n.
拟声(说), 【语】拟声法
Onomatopoeia is the imitation of natural sounds in word form. These words help us form mental pictures about the things, people, or places that are described. Sometimes the word names a thing or action by copying the sound. For example: Bong! Hiss! Buzz!
Onomatopoeia (occasionally spelled onomateopoeia or onomatopœia, from Greek ονοματοποιία) is a word or a grouping of words that imitates the sound it is describing, suggesting its source object, such as "click," "clang," "buzz," or animal noises such as "oink", "quack", "flap", "slurp", or "meow". The word is a synthesis of the Greek words όνομα (onoma, = "name") and ποιέω (poieō, = "I make" or "I do") thus it essentially means "name creation", although it makes more sense combining "name" and "I do", meaning it is named (& spelled) as it sounds (e.g. quack, bang, etc.).【Wikipedia】
More please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomatopoeia
象声词(又称拟声词,onomatopoeia )是用语音模拟自然声音形成的词,其语音形式在元音、音高、节奏上体现所拟声音的特点,语义内容具有很强的语境依赖性,但也有部分符号化了。拟声词的来源可追溯至语言前期,声音的模仿是猎人求生的本能,之后才逐渐地将其转变成符号。拟声词汇是利用字义及声音间的关连性构成的。象声词语音语义两个方面都受到语言系统的制约。象声词与叹词处在语言与副语言界线的两边,不应混为一谈。
拟声法(Onomatopoeia)是英语语言学分支英语修辞学的重要修辞手法。和我们汉语的拟声词有相似之处,是指用词语模拟客观事物的声音,以增强讲话或文字的实际音感。例如中文的拟声词有「嘘」、「哔」、「哈啾」、「叭叭」、「咕噜」、「飕飕飕」、「滴答滴答」、「叮当叮当」、「辟沥啪啦」等。英语与汉语虽然属于两种不同的语言系统,但是都有着丰富的拟声词。英语拟声与汉语修辞格拟声完全相同,都是模拟事物自然声音的一种构词方法。各种声音在经验世界中随处可闻,正确地理解、认识和翻译拟声词,能够烘托气氛、显示意境、增强声势和实地情景感,使平淡的句子变得鲜活生动、富有情趣,创造出一种使人身临其境、如闻其声的氛围,达到传声达情和闻声解意的语用目的。例如,有一家美式连锁餐厅“时时乐 ”(Sizzler),其英文名字便是源自牛排油炸 (或烤肉) 时,所发出的声音 (sizzle)。然而,同样的动物叫声,不同国家的人听起来却有不同的感受,因此就出现不同的拟声字词。 中国人认为杜鹃叫声是「布谷、布谷」;但是英美人士却觉得是 "cuckoo" (布谷鸟;杜鹃)。我们说公鸡叫声是「喔喔啼」;但英文则以 "cock-a-doodle-do" (或 coo-coo-ri-coo) 来表达。至于英文母鸡、小鸡及火鸡叫的拟声字是 cackle (咯咯声), cheep (唧唧啾啾) 及 gobble-gobble (咯咯)。此外,有些动物则有两种以上声音词汇,如猫声有 meow (张开嘴叫) 及 purr (愉快声);狗吠声有 bark (咆哮), snarl (狂吠), whine (哀声), yelp (痛苦尖叫) 及 "bowwow"。另外,一个有趣的对比是中文的「哎哟」(被人碰到),英文是以 "ouch" 表示。因此,下次被英美人士踩到脚时,记得喊 "Ouch",而非 "Shit" 或「Ai-yo」。
这里顺便介绍两首有趣的诗歌,一是I Speak, I Say, I Talk 这首诗,它取自 Mice Squeak, We Speak (老鼠叽吱,我们说话) 这本书。

I Speak,I Say,I Talk
Cats purr. 猫咪喵喵
Lions roar. 狮子咆哮
Owls hoot. 夜枭鸣叫
Bears snore. 大熊呼噜
Crickets creak. 蟋蟀嘎嘎
Mice squeak. 老鼠叽吱
Sheep baa. 绵羊咩咩
But I SPEAK. 但我说话
Monkeys chatter. 猴子唧唧
Cows moo. 母牛哞哞
Ducks quack. 鸭子嘎嘎
Doves coo. 鸽子咕咕
Pigs squeal. 猪仔尖叫
Horses neigh. 马儿嘶鸣
Chickens cluck. 小鸡咯咯
But I SAY. 但我能说
Flies hum. 苍蝇嗡嗡
Dogs growl. 狗儿狂吠
Bats screech. 蝙蝠尖鸣
Coyotes howl. 郊狼嚎叫
Frogs croak. 青蛙呱呱
Parrots squawk. 鹦鹉嘎嘎
Bees buzz. 蜜蜂嗡嗡
But I TALK. 但我能聊
*Please click here for the audio recording.
