A word signifying no

[bunn]

We have decided to try to teach the Bengals a word that will carry the meaning 'Bungles! No!'.

They know the word 'no' (although they often ignore it) but so do all the other animals, so if you dive in crying 'NO!' then everyone present freezes or flees. As the Bungles are the most confident and bumptious animals in the house, they tend to assume that the 'no' is for someone else, whereas roughly 80% of the time, it's an attempt to stop Bungles doing what Bungles do best: mischief!

I need a nice short word that is distinctive and doesn't sound like no. I was thinking maybe 'Bast'.

Comments

[chainmailmaiden]

Are you sure you want to invoke their goddess? What if she mistakenly thinks you want them struck down for their misdeeds? :-D

[bunn.livejournal.com]

a) she's a cat goddess, what are the odds she will do anything I say??

b) who says I DON'T want them struck down? Particularly when they've broken something, or stolen my tea...

[chainmailmaiden]

:-D

They like tea? Then again I shouldn't be surprised at that, after all Lindy cleaned a bowl that had contained leek & stilton soup last week. I did try to stop her though, as I don't suppose leeks are very good for cats. Of course it be that you are not referring to the drink tea, but to food, which would make more sense :-)

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I wonder what "no" is in Bengali...

[bunn.livejournal.com]

According to the Virtual Bangladesh Dictionary, it's the disappointingly unexotic : "nA". It does sound fairly different to 'no', I suppose...

It is sometimes tempting to use some other short but expressive Anglo-Saxon word... grrrr.

[chainmailmaiden]

It is sometimes tempting to use some other short but expressive Anglo-Saxon word...

Strangely enough that was what I was considering suggesting instead of Bast :-D

We find that a Victoria Stilwell style 'Ah! Ah!' stops ours in their tracks.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

The problem with 'ah ah!' is that the dogs know that one: what I need is a word that will only be interpreted as reproof by a Bengal. I am planning to use it in conjunction with a water pistol. This may seem a little extreme, but the aim is to stop Yama mugging Mollydog.

My concern is that one day, Mollydog may turn round and realise that Yama is really small and squishy and could be bitten in half rather easily. So far this has not happened, but it seems like a risk I don't want to take.

Frankly, I think Bungles are not as clever as normal moggies, and require Stern Measures. They are the cat equivalent of flubber: they just keep bouncing back!

[chainmailmaiden]

Using a water pistol seems like a good idea to get the message through quickly. I hope it works as you are right, you can't guarantee Molly won't suddenly decide she's had enough.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

What's with the "we"?

You're only concerned because
a) they respect ma authoritay far more than yours;
b) you think Yamamayaa will eat one of your dogs.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

What you mean by a) is that I feed the little sods every day, and you rarely do. Stupid though they arein many respects, they can work that one out.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

What about "avast!" - which could be said as "vast" to make it shorter. I like the idea of cats being taught to talk like a pirate.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but then Henning might think we were talking to him.