French cats, they do ron-ron

WHEN it comes to language differences between France and Britain, even our animals talk differently: a British dog is said to go "woof", while its French counterpart says "ouaoua" [pronounced "wa wa"].

As with human words, they sometimes resemble each other, but others are very different. Here is a list of animal noise verbs and nouns and the way the noise is usually said or (for example in cartoons) written, in French:

Cow: beugler (un beuglement), meugler (un meuglement) or mugir (un mugissement); meuh! In French baby talk a moo-cow is a meuh-meuh. Note that the Marseillaise features enemy soldiers "mooing" in the line Entendez vous dans les campagnes, mugir ces féroces soldats - do you hear in the countryside, the fierce soldiers bellowing.

Cat: (Mew) miauler (un miaulement), (purr) ronronner, (un ronron or un ronronnement); miaou, ron-ron

Dog: Aboyer (un aboiement), japper (un jappement); ouah, ouah

Rooster: Chanter (un chant); cocorico

Songbird: Gazouiller (un gazouillement), pépier (un pépiement); cui-cui

Sheep: Bêler (un bêlement); bêêê

Donkey: Braire (un braiment); hee-han

Frog: Coasser (un coassement); coââ-coââ

Pig: Grogner (un grognement); groin-groin

Hen: Glousser (un gloussement); cot-cot (or cot cot cot codet)

Duck: Faire coin-coin (un coin-coin); coin-coin

Turkey: Glousser (un gloussement); glou-glou

Photo: Zsolt Halmagyi - Fotolia.com