诗中列有 21 种动物叫声,每一行皆列出该动物及其所发出的声音
(action verbs 动作动词)。作者亦备有 Internet Worksheet(http://www.sfreading.com/K-2002/u1_mice/worksheet.html),供学童画出最喜欢的动物及写出其叫声。另一个网页 Sound Safaris (声音狩猎探险。http://www.wildsanctuary.com/index.html),亦相当有趣,可认识 14 种罕见的动物及听听其声音。
另一首诗是Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (By Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carlet),诗中作者亦藉由重复的问题 "What Do You Hear?" 带出 10 种动物的 10 种声音动词。该诗的内容大致如下:
Polar Bear (北极熊), Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
I hear a lion roaring in my ear.
I hear a hippopotamus (犀牛) snorting (哼鼻) in my ear.
I hear a flamingo (火鹤) fluting (吹笛) in my ear.
I hear a zebra (斑马) bragging (吹嘘) in my ear.
I hear a snake hissing (嘶嘶) in my ear.
I hear an elephant trumpeting (吼叫) in my ear.
I hear a leopard (豹) snarling (咆哮) in my ear.
I hear a peacock (孔雀) yelping (尖叫) in my ear.
I hear a walrus (海象) bellowing (吼声) in my ear.
... hear a zookeeper whistling (吹口哨) in my ear....
因此,Onomatopoeia又可以理解为using "sound" words,例如:
1、 模拟人声
murmur (咕哝), whisper (耳语声), giggle (咯咯笑声), hum (哼), ouch (哎呀), hush (嘘), chuckle (抿着嘴轻声地笑), mutter (轻声低语), en (嗯), hi (喂), chatter (唠叨), whoop (喘气声), babble (胡言乱语, 含糊不清地说)
2、 模拟家禽与飞鸟声
cock---crow, hen—cackle, chicken---cheep, duck---quack, goose---cackle, dove---coo, magpie---chatter, parrot---squawk, nightingale---jug.
3、 模拟兽类声
ass---bray, pig---grunt, sheep---baa, horse---neigh, lion---roar, cow---moo, dog---bark, fox---yelp, monkey---jabber, mouse---peep, tiger---growl, cat---mew, elephant---trumpet, wolf---bowl
4、 模拟昆虫及其他动物声音
bee---buzz, mosquito---hum, cicada---chirp, snake---hiss, cricket---chirp, frog---croak
5、 模拟机器、器具声音
click 喀嚓 (剪刀, 门, 按钮), clack 铿锵 (刀叉, 碗碟, 机器), clink 叮叮 (金属, 玻璃),
clank 叮当 (铁链, 刀枪), clang 发出铿锵声 (叮当声), rumble 轰隆声 (雷, 风, 炮, 车),
toot 嘟嘟 (火车, 汽车, 轮船), ticktack 嘀嗒 (钟表)
【例句】
Nothing was heard but the voice of the master and the scratching of pens on paper.
On the way through the mountains to school, we can see the babbling water in the brook, hear the frogs croaking, cuckoo cuckooing, birds singing, sparrows chirping in the forest. All are lovely.
My heart is banging in my ears. 在我耳中响着砰砰的心跳声。
When Miss Martha was reaching for bread there was a great tooting, a clanging, and a fire engine came rumbling past.
The angry husband shut the door with a bang.
The drunken driver drove bang into the store window. 醉醺醺的司机开车砰地撞近商店的橱窗。
“Bang! Bang!” shouted the boys in imitation of gunfire.
Presently Ben Rogers came in sight. He was eating an apple, giving a long melodious whoop at intervals, followed by a deep-toned [低沉的] ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat.
The ticking of the clock was the only sound that greeted him, for not a soul remained.(Hardy)
The metal tool clanged when it hit the wall.
During his fever he babbled without stopping.
He babbled the secret out to his friends. 他向朋友们胡乱说话,泄漏了秘密。
He burbled on/ away (talked) for hours.
