The “pooh-pooh” theory is a hypothesis about the origin of language that suggests early humans developed speech by instinctively making sounds in response to emotions such as pain, surprise, or joy. These vocal expressions—such as cries, sighs, grunts, and exclamations (e.g., “ouch!” for pain or “wow!” for amazement)—gradually evolved into more structured language.
The theory was proposed in the 18th and 19th centuries but is generally considered insufficient by modern linguists because emotional exclamations alone do not have the complexity needed to develop into a full linguistic system. However, it does highlight the role of instinctive human vocalizations in early communication.