Skip to main content

onomatopoeia ... imitating the natural sound of things

eyes to see, ears to hear ... hush, be still


Words are cool.  They are interesting, thought-provoking and even noteworthy. There’s a gaggle of words that are just fun to say, especially when used in conversation.  Try dropping conundrum on someone and see it expressed on their face; vichyssoise – do you know what it is? … cahoots or even a name like football player, Manu Tuiasosopo.   See, you’re smiling just reading them!

A pet word of mine is onomatopoeia.  It’s a blast to pronounce and people look at you like, “say what?”  You just grin, actually smirk.

onomatopoeia – imitates the natural sound of things

So, I was thinking of this word in relation to stuff that I do.  Is the stuff echoing the sound that I want to express?  Sometimes it might be a murmur or buzz when I get all tweeted out.  There are days that it’s a thump and bang as I beat my head against a wall or fall flat on the floor.  What about the “oh crap, foot-in-my-mouth” blurt days?  Wedged in between all of these metaphors, are the times when I’m imitating hush, be still, cease.

What is it about words that sound like themselves?  They are their own definition.  

Going back to me (and you), do I sound like my own definition?  It’s kind of crazy to think about, but people are listening to us – good, bad and yep, the ugly.  Maybe more so on the ugly faction, as we’ve become a culture obsessed with self, letting situations and circumstances buzz us or bang us around.  Those times are also onomatopoeia's, sounds being emitted, defining our innateness. 

Here's a good spot for a big exclamation point! Sounds and definitions and noises...it get's confusing.  I guess I‘m looking to be a tune on a favorite playlist; one that is just right at the right time; mellow jazz when a chill element is needed, a little blues to go with a sad day or funk to bring swagger to the step.  I want to be a word that reverberates its elemental meaning.

Onomatopoeia spins off the tongue, is it playing from my speakers?

Missy


If you have been mildly amused, challenged or inspired by what you have read, please pass on my blog to a friend, colleague, family member or even random acquaintance





Comments

  1. Now that was a fun play with words. Kind of lyrical. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Marlene. It was fun to write and pop in words that are actually onomatopoeias. Chuck, from our writing class used the word in a few of his pieces. It intrigued me then, and still does. I appreciate your comments!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

road tripping: french glen and steens mountain

we took a stinkin' lot of dirt roads, but i wouldn't have it any other way The drive wasn’t long by west coast standards, a mere few of hours; which meant there was plenty of leisure (interpreted coffee time) before leaving on another road trip escapade.  I can’t begin to tell you how much fun it is to pack a bag, gas up the car and set out to see what can be seen. An interesting thing I’ve discovered on these exploits, is that having lived in Oregon for the majority of my life, I’ve missed “seeing” a lot of things. You know, I think we all get into the habit of going to the same places, which is a good thing, but we forget about the “other” places that are right in our own backyards. Case in point, yesterday afternoon, when my darling man and I went to Tumalo Falls. I’ve been to Skyliner Snow Park, but never gone the few more dirt road miles to see the falls. Holy cow! Is that lame, or what? a sweet little place, no frills, but plenty of yesteryear

lent, not lint

says it all - the grotto It sticks to your clothes and shows up splendidly on black, it gets caught on the screen in the dryer and socks elaborately decorate your toes with the stuff.  Yep, lint:  the fuzzy, ravelings of fabric that cling to everything; like Velcro, only different. Lint actually has a purpose.  By scraping it from linen it can be made into a soft, fleecy fabric.  Cotton staple – lint fibers – are spun into yarn.  While all of this is riveting, especially while staring at the lint in your belly-button, there’s more to Lent than its sound doppelganger. lint: fluffy, minute shreds of yarn lent: a season of preparation These two tiny words sound similar in our vernacular, but have massively different implications in our lives.  We clean-up lint and toss it in the trash.  Lent, however is a prepping time for us to realize we’re not great at cleaning up our own stuff. Lent was originally a season between winter and summer, now called spring.  The s

pebbles

strewn pebbles Walking on the path I noticed the pebbles. I stopped and picked one up, holding it in my hand to feel it’s texture. Tiny and smooth, it felt warm from the sun. Continuing on my walk, the way was scattered with pebbles of different shapes and sizes; some flat and polished, others round and craggy with sharp edges that could cut the skin. I considered the meaning, if any. Some had been sanded to perfection by time and wear. Others recently broken and chipped were harsh, ugly to feel and look at. No matter, all were pebbles; that was fact. Missy If you have been mildly amused, challenged or inspired by what you have read, please pass on my blog to a friend, colleague, family member or even random acquaintance