ONOMATOPOEIC WORDS

An onomatopoeia or onomatopia is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises, such as "oink" (for pigs) or "meow" (cats) or "roar" (lions). Onomatopoeias are not the same across all languages; they conform to some extent to the broader linguistic system they are part of.

ENGLISH AND SPANISH ANIMAL NOISES

abeja (bee): bzzz (zumbar) buzz bho (owl): uu uu (ulular) who, hoo, hoot burro (donkey): iii-aah (rebuznar) heehaw caballo (horse): jiiiiiii, iiiiou (relinchar) neigh, n-a-a-a-y cerdo (pig): oink-oink, oinc-oinc (grunir) oink gallina (hen): coc co co coc (cacarear), kara-kara-karakara cluck gallo (rooster): kikirik, ki-kiri-ki (cantar) cock-a-doodledoo

gato (cat): miau (maullar) meow len (lion): grrrr, grgrgr (rugir) roar, growl oveja (sheep): bee, mee (balar) b-a-a-a-h pato (duck): cuac cuac quack
(On thanksgiving day we can salute with the expression gooble, gooble)

pavo (turkey): glugl gobble

perro (dog): guau guau, guau (ladrar) bark, bow-wow, arf, ruff
Canario (canary bird) po po tweet, tweet

rana (frog): cru cru, berp, croac (croar) ribbit, croak

tigre (tiger): ggggrrrr, grgrgr (rugir) roar, growl vaca (cow): mu, muuu (mugir) moo

ACTIVITY:

Watch this video and match the sounds below with the animals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99ULJjCsaM

MATCH THE ANIMALS WITH THEIR SOUNDS

1.
2. 3. 4.

5.
6. 7. 8.

9.
10.

Horse Rabbit Bird Frog Owl Snake Mouse Dog Hen Elephant

A.
B. C. D.

E.
F. G. H.

I.
J.

To whit to whooo Tweet, tweet, tweet Squeak, squeak NTeigh, neigh, neigh Woof, woof, woof Hiss, hiss, hiss Cluck, cluck, cluck Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit Pawoooooo Thump, thumphety, thump

OTHER ONOMATOPEOIC WORDS

In english, there are lots of onomatopoeic verbs. That means a verb formed from a perceived sound. Even if it a more typical phenomenon in english language than in spanish we can find bilingual equivalents of onomatopoeic verbs. Lets do an exercise to practise!!

Give the spanish equivalent of: (Look for them in wordreference.com)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.
12. 13.

Splash Clatter Shiver Whisper Bubble Crunch Squeak Clap Whistle Scream Murmur Boo Cheer

Here is
the key!

Give the spanish equivalent of: (Look for them in wordreference.com)

Splash Clatter Shiver Whisper Bubble Crunch Squeak Clap Whistle Scream Murmur Boo Cheer

Chapotear Traquetear Tiritar Susurrar Balbucear Crujir Chirriar Aplaudir Silbar Chillar Murmurar Abuchear Vitorear