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Onomatopeia

Pow! A great descriptive word in the English language, the word Pow is a perfect example of the literary term, onomatopoeia. Authors make use of all forms of onomatopoeia to exaggerate the dramatic implications of the word that they wish to use. A clear understanding of the word onomatopoeia can be achieved through an analysis of its formal, informal, and historical definitions.

The term, onomatopoeia, can be looked at in different aspects from formally to informally. However, when speaking of the denotations of the word, there is a common definition that is most commonly used universally. To generalize all of the denotations found in dictionaries around the world, it is helpful to use the very creditable Oxford English Dictionary. According to the OED, onomatopoeia is “the development of a name or a word that uses imitation of the sound that is connected with the thing or action selected.” Also, this complex dictionary states that “the principle of onomatopoeia acts as a force in the formation of words in any language and can also be referred to as echoism.” When examining the denotation of this word, it is most helpful to understand the definition by use of examples.


As in every word in the English language, there are many ways in looking at onomatopoeia to understand it better. One method could be through its formal usage as found in a dictionary, like the Oxford English Dictionary. Here it explains the way in which people know the meaning of the word onomatopoeia, the abstract acceptance of the word, and its origin. All three areas clearly state that the basic idea is the creation of a word to imitate a sound. Historically, this understanding is evident through examples such as nursery rhymes. To bring all aspects together in the comprehension, one can use examples like “whoosh!” Different literary terms, such as this one, help writing to come to life and add dramatic emphasis.

In order to deviate from the formal standpoint of onomatopoeia, it is helpful to understand the history of the thing, and not of the word itself. According to sources, the first time in which the word, onomatopoeia, was introduced was in 1577 in Peacham’s Gard. Eloquence, where it is being used in the manner where one invents or creates a word with the same sound of that word. An example to demonstrate this portrayal seen in Peacham’s context is hurly-burly which is a name that we call an uprore or chaos. There are other times after that date in which different forms of onomatopoeia were recorded being used; however, it is acceptable to say that onomatopoeia was practiced since the beginning of language. This can be assumed because early people had no way of copying words or phrases around them to create new ones, so they would only create words from sounds that they copied from thei

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Approximate Word count = 1097
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)


  

Student Written Papers:
annabel lee470 words

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