The baby babbled (away/ on) for hours
I heard many birds twittering in the woods. 我听到许多鸟儿在林里嘁嘁喳喳。
I banged my knee on the table,"
His stomach rumbled/growled (when hungry) /gurgled.(Blippity-Blop-Blop-Ver-Slotch--a made-up word means the sound of a stomach illness.)
值得注意的是各种动物的声音在经验世界中随处可闻,动物拟声词也就应运而生。动物拟声词在英语拟声词中占有很重要的份额,它比汉语动物拟声词还要丰富多样。汉语动物拟声词往往用简单和笼统的一个“叫”字来表述,而英语一般都用专门的拟声词来表达各种不同动物的叫声。正确地翻译动物拟声词,能够烘托气氛、显示意境、增强声势和实地情景感,使平淡的句子变得鲜活生动、富有情趣,创造出一种使人身临其境、如闻其声的氛围,达到传声达情和闻声解意的语用目的。英语动物拟声词可分为( Primary Onomatopoeia) 和间接拟声( Secondary Onomatopoeia) 两种基本类型,而且在翻译中存在着较明显的区别。
先来归纳一下动物的拟声词:
Sound of the World's Animals
Animal Onomatopoeia Verb
pig oink 1) oink 2)grunt
cow moo moo
goat N/A bleat
hen buck buck cackle (after laying eggs),
cluck (as in calling her chicks)
rooster cockadoodledoo crow
duck quack quack
goose honk; honk; hiss (when angered)
hiss (when angered)
dog woof, bowwow, yap, 1) bark 2) woof (when they
yelp, yip want sth. to eat) 3) growl, yap,
yelp 4) whine
horse neigh, whinny neigh, whinny
cat mew, meow, hiss, purr meow; hiss (when
angry), purr
rabbit N/A N/A
donkey ee-yaah! or Eyore bray
(the name of Winnie the
pooh's lazy donkey companion)
mouse squeak squeak
monkey hoot hoot
honeybee buzz buzz
tiger/lion N/A roar
snake hiss hiss
cricket chirp chirp
cicada chirp chirp
dragon N/A roar
toad croak croak
frog ribbit ribbit
owl hoot hoot
bat N/A N/A
pigeon coo coo
cuckoo cuckoo call
sparrow chirp chirp/sing
crow/raven crcaw caw
sheep baa bleat
wolf N/A howl
small birds chirp, cheep chirp or tweet
bull N/A bellow (when enraged)
mosquito buzz whine, buzz
swallow chirp twitter, chirp
turtledove coo, twitter coo, twitter
thrush画眉 N/A whistle (making
musical sound as a thrush), sing, call
以上的列表可以看出,直接拟声指的是动物的声音与意义基本吻合,能够直接产生音义之间的相互联想。如听见[mu:]的声音使人想到母牛的“哞哞”声。英语中许多表示动物鸣叫声的词是直接拟声,它与汉语的拟声词存在许多相同之处,在发音上十分接近。如猫叫声,英语拟声词为mew , miaow , 汉语拟声词为“喵”;鸽子的叫声,英语拟声词为coo ,汉语拟声词为“咕咕”;鸭子的叫声,英语拟声词为quack ,汉语拟声词为“呱呱”;鹅的叫声,英语拟声词为cackle ,汉语拟声词为“咯咯;青蛙的叫声,英语拟声词为croak ,汉语拟声词为“嗝嗝”。这类拟声词摹拟动物的发音,英语与汉语基本上相同或相近,翻译时只要借助汉语的习惯表达法,就能够使读者达到动物如在眼前的感受,从而产生丰富的联想。
间接拟声指的是词的发音并不直接唤起某种听觉的经验,即并非对动物自然声音的直接模拟,而是引起一种运动的感觉,或者某种物质与精神特性的感觉。换言之,间接拟声是指音与某种象征性意义发生联想。我们可以用拟声动词来表达。张培基先生认为, S是咝音字母,它的发音可使人联想到许多动物的相似声。比如,蛇的嘶嘶声,马喷鼻息的嘶嘶声等,又如:
The arrow hissed as it flew past.
