Onomatopoeia in English language

Onomatopoeia in English language Вчитель англійської мови Харківського ЗЗСО І-ІІІ ступенів Шевченко Л.М.

What is onomatopoeia? While teaching English in senior classes I noticed such phenomenon as onomatopoeia. The pupils were interested in it very much. I explained, what the word meant and they did some exercises from opportunities textbooks. Later on, reading English and American novels, poems for kids I tried to find onomatopoeic words on every page and decided to discover the word of onomatopoeic with my pupils. We had been surfing the internet, searching, necessary information and found a lot of interesting things: videos, funny poems, kids’ poems, passages from novels and stories, researches articles, etc.

Here are some examples: The ice cracked and he fell in the water. I couldn’t sleep because the clock was ticking loudly. The rain was pattering on the roof, the wind was howling and water was dripping from ceiling. She was reading a book, chuckling happily to herself.

Using onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is used frequently in comic books and comic strips where space is limited and words must be used to their fullest effect to maximize their effectiveness in telling a story and conveying meaning and context to the reader.

The effectiveness of onomatopoeia in poetry Onomatopoeia is particularly effective in poetry. Poetry relies on rhythm and meter and is often recited, creating the perfect medium for an effective us of onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeic words are often simple syllable words that can affect the rhythm and meter of a poem, dramatically increasing their use for emphasizing a particular point of evoking a certain emotion that the author is trying to evoke

For example: Onomatopoeic poems for children offer great opportunities to learn about poetic devices. The devise is naturally fun and many kids love playing with sounds, which can make phonics very enjoyable. Onomatopoeia is a poetic device that uses phonetics to recreate actual sounds people commonly hear some words imitate the sounds that they represent.

Onomatopoeic words. bang [bжn] бах, бац (тріск); buzz [bΛz] дзижчання (about beez); click [klik] клацати, клацання; crack [krжk] тріск, удар; drip [drip] крапати; flutter [flΛt] пурхання; gasp [ga:sp] задихатися, важко дихати; growl [graul] гарчати; knock [nk] тук-тук; moo [m:m] говорити тихо, дзижчати, шепотіти, дзюрчати, шелестіти

Examples: oink - the sound of the pig; plop [plp] хлюпати, ляпати, вистрелити; purr [p:] муркотіти, воркотіти (about cats and doves); rustle [rΛst] шелест, шарудіння, шелестіння (about leaves); sizzle [sizlΛ] шипіння, шипіти (during cooking); splash [splжs] плескати(сь) (the sound of water); snap [snжp] тріск, клацання, брязкання, укус, захват (about teeth); thump [ΘΛmp] важкий удар, глухий звук від удару, (fighting); tweet [twi:t] щебетати, цвірінчати (birds); whip [wip] бити батогом; flush (pan) tick-tock (clock); crack (fire);

Onomatopoeic words and poems for adults ducks – quack; cat – mew/meow; horse – neigh/whinny; pig – oink; bird – tweet; chick – peep; sheep – boa/bee; dog – bark (woof) bow-wow; cow – moo/low; lion – roar; hen – cluck; rooster – cock-a-doodle-do/crow; bark – about dogs;

Examples: frog – croak; bang – бах, бац (тріскіт); beep – the sound of cars; belch – відрижка (in the mouth); boing – the sound of speed; boom [bu:m] гудіти, (гокотати); bring – a metallic sound of a music instrument; bubble – пузиритися, бити струмом; burp – відрижка; buzz – the sound of bees; cackle – кукурікати, квоктати (hens); chirp – the sound of birds;

chortle [ts:tl] пирхання, фиркання; chuckle – about hens; clang [klжη] брязкіт, зойк, курликання (журавлів); clap – the sound of hands; clash – брязкіт, дзенькіт, шум, гул; clatter (forks, knives) – базікання, торохтіти, дзенькіт (посуд); click – клацання (техн.); clip-clop –хлоп-хлоп; clunch – лязкіт; cough [k:f] кашель; crackle [krжkl] тріск, хруст (a toast); creack [kri:k] скрип (a door); croak [krouk] квакання; crunch [krΛnts] гризти з хрустом;

crunch [krΛnts] гризти з хрустом; dind-dong – дін-дон (a bell); drip – кап-кап (крапання води); fizz [fiz] шипіти, грати (про вино, шампанське); Fizzle – злегка шипіти; Flutter – тріпотіти (серце / бити крильми); Groan [groun] – стогнати, ох-ох Growl [graul] – гарчання, бурчання, перекат грому; Grunt [grΛnt] – рохкання; Guffaw – грубий, регіт; Gurgle [gə:gl] – булькати, дзюрчати; полоскати горло; Hiss – a snake makes it, Honk – the sound of a wind instrument; Hoot – the sound of an owl (крик сови)

Howl [həul] - the sound of a baby ; the sound of a dog; To seeffer from a pain – стогнати; Hum – to buzz, to hesitate – мимрити; Knock-knock – тук-тук; Miaow – the sound of a cat; Mmm - м-м-м; Moan [moun] – стогін; Mumble [ ́mΛbəl] – бурмотіння; Munch – жувати, плямкати; Mutter - мимрити, бурчати; Ping – свист кулі, дзижчання комара, металевий стукіт; Pitter patter – стук, mon-mоn (the baby goes); Plink plonk – mon-mon (elephant); Plop – бульк (into water);

Poems which can show us onomatopoeia for adults. Soundscape Babbling stream, tinkling bell Fitting forms in forest dell Rustling leaves, cawing crows Children’s chatter, gale gust blows Soldiers tramp, stamp their boots Train starts chugging, whistles hoots Uphill struggling, engine choofs Wind whispers, small dog woofs Dishes clatter, glass shatters Falls off brink. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! When the blazing sun is gone, When there’s nothing he shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle through the night. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!

Onomatopoeia is a powerful device Onomatopoeia is a powerful devise we use to create a more immersive atmosphere by engaging the sence of sound, a concept that is often difficult to convey with words. Onomatopoiea help us to explain event, everyday activities better, give a more vivid description of people, their reaction, etc. It turns our life into something more memorable. We are creatures of our Languages and when there is a chance to use a word that illustrates or emphasizes a sound, we will generally choose that word: onomat