Is this the most unusual sound in the Swedish language?

The word for 'yes' in most of Sweden is 'ja', but in the north of the country a unique sound is used instead, as The Local's Oliver Gee discovered in the city of Umeå.

[istvanjoni]

Just imagine the man asking the question of his life: "will you marry me?", and she just goes "shhppp"...

[lordmaximus]

man: shhhup
interviewer: and that means yes?
man: shhhup

[legobloggen]

The fastest way to clean under a sofa or bed is to ask a person from Umeå look under there and while they do ask: "Is it dusty under there?"... :P

[Minjoph]

Funny thing is when you're at a lecture, or the like, and the person holding it asks a question most/all answer yes to. The sound of say 200 people drawing in breath at the same time.
A lecturer from southern Sweden once joked that when he came up north to lecture he had to start using paper weights so that the draft from the people saying yes wouldn't make his paper go flying.

[bergback]

I'm swedish, and while I was watching this video my friend called. And during our conversation he did the "schwoop" sound and I just started laughing.

[vjenceslavboljinac]

Oh well, than explains it. I once met a Swedish lady who kept using that sound. I thought it was just a tic she had, but she was actually agreeing with what I was saying. Good to know :)

[PepperBMinty]

I am swedish and just now i realize how much everyone does this.

[AwesomeCorgi]

A Swedish comedian once explained it like this: The Swedish word for "yes" is "ja". But in the northern parts of Sweden it is also common to say "jo" instead. And to save on the precious air that surrounds us, people in northern Sweden has chosen to pronounce it while inhaling instead of while exhaling. Try it out!

[nikokulo]

Sweden is our big brother :)

greetings from Finland, I love Sweden!!

[livlovwork]

Wow, I am originally from a small village in Albania and my people say "yes" in exactly the same manner as these guys do. Loved it :)

[floppa]

the whole point of that sound is to say "yup" but in an inhale

[antivanti]

So for those wondering where this comes from. Another way of saying yes is "jo" which is just a variant of "ja". If you say this while inhaling to prepare to speak you get a sound close to this. It then morphed into its own sound but you can still hear people saying "jo" or "ja" and even "nä" (no) while inhaling as well.

Saying it like this feels more relaxed and casual.
If you think about it it isn't at all unheard of for English speaking people to say "yeah" while inhaling which is basically the same thing.

[nevermoreever]

Took my American husband probably 4 years to understand that that noise meant something and was a yes. For quite a while he just thought I was just making a noise until I realized he wasn't recognizing I was saying yes but very nordicly lol.

[jonasthemovie]

The sound is more a ”jo” (”well yes”) but said while breathing in.

[eastendthug]

I make the same sound repeatedly when staring at m'ladys through my telescopic lens.

[akkudakkupl]

Clearly this sound evolved in the cold north.

"You want a drink? It's cold as hell today!"
<alcohol shot drinking sound>

[BellaOde]

In contrary to what many people (even in Sweden) think, this sound is not in any way limited to Northern Sweden. We talk like this all over Sweden, and everyone knows what it means. It is typical Swedes, and stereotypical Northern Swedes.

[joelkaasalainen]

I use it too!
Reporting from western Finland

[LongshoreMeat]

Well, they suck at saying yes





Haha get it "suck"

[RBAirsoft]

We do the same in Finland in the Swedish speaking areas!