I dedicate this post to Beth Stilborn, writer of picture books, middle-grade and adult fiction, and ‘engine’ for the online Children’s Book Hub. She recently posted a photo that made me say “ouch” out loud (hope it feels a little better now). Searching for an equivalent I found the exclamation uttered with sudden pain (or the thought of it) is almost universal, and no matter where, or with whom you may find yourself there is probably no mistaking what is felt!
Hungarian: aú
French: aïe
German: aua
Catalan, Estonian, Finnish, Galician, Portuguese: ai
Spanish: !ay, or uy!
Albanien: uf
Japanese: あっ! (A), or あう (Au)
Arabic: أخ (aakh)
Swedish: Aj
Croatian: jao, avaj
Dutch, Norwegian, Romanian: au
Philipino: aray (ah-wry)
Maltese: aħħ, or ajma (ay-ma)
Iranian: ai, ooi, au, akh, oof
Thai: โอ้ย “oy”
Polish: auć (sounds like ouch’! ) or ała
Indonesian: aduh
Italian: ahi
Chinese: 哎哟 aiyo, or 哎呀 aiya
Hebrew: !איי(aay)
I wouldn’t know how to pronounce this, or even if it is quite correct, but this is what I found for Tamil, spoken in southern India and north-eastern Sri Lanka:
திடீர் என உண்டாகும் வலியை உணர்த்தும் சொல்
I wonder if this sounds as long as it looks!
Beth is also promoting International Dot Day: Every year on September 15, innovative educators around the world celebrate International Dot Day by making time to encourage their students’ creativity. – click for more info
julie rowan-zoch 
WOW! Julie — thank you so much! I’ve never had a post dedicated to me before, and I so appreciate it!
I’m also fascinated by language, and it is so cool that the exclamation of pain is nearly identical in so many languages. I have a friend who should be able to tell me how to pronounce the Tamil version. I’m betting it takes longer to say than “ouch”…
This is just soooooo lovely of you, and yes, my head-hurt is healing. The staples come out tomorrow afternoon.
THANKS, JULIE!!!! (Love the illustration!)
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So glad to hear you’re healing – maybe this post will help speed things up a bit! I have friends who speak Tamil too, but they didn’t come to our badminton session yesterday so I’ll have to ask at the tournament on Sunday!
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My friend from southern India insists all he says is “Aahh!”
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Ouch!!! in my own “voice”! Beth well deserving of this dedication, for all she gives to our writing community.
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Hear, hear! Thanks for stopping by Mona.
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This is adorable, Julie! Not to mention ouchfully educational! 🙂
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Grazie! Eating at a new ristorante in Boulder made me think of you on Labor Day – delizioso!
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That’s a lovely tribute, it must have really hurt. And Dot day is a great idea!
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“A line is a dot that went for a walk.” – Paul Klee (this was also the theme of one of my lessons from my art teacher days!)
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Soooooooo sweet. Beth I hope you feel better soon. *squeezes* Julie, excellent! That illustration says it all. 🙂
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Thanks Robyn. You see the photo? It screamed!
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What a cool list of owies!
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Thx J – need to repeat: love your post today!
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I like the sound of International Dot Day. I’ll have to check it out.
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The book too!
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Pat Tilton, along with the Ambassador for Dot Day, T.J. Shay, are challenging all kidlit bloggers to create a dot and post it on their blogs September 15th-ish. Please join us! http://childrensbooksheal.com/2012/08/27/international-dot-day-sept-15-2012/
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Thanks Beth, checking out the details now.
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Ok, you know I’m in. Anything to harness creativity! Beth and Julie, thanks for letting me know about it. I am so behind on all my blog reading.
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Very cute Julie. You have your dot. Wish I knew how to make a circle like that and post it. Was working on my dot on my iPad, and somehow clicked on something and can’t get to it.
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Pat, click with the right side of your mouse on the dot image at it’s link location (origin website), and choose ‘copy image location’. Then when you add an image to your post you paste in the url you just copied, and, if given the option, click on link to image. Works that way for me in WP. Good luck!
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Thanks Julie. I made mine on an iPad program and it got trapped. Finally got it out. And, have it posted on my blog for release next week. I hope you create a dot for Sep 15-ish. Appreciate the help.
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Will do! I am making PBs with the same priority!
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Fun. Thanks for the list of ways to say ouch all around the world. That last one, with all the pretty squiggles, is probably like when Yosemite Sam would stomp his feet and say, “Rack’em smack’em, grunt groan.”
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I like that! Thanks for stoppin’ by!
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Agreed that Beth is very deserving of the dedication! Cute post too! 🙂
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Thanks Julie.
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Great drawing, sweet dedication, and very interesting info about ouch! 🙂
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If I could also keep the house clean and have dinner promptly on the table, all in the one day, well, the POTUS might have stopped by while in town! Sadly he didn’t even respond to my email – lol!
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Poor Chick Little. 😉 Get better Ms. Stilborn!
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Did you see those staples Erik?
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No *shiver* I don’t care to. I’m not good with blood and stuff.
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