The word "cackles" is pronounced /ˈkæklz/. The first sound is a voiceless velar stop /k/, followed by the short vowel /æ/. The consonant cluster /kl/ follows, with the voiceless alveolar plosive /k/ and the liquid /l/. Finally, the word ends with the voiced alveolar fricative /z/. This phonetic transcription explains the spelling of the word "cackles," with the "ck" indicating the /k/ sound, and the "s" at the end indicating that the final consonant is voiced.
Cackles, as a noun, refer to the plural form of the word "cackle," and it is commonly used in describing the sharp, raucous laughter of a person or a group of individuals. This term is predominantly associated with the eerie, high-pitched sounds produced by chickens, geese, or hens, especially when they are startled or excited. The cackles emitted by these birds are known to be repetitive and characterized by a series of rapid, staccato-like vocalizations. Additionally, the term can be applied metaphorically to describe human laughter that is similar in tone, often perceived as shrill or unpleasant.
As a verb, "cackles" denotes the action of producing or emitting such laughter. It describes a specific pattern of vocalization that is distinct from ordinary laughter. When a person or a group cackles, they engage in a burst of raucous, high-pitched laughter that is often associated with amusement, mischief, or a sense of gleeful enjoyment. This type of laughter may also connote a sinister or malicious intent, as it can be seen in villains or malevolent characters in stories. Ultimately, cackles can represent the peculiar and distinctive sound produced by certain animals or humans when they express their amusement, sometimes with an overarching tone of secrecy, delight, or humor.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "cackles" comes from the Middle English word "cakelen", which was derived from the Old English word "ceacettan". This Old English term was an onomatopoeic word that imitated the sound of a hen or a bird cackling or making a harsh, shrill noise. Over time, "ceacettan" evolved into "cakelen" in Middle English and eventually became the verb "cackles" in modern English.