You can write sounds to make a description more vivid and engaging. Do you wonder how it is possible to write a sound? Don’t worry! For writing sounds, you can use a popular literary device called Onomatopoeia. Typically, onomatopoeia refers to creating words that imitate the noise they are describing. For example, you can include “splash” for water hitting the ground, “buzz” for the noise a bee makes, or “beep” for the sound of a car horn. In the example, words such as splash, buzz, and beep phonetically mimic the sound they are describing. If you wish to learn more about Onomatopoeia, continue reading this blog. Here, we have shared the definition, types, and examples of Onomatopoeia in literature.
Definition of Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like the items or actions they describe. The term “onomatopoeia” was first used by English author Henry Peacham in 1577 in his book “The Garden of Eloquence”. However, the concept itself has ancient roots. The word “onomatopoeia” might sound complex, but it breaks down to “name” and “I” in Greek, meaning “the sound I make”.
Onomatopoeias are words that imitate sounds, like “slurp” or “boom”, and their meaning comes from how they sound. These words usually play a big role in language. Especially, it will help you express sounds in words. Onomatopoeia can vary across cultures and languages. Interestingly, different languages have different onomatopoeias for the same sound.
Different Types of Onomatopoeia
Writers and scholars have been trying to categorize onomatopoeias for centuries, but there is still no single agreed-upon system. However, Onomatopoeia is commonly classified as the following
Verbal Onomatopoeia
It is a conventional onomatopoeia because it uses words that mimic the sounds of real objects or animals. Examples include “meow” for a cat’s sound, “ding-dong” for a doorbell, “woof” for a dog’s bark, “neigh” for a horse’s sound, and “vroom” for a revving engine. Mainly, to create vivid descriptions, you can use these words in everyday conversations. For instance, you can say “the bike went VROOOM” to describe how fast the bike was moving.
Visual Onomatopoeia
Visual onomatopoeia uses words to create a strong connection between what’s happening and how it’s depicted. Its ultimate aim is to make experiences more vivid by linking the sound to the image. Examples include “Boing” for something springy or “Boom” for a massive explosion. Visual onomatopoeia is more than just saying the words loudly. You can use visual onomatopoeia in comics, graphic novels, and visual storytelling to add depth and excitement to the narrative.
When to Use Onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech you can use in both spoken and written language. It will help you make descriptions of the physical world more vivid and engaging. Often, certain types of language, such as those describing sounds or actions, use onomatopoeia to add depth and excitement. To know when you can use Onomatopoeia, take a look below
Animal sounds
You can use Onomatopoeia for describing animal sounds, like “meow” for cats, “woof” for dogs, “quack” for ducks, and “oink” for pigs. Generally, these words are used as both nouns and verbs. Some animals are even named after the sounds they make, like the cuckoo, bobwhite, and chickadee birds.
Human sounds and actions
You can also use Onomatopoeia to describe the sounds humans make. Examples include “achoo” for sneezing, “belch” for burping, “gargle” for rinsing the mouth, “growl” for a low angry sound, “hiccup” for the sudden noise when you hiccup, “murmur” for a low, steady voice, and “snore” for the sound of sleeping.
Natural sounds and objects
Nature and objects are also rich sources of onomatopoeia. For example, you can describe water sounds as “splash”, “gurgle”, “drip”, or “sprinkle”. Likewise, you can say “clink”, “clatter”, “clang”, or “bang” when objects hit each other. Also, you can use words like “beep”, “buzz”, “chug”, “click”, “ding”, “honk”, “hum”, or “zap” to describe the sounds of machines.
Onomatopoeia in Literature
When conversing, you would have used words like “rattle” or “tick-tock”. But Onomatopoeia is not a new trend. For a long time, authors have been using onomatopoeia in literature. Here, let us explore how onomatopoeia is used in literature to add depth and excitement to stories.
Poetry
For creating powerful works, poets often use vivid imagery. Mainly, in poems, poets use Onomatopoeia to imitate real sounds and make to make their work more engaging. Moreover, using Onomatopoeia also helps readers experience the poem more fully, like hearing the sounds of nature or feeling the atmosphere.
Examples of onomatopoeia in poetry include Robert Browning’s “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”. If you observe, you will notice how he has used sound words to give life to the story. Another example is Emily Dickinson’s poem “I heard a Fly buzz – when I died -“. Here, the word “buzz” creates a strong auditory image. Usually, Dickinson’s use of onomatopoeia will help readers imagine the scene and sounds she’s describing.
Prose
If you are a book lover, then you might have spotted Onomatopoeia in several novels. Often, in fairy tales and stories, authors use onomatopoeia to create vivid experiences. Besides that, to bring their writing to life and engage readers’ senses, authors use sound words in their literary works.
For example, to make readers imagine a scene, the authors will use words like “crunched” and “crackled” and describe the sound of walking on dry leaves. Note that onomatopoeias can also set the tone and atmosphere of a story. In “Blueberries for Sal”, Robert McCloskey used onomatopoeia to create a sensory experience for the reader.
Examples of Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeias have been used effectively in literature in various ways. You can even spot Onomatopoeia in comic books, cartoons, advertising, and branding. Usually, authors create new words to evoke sounds, poets use language to create soundscapes, and comic writers use sound effects to bring their stories to life. The following are some examples of Onomatopoeia in literature, pop culture, and media.
- James Joyce used words like “liplapping” and “poppysmic” in his book Ulysses to create vivid sounds.
- William Carlos Williams repeated the phrase “soft coal” in his poem “The Injury” to mimic the sound of a train.
- The “THWIP” sound is synonymous with Spider-Man’s web-shooters and is instantly recognizable to fans globally.
- In Marvel Comics, Scourge’s gun made a “Pum” sound followed by a “Spak” sound when firing. It is similar to how classic comic book fights often feature sounds like “POW!” and “BAM!” to enhance the action.
- Jaguar’s slogan “Purrfect storm” implies a smooth engine purr, while Mazda’s “Zoom-Zoom” phrase conveys the sound of speedy acceleration.
Wrapping Up
By now, you will have gained a better understanding of Onomatopoeia. To make your writing more engaging to your readers and to easily connect with others when communicating, use Onomatopoeia. It is an effective figure of speech that we unknowingly use in everyday conversations. Onomatopoeia is a popular literary device that you can use when writing poems, stories, advertising slogans, and more. If it is challenging for you to use Onomatopoeia in your literature assignment, call us immediately. The scholarly writers on our platform will offer you customized literature assignment help online at affordable prices. Furthermore, with the guidance of our literary assignment helpers, you can enhance your understanding of Onomatopoeia and become a master of using it.
