ONOMATOPOEIA 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 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 Function of Onomatopoeia Generally, words are used to tell what is happening. Onomatopoeia, on the other hand, helps the readers to hear the sounds the words they reflect. Hence, the reader cannot help but enter the world created by the poet with the aid of these words. The beauty of onomatopoeic words lies in the fact that they are bound to have an effect on the readers’ senses whether they are understood or not. Moreover, a simple plain expression does not have the same emphatic effect that conveys an idea powerfully to the readers. The use of onomatopoeic words helps create emphasis. 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) The more example of the Onomatopoeia : 1. The sheep went, “Baa.” 2. The best part about music class is that you can bang on the drum. 3. It is not unusual for a dog to bark when visitors arrive. 4. Silence your cellphone so that it does not beep during the movie. 5. Dad released a belch from the pit of his stomach. 6. The bridge collapsed creating a tremendous boom. 7. The large dog said, “Bow-wow!” 8. Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night? 9. My brother can burp the alphabet. 10. Both bees and buzzers buzz. 11. The cash register popped open with a heart warming ca-ching. 12. The bird’s chirp filled the empty night air. 13. Her heels clacked on the hardwood floor. 14. The clanging pots and pans awoke the baby. 15. If you want the red team to win, clap your hands right now! 16. The cadets swelled with pride when they heard the clash of the cymbals at their graduation ceremony. 17. The dishes fell to the floor with a clatter. 18. Nothing annoys me more than rapidly clicking your pen. 19. The bride and groom were not surprised to hear the familiar sound of clinking glasses. 20. The horse’s hooves clip-clopped on the cobblestones. 21. Those clucking chickens are driving me crazy! 22. The dim-witted pigeon repulsed us with its nerve crawling coo. 23. If you’re going to cough, please cover your mouth. 24. The prisoner was terrified to hear the crack of the whip. 25. We roasted marshmallows over the crackling fire. 26. The two-year old crashed into the cabinet. 27. The cabinet opened with a distinct creak http://literarydevices.net/onomatopoeia/ http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language/poetic-devices/onomatopoeia-examples/