In this paper, there will be a thematic overview of some of the most interesting contributions to the area of onomatopoeia and other sound symbolism. Most linguists have had something to say on the subject, in many cases using different terminologies.
The themes that are especially important are the questions of integration into language (grammar and lexicon), of productivity, of universality and of explanation. The chapter will end with a summary of forms and meanings of onomatopoeic and sound symbolic expressions.
Table of Contents
Background
1.1. ONOMATOPOEIA AND SOUND SYMBOLISM IN THE SCIENCE OF LANGUAGE
Terminology
Onomatopoeia
Sound symbolism
Phonestheme
Ideophone
Morpheme
Conclusion
1.2. THE LINGUISTIC NATURE OF ONOMATOPOEIC WORDS
Is sound symbolism the rule or the exception in language?
Sound symbolism is fundamental to language
Sound symbolism is both inside and outside of language
Evaluation of discussion of sound symbolism
Is sound symbolism productive or not? Sound symbolism is not productive
Sound symbolism is productive
Greater or lesser degree of productivity
1.3. THE MORPHOLOGY OF ONOMATOPOEIA
Some generalizations
Conclusions
Categories
Variation in words:
Onomatopoetic names
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the linguistic status of onomatopoeia and sound symbolism, specifically examining their integration into language structures, their productivity, and their explanatory potential. The research aims to clarify terminological confusion and analyze how sound-symbolic elements function as morphological units within the linguistic system.
- The differentiation between various terms like onomatopoeia, phonesthemes, and ideophones.
- The debate regarding whether sound symbolism is fundamental or peripheral to language.
- The productivity of sound symbolism in the creation of new words (neologisms).
- The semantic classification of onomatopoeic categories and their relation to human senses.
Excerpt from the Book
Types of onomatopoeia.
There are two: lexical and non-lexical, and one might differentiate between them as follows: Lexical onomatopoeia draws upon recognized words in the language system, words like thud, crack, slurp and buzz, whose pronunciation enacts symbolically their referents outside language. Nonlexical onomatopoeia, by contrast, refers to clusters of sound which echo the world in a more unmediated way, without the intercession of linguistic structure. As for the non-lexical types, the non-lexical approximations of a car revving up such as vroom vroom, or brrrrm brrrrm. These expressions have no existence in the language. Likewise, English poetry provides us with many such examples in which poets try to capture or approximate some natural sounds, and the best examples of non-lexical onomatopoeias which could be called in here are Shakespeare's imitation of the chanticleer's sound in The Tempest as "Cock-a-diddle-dow" and of the owl's sound in Love's Labour's Lost, 'Winter's Song' as "Tu—whit—tu—who". Another division of onomatopoeias, into two forms again, is made by Hinton [27, p. 100] who distinguishes between primary and secondary onomatopoeia, saying that its primary form is "the imitation of sound by sound" where the sound is truly an echo to the sense, and "the referent itself is an acoustic experience which is more or less closely imitated by the phonetic structure of the word," whereas the secondary onomatopoeia is the one in which the sounds evoke, not an acoustic experience, but a movement or some physical or moral quality. Ullmann exemplifies his first form with the (dither, dodder, quiver, slither, slouch, squirm, wriggle) as examples for movements, and (gloom, grumpy, mawkish, sluggish, wry) to exemplify the physical or moral qualities. It is obvious here that both forms are lexical, and not invented or improvised by poets according to the ends they want to serve.
Summary of Chapters
1.1. ONOMATOPOEIA AND SOUND SYMBOLISM IN THE SCIENCE OF LANGUAGE: This chapter provides a foundational overview of the terminology in the field, defining key concepts such as onomatopoeia, sound symbolism, phonesthemes, and ideophones to clarify existing theoretical ambiguities.
1.2. THE LINGUISTIC NATURE OF ONOMATOPOEIC WORDS: This section investigates whether sound symbolism is an integral part of the linguistic system or an exception, exploring the conflicting views of historical linguists regarding the non-arbitrary relationship between form and meaning.
1.3. THE MORPHOLOGY OF ONOMATOPOEIA: This chapter examines the synchronic and morphological aspects of sound-symbolic expressions, analyzing how they persist or change over time and categorizing their functional roles in language, including their use in literature.
Keywords
Onomatopoeia, Sound symbolism, Phonesthemes, Linguistics, Morphology, Neologisms, Lexicon, Semantics, Synchronic analysis, Language evolution, Ideophones, Iconic relationships, Verbal affinities, Submorphemes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper provides a thematic overview of onomatopoeia and sound symbolism, exploring how these elements are integrated into the grammar and lexicon of a language.
What are the central thematic fields discussed?
Key themes include the terminological definitions of sound-related words, their status as productive or non-productive elements, and their universality across different languages.
What is the core research question regarding sound symbolism?
The work addresses whether sound-symbolic expressions are merely peripheral phenomena or if they play a fundamental role in the structure and evolution of language.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a theoretical and comparative overview, synthesizing contributions from various linguists to analyze the synchronic nature of onomatopoetic words.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the linguistic definitions of onomatopoeia, the nature of phonesthemes and ideophones, and the classification of sound-symbolic contents based on human senses.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The most relevant keywords include Onomatopoeia, Sound symbolism, Phonesthemes, Morphology, and Linguistic productivity.
How does the author define lexical vs. non-lexical onomatopoeia?
Lexical onomatopoeia uses recognized words (e.g., thud, buzz) that have a place in the language system, whereas non-lexical onomatopoeia consists of sound clusters that imitate reality directly without standard linguistic structure.
What is the author's argument regarding phonesthemes as morphemes?
The author suggests that phonesthemes should be considered a special type of morpheme, potentially labeled as "submorphemes," due to their dependent and motivated nature.
How does secondary onomatopoeia differ from primary?
According to the cited definitions, primary onomatopoeia imitates sound with sound, while secondary onomatopoeia involves words that evoke physical or moral qualities rather than just acoustic experiences.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2016, The General Concept of Onomatopoeia and Sounds Replication, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/470689
