onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia Definition

Onomatopoeia is defined as a word, which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting.

For instance, saying, “The gushing stream flows in the forest” is a more meaningful description than just saying, “The stream flows in the forest.” The reader is drawn to hear the sound of a “gushing stream” which makes the expression more effective.

In addition to the sound they represent, many onomatopoeic words have developed meanings of their own. For example, “whisper” not only represents the sound of people talking quietly, but also describes the action of people talking quietly.


The word 'onomatopoeia' comes from the combination of two Greek words, one meaning 'name' and the other meaning 'I make,' so onomatopoeia literally means 'the name (or sound) I make.' That is to say that the word means nothing more than the sound it makes. 'Boing,' for example, means nothing more than what it sounds like. It is only a sound effect.

Many onomatopoeic words have come to mean other things related to the sounds they make. 'Slap,' for instance, not only means the sound that is made by skin hitting skin, but also the action of hitting someone (usually on the face) with an open hand. 'Rustle' is the sound of papers brushing together, but it also indicates the action of someone moving papers around and causing them to brush together, thus making this noise. And of course, 'twitter' is now much more than just the sound birds make.

Common Examples of Onomatopoeia

  • The buzzing bee flew away.
  • The sack fell into the river with a splash.
  • The books fell on the table with a loud thump.
  • He looked at the roaring sky.
  • The rustling leaves kept me awake.
The different sounds of animals are also considered as examples of onomatopoeia. You will recognize the following sounds easily:
  • Meow
  • Moo
  • Neigh
  • Tweet
  • Oink
  • Baa

Groups of Onomatopoeic Words

Onomatopoeic words come in combinations as they reflect different sounds of a single object. For example, a group of words reflecting different sounds of water are; plop, splash, gush, sprinkle, drizzle, drip etc.
Similarly, words like growl, giggle, grunt, murmur, blurt, chatter etc. denote different kinds of human voice sounds.
Moreover, we can identify a group of words related to different sounds of wind, such as; swish, swoosh, whiff, whoosh, whizz, whisper etc.

Onomatopoeia Examples in Literature

Onomatopoeia is frequently employed in literature. Below, a few Onomatopoeia examples are highlighted in bold letters:

Example #1

“The moan of doves in immemorial elms,
And murmuring of innumerable bees…”
(‘Come Down, O Maid’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Example #2

“Hark, hark!
Bow-wow.
The watch-dogs bark!
Bow-wow.
Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry, ‘cock-a-diddle-dow!'”
(Ariel in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Act One, scene 2)













references
http://literarydevices.net/onomatopoeia/
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/5-examples-of-onomatopoeia.html
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomatopoeia


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