What is the difference? Giggling vs. chuckling
- Thread starter txgrl
- Start date
- Status
I always thought of a giggle as being 'hehehe' where a chuckle is more 'heh heh heh.'
If you say them out loud you can kind of get what I mean... it depends on the ending 'h' and pacing.
If you say them out loud you can kind of get what I mean... it depends on the ending 'h' and pacing.
Men don't giggle - young girls often do - it's more a suppressed/affected laugh than an outright laugh.
A chuckle is more lighthearted and soft - inward laughter to oneself - the sort of thing you might do when reading an amusing magazine article in a waiting room.
A chuckle is more lighthearted and soft - inward laughter to oneself - the sort of thing you might do when reading an amusing magazine article in a waiting room.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 18,805
- Reaction score
- 4,600
- Location
- Caledonia
- Website
- derekpaterson.net
I see giggling as a group thing -- just for exaggerated clichéd example's sake, teen girls pretending embarrassment after being caught giving a handsome guy the eye -- and chuckling as a private matter, amusement at something you read. Giggling is louder and high-pitched in my mind, chuckling more deep throat or belly.
-Derek
-Derek
Apologies upfront if this sounds sexist, but I use giggling for my female characters and chuckling for the males. I just don't associate chuckling for females or giggling for males. One of the female characters has a habit of 'snorting' though.
JJ
JJ
If it's sexist, JJ, then I'm guilty of the same thing.
Giggles, to me, are fast and high-pitched. Chuckles are slower or more drawn out and lower-pitched. At least to my experience.
Though women do chuckle at times, men post-puberty don't giggle. Unless they're extremely feminine and make a point to. Again, to my experience.
If you have an adult woman 'giggle' you're painting her as foolish and immature. Of course, in some cases that may be what you intend.
Exactly.
I think it all depends on whether you can see your teeth. If your mouth is closed, it's a chuckle. If you have a tooth smile going on, it's a giggle. You should try it; start a quiet laugh with your mouth closed, and then show your teeth. You can feel it turn from a chuckle to a giggle.
Older, more mature people may chuckle, but only when they read or hear a highbrow joke. Younger, less mature people giggle, and often for no reason (especially after smoking something illegal).
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,654
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
To me, giggles are more high pitched and giddy: "hee hee hee." Chuckles are lighthearted and relaxed... (almost throaty).
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 18,805
- Reaction score
- 4,600
- Location
- Caledonia
- Website
- derekpaterson.net
You might find giggling schoolboys up to mischief when the teacher's not looking, so it's not really a girls-only pastime.
And you can have a malevolent chuckle, but a malevolent giggle is hard to imagine.
-Derek
And you can have a malevolent chuckle, but a malevolent giggle is hard to imagine.
-Derek
Giggling is something I associate with youth or immaturity, often in groups of kids or teenagers, regardless of gender. Chuckling, like said above, seems a more personal laugh, more to oneself.
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
- Messages
- 1,487
- Reaction score
- 149
- Location
- Not here anymore
- Website
- www.inkspot.com
Apparently reiterating what a lot of the replies seem to say, I consider giggling a girly, childlike thing. None of my most mature characters or really masculine characters would ever giggle, and even most of my female characters won't giggle unless they're feeling particularly giddy or silly. My characters who giggle are either very young or are feeling embarrassed or goofy, or they really are kind of girly (including my male characters--I have a certain male character in mind who would not be averse to giggling).
When I think of "chuckling," I tend to think of older male characters, and for that reason most of my younger and female characters don't chuckle. They'd probably "laugh softly" instead.
But that's just me. Consensus seems to be that giggling is kind of immature, though.
When I think of "chuckling," I tend to think of older male characters, and for that reason most of my younger and female characters don't chuckle. They'd probably "laugh softly" instead.
But that's just me. Consensus seems to be that giggling is kind of immature, though.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2005
- Messages
- 23,708
- Reaction score
- 10,661
- Location
- In a world of my own making
- Website
- shadowferret.wordpress.com
I have my male characters giggle if they're in a stressful situation. It's more of a nervous laugh.
And my female characters giggle if they're being silly and said something snarky.
Nobody really chuckles in my stories. I regard a chuckle as a polite half-hearted laugh.
- Status