Boh!

In Italian, the literal translation of "I don't know" is non lo so. However the most common response you will hear to a difficult question is simply "boh".

When's your great grandfather's birthday? Boh. What are your plans after college? Boh.

Or just now, when I asked Dalila "How do you spell 'boh'?"

Her answer: "Boh".



I have developed a very close relationship with this word. To me it's an onomatopoeia. If blank brainwaves made a sound, the sound would be "Boh".

It's gotten to the point that I even use it in English. Mostly because English doesn't really have a suitable translation. The closest I can think of in English is when you say "I don't know" but in a lazy can't-be-bothered-to-open-my-mouth-properly sort of way. Which is essentially "I don't know" with all the consonants removed except for "n".

I uhn no.

Or better yet, the "I don't know" hum. The one where you simply say the words with your lips tightly shut and all that is left is the low-high-low notes of the phrase's natural lilt.

But it's still three syllables however you cut it.

Which is way too much effort compared to the simple lip burble that is "Boh".

The other wonderful thing about Boh is it's versatility. It is not simply limited to "I don't know" situations. It is also suitable for "That's odd" or "I'm not really sure what to do with that" or "Whatever".

So when a man walks up to you dressed as a giant sofa, what do you say?

Boh!