Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ONOMATOPOETIC

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explore the archives: Today's "onomatopoetic" often describes beautiful-sounding language. How about a word for ugly-sounding language: a word that literally means "harsh, ugly sound"? It's "c________". make your point with... "ONOMATOPOETIC" Remember from English class how "onomatopoeia" is when words sound like what they mean? Like "buzz" and "spurt" and "plonk." Something onomatopoetic is like that: it involves words that actually sound like what they mean. Pronunciation: ON uh MAD uh po ET ick Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an onomatopoetic expression." 2. After a linking verb, as in "The expression was onomatopoetic.") Other forms: An alternate adjective is "onomatopoeic." I prefer "onomatopoetic" because when you say it, you can actually hear the "poetic" aspect of its meaning. The adverb is "onomatopoetically," but I doubt you'll need it too often! And the noun, of course, is "onomatopoeia." How to use it: You might be thinking that today's word is too narrow, too removed from regular conversation to be used often. But keeping in mind that "onomatopoeia" literally means "creating the word" (which explains why it looks sort of like "synonym" and "anonymous"), you don't have to limit its applicability to over-the-top words like "boom" and "kapow" when you point out the onomatopoetic quality of language. Any word that suggests its meaning through the sound, no matter how subtle, is onomatopoetic. "Glide," for instance, suggests smooth motion; "velvet" implies the swishing sound your hand makes as you brush that material. So, talk about onomatopoetic language, words, expressions, speech, writing, conversation, storytelling, and so on. examples: With its heavy, exploding consonants, the pundit's speech wasn't just angry. It was onomatopoetic. There's a fine line between encouraging creativity in kids' writing and letting them get away with ridiculous onomatopoetic beginnings in their stories. "Beeeeep! It was my dad honking." "Burrrrp. The soda was so bubbly." Kids, you're better than this! study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "onomatopoetic" means when you can explain it without saying "the sound suggests the sense" or "really appropriate-sounding words." try it out: Think of a word or phrase you like that actually sounds like what it means, and fill in the blanks: "The word '_____' has an onomatopoetic clarity: it sounds like _____." Example: "The word 'baby' has an onomatopoetic clarity: it sounds like the babbling of an infant." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In antecedent, concede, exceed, necessary, proceed, and recede, what does “ced/ceed” mean?  Answer: To go.  Try this one today: In apparently, appear, parent, and transparent, what does “par/pear” mean? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of ONOMATOPOETIC is A. UNDENIABLE B. UNAPOLOGETIC C. UNREPRESENTATIVE 2.  In The Namesake, we learn that pet names for Bengali people are reserved for private use; they can be _____ and even onomatopoetic. A. silly B. formal C. hard to spell Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A