pet bunny, and he only made it once, when a friend's dog scared the crap out of him.) I heard it once and would NEVER want to hear it again, real or otherwise.
Also, this "volcano rabbit" sounds suspicious. Maybe we should let Riley investigate.

dee 1-31-2008 @ 11:24PM

According to the kid's favorite book on the face of the planet:

bunnies munch on a big green leaf and make whatever associated noise that is (an odd gnawing noise in our house)

then bunnies stretch, yawn, scratch, and sneeze, and go hop-hop over to the big pink clover BUZZZZZINGGGG with bees.

Gwen 1-31-2008 @ 7:35PM

I remember trying not to laugh when my son kept asking these questions when I was trying to get him back to sleep in the middle of the night. I just kept telling him that this was the sound of a (insert animal here) asleep. :)Nice and quiet.

We also have a problem with the elephant, I can't for the life of me make a elephant trumpet. We now have an elephant with a cold.

Ethel 1-31-2008 @ 8:04PM

And to think that Snook (via "It's a Big Big World") told us that giraffes have no vocal cords!

Nancy 1-31-2008 @ 8:13PM

My daughter used to say that the giraffe says "Dah." But I've never been able to validate that myself. ;-)

Tasha 2-05-2008 @ 7:20PM

I've had the same problems! Rabbits was one for us too. I always laughed because my son has a see-n-say that says 'Bunny's go BOING BOING BOING!' lol.

Crystal 1-31-2008 @ 10:36PM

Haven't you ever seen the South Park movie? Hwaaaugh! Hoo-waaaaugh!!

biscuit 2-01-2008 @ 7:48AM

"MONCH MONCH MONCH?" perhaps?

Uly 2-01-2008 @ 8:10PM

Cows say moo, moo, sheep say baa, baa, mommies say SHHHHH! and bunnies say nothing at all.

(Man, we love that book. Mommies Say Sh!)

Nona 2-01-2008 @ 8:53AM

A giraffe says "Weeelll HEEELLLLOOOOOO down there!!"

And a bunny goes "hop hop hop." At least round these parts.

isisaquaria 2-01-2008 @ 9:49AM

Yeah our bunnies go hippity, hoppity or when my daughter first learned to read "hippty,hoppty". I personally enjoyed Pat the bunny--the book with the fur--it was a much quieter read.

GoingLoopy 2-01-2008 @ 11:08AM

Crystal: I was going to say the same thing, but I was stymied by "how the hell do I TYPE that noise?" I think you have successfully conveyed it.

And Linda, if you haven't seen that movie - you totally need to. But you might make sure Riley is asleep first, since he seems to be in the language learning-repeating everything phase.

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