Eli5: Why do we say “achoo” when we sneeze?
In: Biology
Really the functional part of the sneeze is the “Tch” part. The point of a sneeze is to try and dislodge an irritating foreign substance from somewhere in our respiratory tract, and the way we do that, is to build up pressure in our lungs, and pinch that pressure off by pinching our glottis and mouth shut, and then suddenly release it. That explosive burst of air coming through our mouth and breaking the seal between our tongue and palate, is what produces that distinctive “Tch” sound.
Some people, when they sneeze, you really only hear the “tch”. When they first build the pressure up in their lungs and release it, they just aren’t letting their vocal cords vibrate with the passing air, so you don’t hear much “voice” along with it. For other people, it feels more natural to let that rush of air excite their vocal cords too. Hence the “Ah” and “Oo.”
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