The noise that cats make is another example of shared understanding between onomatopoeias. It can bridge gaps and establish connections. Onomatopoeia is therefore an extremely useful part of language. So, by pointing at a leaking tap and saying ‘PLIC PLOC’, it is likely someone who speaks a different language would know exactly what is going on. This makes sense for the most part as the ‘P’ conveys the sound of the water hitting the surface. In the case of a leaking tap, for example, ‘DRIP DROP’, ‘PLIC PLOC’ and ‘PLITSCH PLATSCH’ all use the same initial sound – a plosive. Shared understandingīut while the words are completely different, there is a sense of shared understanding in most cases. ‘PLIC PLOC’ is used to make the sound in French, while ‘PLITSCH PLATSCH’ is used in German. The sound of water hitting the surface of a sink from a dripping tap is described as ‘DRIP DROP’ in English.
Elsewhere, in German, someone would use ‘AU’, ‘AUA’ or ‘AUTSCH’ to indicate pain or injury.
‘OUCH’ is used in English when someone gets hurt, yet in French a person would scream out ‘AIE’ instead. ‘BOUM’ and ‘PAN’ are used in French, ‘BUM’ and ‘PUM’ are used in Italian, and ‘BA-BAKH’ and ‘PIF-PAF’ are used in Russian. ‘BAM’, ‘BOOM’, ‘BANG’ and ‘POW’ are used to convey the sound of a gunshot in English. ‘EUNG’AE-EUNG’AE’ is what Koreans use to refer to the noise a baby makes when it cries. ‘Wah-Wah’ is used to describe a baby crying in English, yet ‘OUIN OUIN’ is used in French and ‘BUA BUA’ is used in Spanish. If they are small dogs, on the other hand, then Russians tend to use ‘TYAV TYAV’. In English, ‘WOOF WOOF’ is used to describe the noise of a dog barking, while in Russian ‘GAV GAV’ is predominantly used. Here are five instances where the same sound comes across differently due to the sound inventory of different languages. If you drop a glass on the floor in England or Korea, for instance, it makes the same noise, yet the sounds used to describe it can be significantly different in different countries. The sound of something is generally the same wherever you are in the world. It literally means ‘word-making’.īut onomatopoeia is a strange concept because its definition is challenged by different languages worldwide. The word itself has Greek origins and made the transition to English via Latin in the 16th century. Onomatopoeia is defined as the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. Japanese – PACHI PACHI (the sounds of a crackling fire)Ĭommon occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises, such as ‘OINK’, ‘MEOW’, ‘ROAR’ and ‘CHIRP’, and machine noises, like ‘HONK’ or ‘BEEP-BEEP’ for the horn of vehicle, and ‘VROOM’ or ‘BRUM’ for the engine.Korean – CHIK CHIK POK POK (the sound of a train).English – TICK TOCK (the sound of a clock).
Here are some examples to get us started. Each country therefore has its own collection of onomatopoeic expressions. Words tend to vary across different nationalities and cultures, sometimes dramatically. Onomatopoeia has a big presence in languages around the world – from English and French to Korean and Japanese, it is used by millions of people on a daily basis to imitate or suggest the source of a sound.īut there is no such thing as a universal stock list.
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