We whooshed across the ice
英语中snake 和serpent 都作蛇解,由于两词都带S 字母,音义之间就有了一定的联系。文体学家认为H 字母能象征一种努力或费劲,这是因为H 字母是个吐气音。如发haste , hasten , hurry , hurl等词语时,吐气音和发音器官的动作都能使人联想到用力时的气喘。“sn2”的辅音组合,既能使人联想到呼吸时发出的声音,如sniff , snuff , snore 等,又能表示快速敏捷的动作,如snip , snap , snatch , 还能使人联想到滑溜溜的爬行动物snake , snail 等。M 是个低沉的鼻音,能象征鸟雀的喃喃声和昆虫的嗡嗡声。如:
The moan of doves in immemorial elms ,
And murmuring of innumerable bees.
(A. Tennyson : Come Dow n , O Maid)
古老的榆树林中鸽子的呢喃,
还有成群飞舞的蜜蜂的嗡嗡声。
英文作者用[m]这个辅音,甚至加上m 这个字母的循环往复的出现,收到了有效刺激读者的视觉和听觉的良好的修辞效果。但是,在汉语的翻译中,译者没有把鸽子和蜜蜂的声音都译为“嗡嗡”,而用“呢喃”一词来形容鸽子的叫声,这是一种声音象征(Sound symbolism) 的翻译法。用声音象征来翻译间接拟声词,可以给人以丰富的语音感觉。
由于我们生活在一个充满声音的世界里,动物数量成千上万种,声音五花八门,仅仅靠已经收入词典的一些惯用的拟声词是远远无法表达的。另外,动物拟声词摹拟动物的声音,具有客观性,但是,它又与人的主观意识、感觉、心境等因素密切相关,具有主观性。所以,动物拟声词是客观性和主观性的统一。人们可以根据客观实际需要,临时创造拟声词,以词状声,形象生动。如:
Spring , the sweet Spring , is the year’s pleasant king ;
Then blooms each thing , then maids dance in a ring ;
Cold doth not sting , the pretty birds do sing :
Cuckoo , jug2jug , pu2we , to2witta2woo !
( Thomas Nashe , S pring)
春,甘美的春,四季中的欢乐之王,
百花争奇斗艳,少女翩翩起舞,
乍暖还寒,百鸟纵情欢唱,
咕咕,啾啾,噗喂,托威它呜!
这是英国著名诗人托马斯·纳什赞美春天的诗歌。由于作者非常逼真地摹拟了各种禽鸟的鸣叫声:如杜鹃的cuckoo ,夜莺的jugjug ,田凫的pu2we 以及猫头鹰的to wittawoo ,
强烈地刺激了读者的听觉,产生音义联想效果,使读者耳边仿佛奏响了一曲百鸟齐鸣的春天交响乐。但是,我们仔细地看,就会发现,在这百鸟齐鸣的乐曲中,只有cuckoo , jugjug是有案可稽的, puwe , towittawoo 是诗人临时创造的,这一创造起到了增加声势和烘托气氛的动态效果,一个百花吐艳、百鸟争鸣的春天仿佛就在人们的眼前。
汉语在论及动物的叫声时,往往简单笼统地以一个“叫”字来概括之,不大附加拟声词。在口语中更是如此,如:“蚊子叫”、“知了叫”、“狗叫”、“狼叫”、“老虎叫”、“狮子叫”、“牛叫”、“马叫”,我们甚至把起早摸黑说成“鸡叫忙到鬼叫”等。
虽然我们的祖辈对各种动物的叫声都给予了专门的词语,
如:“马嘶”、“虎啸”、“鸡啼”、“蝉噪”、“狗吠”、“鹤唳”等,许多成语也留下了它们的足迹,如“鬼哭狼嚎”、“河东狮吼”等,但现代人对这些动物的声音习惯上喜欢笼统地概之于“……叫”。可是,英语里这类“叫”声却有专词表达。请比较以下各种动物的叫声:
笼统称法专词表达拟声译文牛叫An ox lows (bellows) .
