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The pitch contour of the interjection ううん has been described as [high, low,
middle](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5300/how-
can-%E3%80%8C%E3%81%86%E3%82%93%E3%80%8D-be-used-to-mean-both-yes-and-
no/5306#5306). Alternatively, it has been described as a [falling-rising
tone](http://ci.nii.ac.jp/lognavi?name=nels&lang=jp&type=pdf&id=ART0009789713).
In either case, this appears to be unique in Japanese.

In English, the pitch contour of "I donno" is distinctive. I can reduce it to
"ionno", "ionn", "nnn", or just hum the pitch contour without opening my
mouth, and it's nevertheless understandable.

Given that the pitch contour of ううん is unique, and given that it's already
fairly nasal, can I do the same thing? Can I say んんん without opening my mouth
at all? If so, is this the normal pronunciation?
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2012-10-26T13:01:07.167
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2012-10-26T15:03:18.003
2017-04-13T12:43:44.740
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question
pronunciation pitch-accent spoken-language
Pronunciation of ううん
I would say both うん and ううん are pronounced often without opening the mouth,
ううん even more so than うん. I think (う)ん and (う)んん comes closer to the
pronunciation; or even ん and んんん, like you suggested.
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2012-10-26T15:03:18.003
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2012-10-26T15:03:18.003
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answer