Onomatopoeia words are words which sound like the action they describe, like splash, crash, and swoosh for example.
Many languages have words which are onomatopoeic and here are some of the numerous examples in the English language which we have put into groups.
Animal related words
The examples in the animal grouping, we all learned as children, but it is interesting to note that different countries have different ones. We will just share the English ones to keep it simple, but this is a fun topic to discuss with classmates when you come to one of our English language centres.
Woof – dog barking
Chirp – bird sound
Purr – cat sound
Ribbit – the noise a frog makes
Human speech and sounds.
Interestingly, words that are describing sounds that come out of the mouth usually start with mu- , whereas those that come from the back of the throat have gr- at the beginning.
Blurt – to say something quickly that wasn’t supposed to be said….
Chatter – constant talk, usually about nothing in particular. Also used when it is very cold – you can say “my teeth were chattering.”
Groan – the moaning sound people make when they don’t want to do something or the sound an elderly or infirm person makes when getting up from a chair for example.
Mumble – when someone doesn’t speak clearly or confidently, they are said to ‘mumble.’
Collision related words
Comics books make much use of this type of word. Batman and his POW in a font that feels like it is coming towards you, is probably the first occurrence we all register.
Slap – to hit hard with one’s flat hand, though can also be use colloquially – “the warden slapped a speeding ticket on my car windscreen”
Bang – a loud noise. Words ending in -ng are usually sounds that resonate.
Jingle – describes moving items usually made of metal but also means the music associated with advertisements.
Crash –items colliding which are usually describing items made of glass or metal.
Words related to Water
Lots of words that relate to water in this series of words start with sp- or dr- and often end in -le when related to a small body of water.
Dribble – the fluid that oozes from the mouth of a baby, a drunk person or a dog.
Drip – a drop of water from, for example a tap which is often rhythmic.
Splash – a body of water that is agitated / disturbed and moves onto anther surface; for example when a car drives through a puddle and splashes a pedestrian on a pavement.
Squirt – a short burst of a fluid, like when you squeeze a tube of cream or toothpaste and it makes a noise. Also slang for a small annoying person.
Words describing Air
Swoosh – the sound made by speeding air like when in an aeroplane.
Gasp – a sharp intake of breath taken when you are shocked or about to go underwater.
Flutter – the gentle movement of a butterfly or leaves falling from a tree
Whiff – a smell or a sense of recognition, can be light or strong.
When you listen to children’s programmes or hear them play, a lot of these words will be used, but they are also used by adults telling stories and describing events and in colloquial English by native speakers.
A bit of fun: Watch the video on YouTube called The Wonky Donkey to hear many words in the onomatopoeia family.
