Whistling

This passage discusses how the act of whistling can mean different things in different cultures.

Lexile Level: 750L

Categories: People & Places

Do you enjoy whistling? Whistling means very different things for different cultures. In the U.S., whistling is a popular and common activity. Americans often whistle tunes of songs they like. They also whistle when they're bored or daydreaming. Whistling is more important to some cultures. It is part of the language among some cultures in South America, Turkey, Spain, West Africa, Burma, Nepal, New Guinea, and the Eskimos of Alaska. People can communicate from far distances if they are whistling. For some cultures, though, whistling is looked down upon. In India and Russia, it is seen as rude. In Korea, it is thought to bring bad luck. Some people even think whistling attracts demons. Next time you whistle your favorite tune, think about all the different reasons people of different cultures whistle.