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Early on in the series the librarian at the Unseen University is transformed into an orangutan (not a monkey).

From then on, they only say "Ook" with various inflections and changes in length. This is obviously an 'ape vocalisation' but Pratchett is known for his clever plays on words, and I wouldn't put it past him to have chose the orangutan based on the 'book'/'ook' similarity.

So is this an attempt to say "book" and a clever play on words by Pratchett or just ape vocalisation?

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    See english.stackexchange.com/q/496303 It's a stereotypical monkey sound.
    – Organic Marble
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 13:31
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    @OrganicMarble of course it it, it wouldn't be a play on words otherwise. It's what I called 'ape vocalisation'.
    – AncientSwordRage ♦
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 14:30
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    "Ook." "I don't know what I'll say to him. "Don't blow the world up" sounds a pretty persuasive argument to me. I'd listen to it. And I don't like the idea of going anywhere near the gods. We're like toys to them, you know." And they don't realise how easily the arms and legs come off, he added to himself. "Ook?" "Pardon? Do you really say that?" "Ook." "There is a... monkey god?" "Ook?" "No, no, that's fine, fine. Not one of our locals ones, is he?" "Eek." - The Last Hero
    – Valorum
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 17:45
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    Um, no? As in neither is correct? I don't have any reference materials handy, but I remember monkeys/apes saying "ook" in comic strips dating back to the 1930s.
    – DavidW
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 21:27
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    @OrganicMarble You're playing with fire there - are you sure the Librarian can't come through the L-space and get very angry with you?
    – bob1
    Commented Nov 18, 2022 at 3:19

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At https://discworld.fandom.com/wiki/The_Librarian I found this,

He speaks an elaborate language whose vocabulary consists of the single word Ook (and its antonym "eek" - where "ook" means yes, "eek" tends to mean no). Nonetheless, most people seem to be able to understand him.

The implication being that, similar to “I am Groot”, “Ook” can mean basically anything. However, there is no mention of the source for this, Pratchett or otherwise and it’s been a while since I read the books personally.

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