Possible Clues:

• Result of a plucky effort?
• Plucked string noise
• Sound of a tense wire or bowstring being plucked
• Hint about Western intonation
• Nasal quality — strumming noise
• Sound from a banjo
• Strongly nasal quality in speech
• Nasal tone's western in flavour
• Vocal nasality
• Powerful eastern dynasty adopting western accent