A bull lows (bellows) . 公牛吼叫(哞哞叫) 。
A cow moos (boos , lows) . 母牛哞哞叫。
A calf bleats. 小牛咩咩叫。
羊叫A goat bleats. 山羊咩咩叫。
A sheep baas. 绵羊咩咩叫。
A lamb bleats (baas) . 小羊咩咩(叫) 。
狗叫A dog bow2wows (yaps , yelps , bays ,
barks , snarls , growls , howls) . 狗汪汪叫。
A hound bays. 猎狗连续吠叫。
A puppy yelps. 小狗狺吠。
猫叫A cat meous (meows , mews , purrs) . 猫咪咪叫(喵喵叫,发呼噜声) 。
A kitten mews. 小猫喵喵叫。
鸡叫A cock crows. 公鸡喔喔叫。
A hen cluks (cackles , chucks , chuckles) . 母鸡咯咯叫。
A chick cheeps (pips , peeps , pules) . 小鸡叽叽叫。
A turkey gobbles. 火鸡咯咯叫。
鸭叫A duck quacks. 鸭子呱呱叫。
鹅叫A goose cackles (gabbles , gaggles) . 鹅咯咯叫(嘎嘎叫) 。
A wild2goose honks. 野鹅鸣叫。
狮子叫A lion roars. 狮子吼叫。
老虎叫A tiger growls (roars) . 老虎咆哮(吼叫) 。
狼叫A wolf howls (growls) . 狼嗥叫。
象叫An elephant trumpets. 象吼叫。
马叫A horse neighs (whinnies , nickers) . 马嘶;马萧萧。
猴叫A monkey chatters. 猴子唧唧叫。
猪叫A pig squeals (grunts) . 猪大声尖叫(发呼噜声) 。
喜鹊叫A magpie chatters. 喜鹊喳喳叫。
鹦鹉叫A parrot squawks. 鹦鹉咯咯呱呱叫。
鸽子叫A dove / pigeon coos. 鸽子咕咕叫。
夜莺叫A nightingale jugs (jug2jugs) . 夜莺啾啾叫。
猫头鹰叫An owl hoots (whoops) . 猫头鹰唬唬叫。
麻雀叫A sparrow twittlers (chirps , chirrups) . 麻雀唧唧喳喳叫。
云雀叫A lark warbles. 云雀啭鸣。
青蛙叫A frog croaks. 青蛙呱呱叫。
苍蝇叫A fly hums (buzzes , drones) . 苍蝇嗡嗡叫。
蚊子叫A mosquito hums (buzzes , drones) . 蚊子嗡嗡叫。
蟋蟀叫A cricket chirps (chirrups) . 蟋蟀唧唧叫。
知了叫A cikada chirps (chirrups) . 蝉知了知了叫。
翻译这类动物拟声词时,为了既忠实于原著,又能再现出动物各种叫声所呈现出来的生动情景,笔者认为应该更多地采用拟声词,以避免用汉语“叫”来笼统地概括各类动物声音的现象。
英语的拟声词说起来应该很丰富的,以下再例举一些,以供参考:
Baa 羊叫声
bang 发巨响
Bark 吠声
bay 狗吠声
Bing 尖锐响亮的声音
blast 爆炸声
bleep 哔哔声
Blippity-Blop-Blop-Ver-Slotch 胃里的声音
Boing 啵嘤(弹簧突然弹开或振动时所发出的声音)
bong (锣, 大钟)发出的响声
boo 作嘘声
Boom 隆隆声
burble 发汩汩声
burr 用喉音说话
buzz 嗡嗡声
cackle 咯咯声
cheep 吱吱的叫声
chirp 喳喳声
chug 发出轧轧声
Clang 叮当声
Click 滴答声
clink 丁当声
cluck cluck
coo 咕咕声
crackle 劈啪响
Crash 爆裂声
ding 鸣(钟), 连响
drone 嗡嗡的声音
Fizz 嘶嘶响
fizzle 嘶嘶声
flap 拍打声
gobble 咯咯叫声
gong 铜锣声
grunt 作呼噜声
Gurgle (流水的)汩汩声, 欢乐的(咯咯声), (人发)咯咯声,
hiccup 打嗝
Hiss 嘶嘶作声
howl 嚎叫, 怒吼, 嚎啕大哭
Huff 吹气
hum 嗡嗡声, 吵杂声
Meow 猫叫声
mew 猫叫声
moan 发出呻吟声
moo 牛叫声
murmur 低沉连续的声音, 咕哝
peal 隆隆声
Ping 子弹飞过空中的声音, 发出砰或咻的声音
plink 叮玲声
plop 扑通声
pow 射击、爆炸声等的拟声词
puff 吹嘘声
purr 咕噜咕噜叫
quack (指鸭)呷呷地叫
Ring 按铃声
roar 吼叫声
scream 喊叫声
shriek 尖声喊叫
sigh 叹息声
slurp 啧啧吃的声音
smack 拍击音
snap 劈啪声
sniff 用力吸声
splash 水溅声
Squeak 尖叫声
squeal 长而尖的声音
Thud 砰击声
Tick 滴答声
tom-tom 手鼓声
tweet 鸣叫
twitter 鸟鸣声
wail 悲叹声
whack 重击声
whang 鞭打, 重击, 重击声
whinny 马嘶声
Whirr 呼呼声
Whiz 嗽嗽声
Woosh (飞速行进等发出的声音)嗖, 呼, 咳
Yip 犬吠, 叫喊声
A list of Onomatopoeic Words
argh
bang, banged, banging
bash, bashed, bashing
bawl, bawled, bawling
beep, beeped, beeping
belch, belched, belching
blab, blabbed, blabbing
blare, blared, blaring
blurt, blurted, blurting
bonk, bonked, bonking
boo-hoo
bow-wow
bump, bumped, bumping
buzz, buzzed, buzzing
choo-choo
clang, clanged, clanging
clank, clanked, clanking
clap, clapped, clapping,
clatter, clattered, clattering
cuckoo
gurgle, gurgled, gurgling
hohoho
POP, popped, popping
roar, roared, roaring
rustle, rustled, rustling
screech, screeched, screeching
sizzle, sizzled, sizzling
thump, thumped, thumpin
