The word "humming" is spelled with a double "m" to indicate a prolonged pronunciation of the "m" sound. It is pronounced as /ˈhʌ.mɪŋ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The "h" is pronounced with a voiceless sound at the beginning, the "u" is pronounced with a short vowel sound, the "m" is pronounced with a nasal consonant sound, the short "i" is pronounced with a lax vowel sound, and the final "-ing" is pronounced with a voiced velar nasal consonant sound. The correct spelling of "humming" is important to ensure correct pronunciation of the word.
Humming is a verb that refers to the act of producing a continuous low-pitched sound or tone with one's voice, typically in a steady and melodious manner. It is characterized by emitting a gentle, humming noise by vibrating the vocal cords, without any distinct words or lyrics. This vocalization is typically produced with the lips closed, often accompanied by the gentle flow of breath through the nasal passages, creating a soft, buzzing sound.
Humming can serve various purposes and be performed for different reasons. It can be an expression of pleasure, contentment, or relaxation, as many individuals find humming to be a calming and soothing activity. It can also be a form of self-expression or a way to pass the time. In music, humming is commonly used as a technique to familiarize oneself with a tune or to vocalize a melody when one does not know the exact words or lyrics.
Moreover, humming has been observed in nature, particularly among certain animals such as bees and hummingbirds. These creatures produce humming sounds as they fly, often due to the rapid beating of their wings. Additionally, various machinery or devices also hum when in operation, emitting low, continuous noises that can sometimes be heard in everyday environments.
Overall, humming is the act of producing a steady, gentle, and often melodious sound through the voice or from external sources, serving different purposes in human activities, music, nature, and technology.
The sound of bees; humming-bird, the smallest and most beautiful of birds, found in the tropical parts of Amer.-so called from the sound produced by the motion of its wings.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* 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 "humming" derives from the Middle English word "hummen", which can be traced back to the Old English word "hymman". This word shares a common Germanic root with the Old High German word "hummōn" and the Dutch word "hommen", which all refer to a similar buzzing or murmuring sound. Ultimately, these Germanic words likely have their origins in the Proto-Germanic word "humijaną", meaning "to hum" or "make a murmuring sound".