Hmm vs. Hum
In my editing life, I’ve run across many a character who says “hum” whenever they are thinking about something, as in “Hum … I think I’ll have the chocolate cake.” But most people don’t actually say “hum” in such a situation; what they really say is “hmm,” with the lips together.
Hum is a verb meaning “to utter a sound like that of the speech sound \m\ prolonged” or “to sing with closed lips.” Hum can also be a noun referring to such a sound or such singing.
He hummed a merry tune.
Hmm (or hm) is an interjection that usually expresses “thoughtful absorption, doubt, or perplexity.”
“Hmm … I’ll have to think about that,” he said.
And putting it all together:
“Hmm … I’ll have to think about that,” he said. Then he hummed a merry tune.
(Definitions from The Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Dictionary.com.)
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