Onomatopoeia is a Hoot! by Lorrie Orr

 

Want to add a little zing to your writing? Use, but don't overuse onomatopoeia. This is a former English teacher writing this post, so sit up and pay attention. No dilly-dallying!

Onomatopoeia, words that resemble the sound they describe,  is widely used in comic book writing. BAM! KABOOM! ZAP! It's fun to read children's stories featuring onomatopoeia and often causes little listeners to giggle and imitate the sounds. Made-up words are just fine. Dr. Seuss is a stellar example of this. Animal sounds are some of the first sounds we encourage our little ones to make. 

Using onomatopoeia effectively in writing other than for children helps to create a vivid picture for our readers. Combined with assonance, consonance, and alliteration, onomatopoeia can create specific moods such as excitement, tranquility, nostalgia, fear, and other responses. Short snappy sounds evoke liveliness whereas longer sounds lengthen the text and slow it down to evoke quieter moods. Here are two examples:

I heard a fly buzz - when I died -

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air - 

Between the Heaves of Storm

(Emily Dickinson)

(Buzz, Heaves - onomatopoeia with l and r sounds lengthening the

second and third lines)

Beat! Beat! Drums! - blow! bugles! blow!

Through the windows - through doors - burst like a ruthless force

(Walt Whitman)

(Beat, blow, burst - onomatopoeia, with consonance and alliteration evoking the drama of impending war)

Onomatopoeia can be used as verbs, nouns, and more rarely, as adjectives. Effective use of this literary device enriches writing. One caution: resist the temptation to replace "said" in dialogue tags with too much onomatopoeia or you risk telling, not showing. Now, get your keyboard clacking or your pen scratching and think of how you can use onomatopoeia to liven up your writing. Just snap to it!

Lorrie Orr writes from Vancouver Island where she enjoys hiking or boating with her husband and spending time with her five grandchildren. Gardening, sewing, reading, and cooking are other activities she enjoys.