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That one word, therefore, accomplishes a dual service, and contributes to the expression of the general idea in one way through its content and in another through its sound. =Onomatopoetic Words.= This coördination of the two appeals is the origin and the essence of the quality of style. But the question now demands to be considered, how may this coördination be effected?
For all that, it is quite impossible to show, nor does it seem intrinsically reasonable to suppose, that more than a negligible proportion of the elements of speech or anything at all of its formal apparatus is derivable from an onomatopoetic source.
From the monotone of under-world sounds a strange little rasping detached itself, a reiterated, subdued scraping or picking. It carried my mind instantly to the throbbing theme of the Niebelungs, onomatopoetic of the little hammers forever busy in their underground work.
The spirit of all dead persons is called "a-ni'-to" this is the general name for the soul of the dead. However, the spirits of certain dead have a specific name. Pin-teng' is the name of the a-ni'-to of a beheaded person; wul-wul is the name of the a-ni'-to of deaf and dumb persons it is evidently an onomatopoetic word. And wong-ong is the name of the a-ni'-to of an insane person.
Yet language is forever striving to emulate music by actually expressing something, besides merely symbolising it, and thus we have in poetry the coining of onomatopoetic words words that will bring the things they stand for more vividly before our eyes and minds.
Twelve months ago I wrote, "From the monotone of under-world sounds a strange little rasping detached itself, a reiterated, subdued scraping or picking. It carried my mind instantly to the throbbing theme of the Niebelungs, onomatopoetic of the little hammers forever busy in their underground work.
In the spring all the upper Mesopotamian towns are inundated by flocks of storks, but I have never seen them in greater force than in Taza. On almost every housetop were a couple, throwing their heads back and clattering their beaks in the odd way that gives them their onomatopoetic Arabic name of Lak-Lak.
If you repeat the word several times, resting on the final w, and pausing between each repetition wow! wow! wow! you will find that the sound is not at all unlike the tolling of a funeral bell; and therefore the word is most probably an onomatopoetic invention of the fool's own."
Their aroma is distinctly literary, and they are all eminently serious. Not a smile is provided for in the whole list. There is no element of mystery about them. The passions and sentiments illustrated are of the universal kind. And just as vague, uncanny and bizarre feelings play no part, so there is no resort to verbal tricks, such as meaningless repetitions, or onomatopoetic jingles.
It is curious to compare the difference of ear with which nations hear the cries of animals, and form their onomatopoetic, or "bow-wow" imitations. For instance, the North Americans express by "whip-poor-will" what the Brazilians call "Joao-corta-pao." The Guinea fowl may have been the "Afraa avis;"but that was a dear luxury amongst the Romans, though the Greek meleagris was cheap.
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