Wéhnayey jwim-jwim children's whirring toy

jwim-jwim / juimjuim

Source term: gemidor / palo silbante / vinare

jwim-jwim: onomatopoeic Wéhnayey name for the sound of the whirled toy; SMVK writes juimjuim.

Set the little blade circling and it says its own name: jwim-jwim. Wéhnayey boys along the Pilcomayo made the toy from light wood and long caraguatá fibre, hanging the rotor from a straight stick. A 1979 example preserves the whole rig—71-centimetre handle, 45-centimetre cord, 17-centimetre blade. Alvarsson later wondered whether an older use had called rain, as among neighbouring Toba. The sure scene is children turning a named sound through the air.

Otro juguete popular entre los muchachos 'weenhayek es el gemidor o ‘palo silbante’ ... En la lengua 'weenhayek se utiliza una palabra onomatopéyica sumamente descriptiva: jwim-jwim.

Another popular toy among 'weenhayek boys is the whirrer or ‘whistling stick.’ In the 'weenhayek language a highly descriptive onomatopoeic word is used: jwim-jwim.

Alvarsson, Por la malla de una llica (2012), p. 73.

Particulars

Object

A 17 cm light wooden blade on a 45 cm caraguatá cord attached to a 71 cm handle stick; SMVK 1979.10.0313.

Function

A boys' whirled toy named onomatopoeically for its jwim-jwim sound.