A wolf whistle is a distinctive two-note
glissando
In music, a glissando (; plural: ''glissandi'', abbreviated ''gliss.'') is a wikt:glide, glide from one pitch (music), pitch to another (). It is an Italianized Musical terminology, musical term derived from the French ''glisser'', "to glide". In ...
whistled sound made to show high interest in or approval of something or someone (usually a woman), especially at someone viewed as
physically or
sexually attractive. A modern wolf whistle directed at a person is sometimes considered a precursor to
sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...
, or a form of sexual harassment in itself.
The name comes from the
Wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...
character in the popular 1943
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (; February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, animation director, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of America ...
cartoon ''
Red Hot Riding Hood'' who whistles in this way at the female character
Red.
He whistles at her in several other subsequent cartoons. The term appears in North American newspapers as early as 1943. It appears in British newspapers from 1949 onwards.
According to Adam Edwards of ''
Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...
'', the wolf whistle originates from the navy General Call made with a
boatswain's pipe
A boatswain's call, pipe, or bosun's whistle is a Pipe (instrument), pipe or a Diaphragm (acoustics), non-diaphragm type whistle used on naval ships by a boatswain.
The pipe consists of a narrow tube (the gun) which directs air over a metal sphe ...
. The General Call is made on a ship to get the attention of all hands for an announcement. Sailors in harbour would whistle the General Call upon seeing an attractive woman to draw fellow sailors' attention to her. It was eventually picked up by passers-by, not knowing the real meaning of the whistle, and passed on. During a 2015 broadcast of ''
A Way with Words'', doubt was cast upon this explanation by lexicographer
Grant Barrett, who noted that it was very thinly supported. The Turn To Call is far closer to the wolf whistle than the General Call.
See also
*
Cat-calling
Street harassment is a form of harassment, primarily sexual harassment that consists of unwanted sexualised comments, provocative gestures, vehicle horn, honking, wolf-whistling, wolf whistles, indecent exposures, stalking, persistent sexual adv ...
References
External links
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{{Whistles
Whistles