Universality of Interjections?

Question 1: What percentage (roughly) of the world's population would
understand the following interjections?

Hey! (As in "Hey! What are you doing?")

Oh! (As in "Oh! It's so beautiful!")

Ah! (As in "Ah! I understand now!")

Oh! (As in "Oh! I get it!")

Hmm. (As in "Hmm. Let me think.")

Ah! (As in "Ah! You scared me!")

Eh? (As in "Eh? What are you talking about?")

Oh? (As in "Oh? Do you really think so?")

Hmph! (As in "Hmph! That's no good!")

Ha! (As in "Ha! I was right!")

I would guess more than half in each case with some being more
universal than others.

Question 2: Does this mean anything? Could this be cited as evidence
for a proto-language or is this just the equivalent of grunting? Maybe
this is too long a list to be mere grunting.

Martin

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Universality of Interjections?
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  • Re: Universality of Interjections?
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  • Re: Universality of Interjections?
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