Dictionary Definition
ululation n : a long loud emotional utterance;
"he gave a howl of pain"; "howls of laughter"; "their howling had
no effect" [syn: howl,
howling]
User Contributed Dictionary
Translations
- Latin: :la:ululatio f, 3rd declension
Extensive Definition
An ululation is a long, wavering, high-pitched
sound resembling the howl
of a dog or wolf. It is an onomatopoetic word derived
from Latin.
Ululation is found in some singing techniques and
ritual situations. In Arab countries ululation is commonly used by
women to express celebration or grief, especially at weddings and funerals. It may also be used to
encourage belly
dancing. In the Middle East,
zaghareet is an ululation performed to honor someone. In East Africa,
ululation (or ililta) performed by worshippers is a
feature of services in the
Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean
Orthodox Churches, and is also commonly used in secular
celebrations such as parties or concerts. Ululation is incorporated
into African musical
styles such as Shona music,
where it is a form of audience
participation, along with clapping and call-and-response.
Herodotus
appears to mention ululation in North Africa (where it is still
practiced), saying:
- I think for my part that the loud cries uttered in our sacred rites came also from thence; for the Libyan women are greatly given to such cries and utter them very sweetly.
American experimental singer and composer
Joan
La Barbara uses ululation as well as other extended
techniques such as circular
singing and glottal
clicks.
In popular culture
Ululation appears in many films set in the Middle East, such as Lawrence of Arabia and The Battle of Algiers. Sometimes it is depicted as a battle cry, for example in Xena: Warrior Princess. Even the animated feature GI Joe: The Movie featured the ululation "Cobra-la-la-la-la-la". It appears as comic relief in The Simpsons episodes "The Last Temptation of Homer" and "Midnight Rx"; as well as Family Guy in the episode "E. Peterbus Unum" where Stewie is curious about the sound Achmed "makes when you're about to assassinate an infidel". In Three Kings, the movie set in Iraq following the first Gulf War there is a scene where Spike Jonze, as Private First Class Conrad Vig, joins the Iraqi Shiite women in their ululating cries of joy until he is told this is not done by men.Ululation is also widely practiced in southern
and eastern parts of India. People, especially women roll their
tongues and produce this sound during festivals and celebrations.
This is also an integral part of most weddings in these parts where
depending upon the local usages people ululate to welcome the groom
or bride or both.
While in Tamil it is known as 'Kulavai'. Bengalis
and Oriyas call it Ulu-uli.
Ululation also appears as a method of
communication between members of Jack's tribe of savages during the
hunt for Ralph during the climax of Lord of
the Flies.
ululation in German: Heulen
ululation in Hebrew: צהלולים