Onomatopoeia in poetry

1. Onomatopoeia in poetry Do you know what this word means? If you don’t, maybe this joke will help to remind you. Knock, Knock. “Who’s there?” Boo. “Boo, who?” Don’t cry about it! I was just trying to help! Onomatopoeia is a poetic or literary device that uses words which imitate the sound they name—in other terms, these words are SOUND EFFECTS or noise words. Onomatopoeia comes from the Greek--onomawhich means “name,” and poieinwhich means “to make.”

2. Let’s create A sound words list The Garfield cartoon from yesterday can give us our first two words.

3. Now that we have a list, see if it helps you with this exercise. • onomatopoeia activity • Why would a writer choose to use onomatopoeia? --these words help to identify the setting --these words add to the description --sound words appeal to our sense of hearing --these types of words can help to convey or emphasize meaning --these words become a tool the writer uses like an artist uses a paintbrush. (Listen to this line from a poem by Tennyson. The moan of doves in immemorial elms And murmuring of innumerable bees The repeated “m/n” sounds reinforce the idea of “murmuring” by imitating the hum of insects on a warm summer day. • Why might some of these sound words be helpful for you as you write your nature poems?

4. Here is a poem that uses onomatopoeia The rusty spigot sputters, utters a splutter, spatters a smattering of drops, gashes wider; slash, splatters, scatters, spurts, finally stops sputtering and plash! gushes rushes splashes clear water dashes. By Eve Merriam

5. Can you identify the sound words in this silly poem by Lewis Carroll? Listen as actor David Schwimmer reads it. Jabberwocky poem On the next slide, we will see the words and look for the sound words.

6. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll Twasbrillig, and the slithytovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the momerathsoutgrabe."Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shunThe frumiousBandersnatch!"He took his vorpal sword in hand:Long time the manxome foe he sought—So rested he by the Tumtum tree,And stood awhile in thought.And as in uffish thought he stood,The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,And burbled as it came!One, two! One, two! and through and throughThe vorpal blade went snicker-snack!He left it dead, and with its headHe went galumphing back."And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?Come to my arms, my beamish boy!O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"He chortled in his joy.'Twasbrillig, and the slithytovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the momerathsoutgrabe.

7. Now see what you can do with onomatopoeia in your own poem. Pitter, patter Ding, dong Howl, woof, woof