A research work by Shcheglova Olga

Teacher: Samarova N. V.

When we study a foreign language we may meet different cultural differences. One of such differences is Onomatopoeic words. For instance: Why a dog bark in a various way in different languages. If it lives in English-speaking countries it utters « bow-wow», if it’s Motherland is Russia it produces «гав-гав», if it lives in a Chuvash village it produces «хам-хам».

Though the animals produce completely identical sounds. Why then different nations express completely identical sounds by various sound combinations? Have you ever thought and surprised when you learn this phenomenon? But I have. That’s why I decided to investigate Onomatopoeic words. I think this research work will be interesting and useful not only for me, but for everybody.

The aim of my research work is to find out the most famous and popular English onomatopoeic words and compare them with the analogical words in the Russian and Chuvash languages.

The methods of researching are studying special literature: books, the Internet. In my opinion the research work in this sphere will be actual not only for me but for other people too.

To achieve my goal I put such tasks:

1. To study literature on this theme

2. To classify onomatopoeic words

3. To compare English, Russian and Chuvash onomatopoeic words

4. To extend the knowledge of the English language

The word 'onomatopoeia' comes from the combination of two Greek words, one meaning 'name' and the other meaning 'I make,' so onomatopoeia literally means 'the name (or sound) I make.' Having looked through a number of onomatopoeic words I can say that the concept of onomatopoeia words can be difficult to understand without examples. Examples give you the chance to understand the onomatopoeia concept better and to see and sound out actual words. Let’s look through some of them.

splashdrip

всплеск кап-кап

сирпӗтетпӑт-пӑт

  These words often begin with sp- or dr-. Words that indicate a small amount of liquid often end in -le (sprinkle/drizzle).

splash всплеск

чашлаттарать

sprinkle брызгать сирпӗтет

squirt впрыснуть сирпӗтет

drip капнуть тумлать

drizzle моросить пӗрӗхет

Sounds that come from the back of the throat tend to start with a gr- sound whereas sounds that come out of the mouth through the lips, tongue and teeth begin with mu-.

growl рычать

харлатать

giggle хихикать ихӗрет

growl рычать харлатать

grunt хрюкать нӑриклетет

mumble мычать ӗнӗрлет

murmur бормотать уҫӑмсӑррӑн

калать

Collisions can occur between any two or more objects. Sounds that begin with cl- usually indicate collisions between metal or glass objects, and words that end in -ng are sounds that resonate. Words that begin with th- usually describe dull sounds like soft but heavy things hitting wood or earth.

bam бам

хлоп

ян-н

ҫат-ҫат

clap

bam бам ян-н

bang бах кӗрӗс

clang звяк халтӑрт

clank дзинь шанкӑр-

шанкӑр

clap хлоп ҫат-ҫат

clatter тук-тук шак-шак

click щёлк хӑлт тӑвать

jingle динь-дилень шӑнкӑр-

шӑнкӑр

Because air doesn’t really make a sound unless it blows through something, these words describe the sounds of air blowing through things or of things rushing through the air. 'Whisper' is on this list and not the voice list because we do not use our voices to whisper. We only use the air from our lungs and the position of our teeth, lips and tongues to form audible words.

whisper

шептать пӑшӑлтатать

gasp задыхаться сывлайманни,

сывлӑш

ҫитменни

whiff дуновение хуллен вӗрни

swish шелест, шорох,

шуршание

чӑшӑлтатни

whisper шептать шӑппӑн, сассӑр

калать

swoosh свист шӑхӑрни

baa бэ-э мэ-э-э

bark гав-гав хам-хам

cluck куд-кудах кӑт-кӑтик

buzz з-з-з сӗр-р-р

cackle га-га-га какалаҫҫӗ

cock-a-doodle-doo ку-ка-ре-ку ки-ки-ри-ку

croak ква-ква кваклатаҫҫӗ

cuckoo ку-ку ку-ку

hee-haw иа-иа иа-иа

hiss ш-ш-ш ш-ш-ш

meow мяу мӑюк

oink хрю-хрю нӑрик-нӑрикquack кря-кря нарт-нарт

tweet щебетать чӗвӗл- чӗвӗл

Sim

ilar

p

ron

oun

ciat

ion

• Having compared English onomatopoeic words with their equivalents in the Russian and Chuvash languages I found out, that every nation assimilate phonation (sounding) in its own way, so onomatopoeic words of the various languages don’t coincide with each other, though sometimes they have similarity. For instance, Russian and Chuvash “ку-ку” is heard almost the same in the English language “cuckoo”.

• But the majority of onomatopoeic words are pronounced differently. What is the reason? According to the scientists, one of the reasons is that the sources of sounds have complex nature. That’s why they can’t be exactly pronounced, every language chooses one of the similar soundings as a sample of imitation. For example: tweet – щебетать – чӗвӗлтетет.

1. Бабенко Я.Г. Лексические средства обозначения эмоций в русском языке.— Свердловск, 1989.

2. Бархударов Л.С. К вопросу о поверхностной и глубинной структуре предложения // Вопросы языкознания. — 1973. — № 3.

3. Воронин C.B. Основы фоносемантики. — Л., 1982.

4. Выготский Л.С. Мышление и речь // Собрание сочинений. Т.2. — М., 1982.

5. Дементьева Н.А. Сопоставительно-семантический анализ глаголов звучания в немецком и русском языках: Автореф. дис.канд. фи-лол. наук. - Саратов, 1982.

6. http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Animal-sounds

7. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/5-examples-of-onomatopoeia