聽得到、聽不清：人聲與自然的低鳴
這一族是核心畫面的直接使用：不管發聲的是人、是風還是水，重點都在那個低而連續、辨不出細節的聲音本身。
murmur, soft voices · noun · C2
A soft, low sound made by people speaking quietly, or by voices that are far away.
低語聲
核心畫面
One way to hold it: a low, continuous sound at the edge of hearing — you know it's there, you can't make out the words. A room of people talking two tables away; a stream behind the trees.
一種低低的、不斷的聲音，剛好落在「聽得到但聽不清楚」的邊界上：隔壁桌的人在講話，你知道有人在講、卻分不出在講什麼；樹…更多收起
一種低低的、不斷的聲音，剛好落在「聽得到但聽不清楚」的邊界上：隔壁桌的人在講話，你知道有人在講、卻分不出在講什麼；樹後面有條小溪，水聲一直在，卻沒有一個音特別跳出來。這個字本身的發音就在演這件事——mur-mur，兩個一樣的低音節疊在一起，念出來就是那種持續而模糊的嗡嗡。所以 murmur 的重點從來不是「說了什麼」，而是「聲音的質地」：低、柔、連續、不指名道姓。From the word’s history
From Latin murmur "a murmur, humming, muttering, rushing sound" — an imitative (echoic) word: the sound of the word imitates the sound it names, and the repeated syllable is part of that.
這個字直接從拉丁文 murmur 來，經古法文 murmure 進入英語。拉丁文的 murmur 本身就是擬聲詞——重複的音節 mur-mur 模仿的就是那種持續的低鳴，可以指人的低語、蜜蜂的嗡嗡、水流聲、甚至低吼。也就是說，「模糊而持續」不是後來引申的，而是這個字從一開始就在模仿的東西。
Wiktionary, "murmur" (← Old French murmure ← Latin murmur "murmur, humming, muttering, roaring, rushing", imitative)
Three branches
沒說出口的不滿：低到不成為正式投訴
從核心的「低而模糊」長出來：不滿如果是低聲、不指名的，就構不成正式抗議。這裡的「低」既是音量，也是身分——聲音不夠大，所以它在制度上不算數。
murmur, grumble quietly · verb · C2
To tell friends or people at work that you are unhappy about something, without making an official complaint.
嘀咕
心雜音：身體裡多出來的那個低聲
回到最字面的聽覺：醫生把聽診器貼上去，在正常的心跳之外聽到一段持續而柔的低聲。這正是核心畫面在身體裡的版本。
heart murmur · noun · C2
A sound the heart makes that is not the usual one, and that may show something is wrong with it.
心雜音
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
murmurnoun/ˈmɜːmə/
- 1
Any low, indistinct sound, like that of running water.
- The delightful murmur of water running over pebbles is heard a few yards off
- 1979: A translation of the Eclogues by Paul Alpers The windy murmur of the breeze subsides.
- 2
Soft indistinct speech.
- A murmur arose from the audience.
- She howl'd aloud, “I am on fire within. / There comes no murmur of reply. / What is it that will take away my sin, / And save me lest I die?”
- 3
cardiologymedicinesciencesThe sound made by any condition which produces a noisy, or turbulent, flow of blood through the heart.
- Since aortic diastolic pressure is higher than pulmonary artery systolic pressure, there is continuous flow into the pulmonary circulation, creating the characteristic continuous ("machinery") murmur, heard best just below the left clavicle.
- 4
A muttered complaint or protest; the expression of dissatisfaction in a low muttering voice; any expression of complaint or discontent.
- In fear of disease and in the interest of his health man will be muzzled and masked like a vicious dog, and that without any murmur of complaint.
- Glossop will return from his afternoon off to find the awful majesty of the Law waiting for him, complete with handcuffs. We can hardly expect him to accept an exemplary sentence without a murmur, so his first move will be to establish his innocence by revealing all.
murmurverb/ˈmɜːmə/
- 1
archaicTo grumble; to complain in a low, muttering voice, or express discontent at or against someone or something.
- The Iewes then murmured at him because he sayde: I am that breed which is come doune from heaven.
- And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
- 2
To speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble, mutter.
- I couldn't hear the words; he just murmured a lot.
- The bees murmured in the forest. The waves murmured on the shore.
- 3
To say (something) indistinctly, to mutter.
- I […] heard thee murmur tales of iron wars;
- Gabriel murmured a confused reply, and hastened on.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。