whisper, whispered, whispering
babble
bang
boom
burr
buzz
chirp
chirrup
clack
clang
clatter
clipclop
clitter
crack
crash
creak
crick
crinkle
crunch
fizz
fizzle
flutter
hiss
howl
hum
jangle
jingle
murmur
patter
pop
pow
rap
ratatattat
rattle
scratch
screech
scritch
scrunch
shush
siss
sizzle
slosh
smack
sniff
snuffle
splash
splat
splatter
splosh
sputter
squawk
squeak
squish
swish
tap
thud
thwack
tinkle
twang
twitter
varoom
whack
whap
wheeze
whine
whish
whomp
whoosh
zap
zing
zip
Boing-the sound of a roomful of springs
Bong-the sound of church bells on a Sunday morning.
Boom-the sound of an imploding TV vacuum tube
Braap-the sound of oral flatulence
Burble-the sound of a lidded pot brimming with boiling water
Buzz-the sound of ten thousand bees
Clang-the sound of a hammer hitting a sheet of metal
Click-the warning sound of small firearms
Crackle-the sound of wet wood on a campfire
Crash-the imminent sound of playing baseball in the house
Ding-the first sound of the average household's doorbell
Dong-the second sound of the average household's doorbell
Fizz-the sound of a bottle of well-shaken Coke
Goosh-the sound of Hoover Dam busting open
Gurgle-the last sound water makes before going down the drain
Huff-the sound Chubby makes when we punch him in the stomach
Hiss-the sound of snakes or tires that are losing air (neither of which is good)
Hum-the sound of the radiator in the library
Ka-blam-the sound of an exploding grenade
Kerplunk-the sound of a wrench being dropped into a water-filled basin
Lub-dub-the sound that the heart makes according to anatomy textbooks
Meow-the sound of a real cat
Moo-the sound of a stereotypical cow
Murmur-the sound heard around the workplace on "the day after"
Ping-the sound of a crescent wrench hitting a cement floor
Purr-the sound of a very happy cat or well-groomed automobile
Ring-the sound of kids on bicycles riding towards the ice cream truck
Szhoom-the sound of a light saber cutting through the air (made up)
Splash-the sound of the bow breaking through the waves (when playing with kids in a pool:"Don't splash your
brother!" Not always onomatopeic.)
Squeak-the incessant sound pouring out from my roommate's chair
Thud-the sound of a lead brick smashing the Earth
Thwap-the sound of skin on skin
Tick-the sound of the Grandfather clock when the pendulum is on the left
Tock-the sound of the Grandfather clock when the pendulum is on the right
Whirr-the sound of an electric can opener that has seen better days
Whiz-the sound of a 60-mph baseball three inches from your head
Woosh-the sound that every flying superhero makes on takeoff
Wop-the sound of a wet rag thrown onto a greasy counter top
Yip-the sound of a small annoying dog
splash, knock, roar, whinnying, bong, hiss, buzz, pow,
bang, cluck thump, pop, splashy, wow, kerplunk, gush,
tinkle, smash, growl, crunch, click, sizzle, clattered, clanged,
rattle, baa, babble, clip, whinny, clunk, ring, swish, swoosh,
clank, whine, wheeze, wheezy, clop, squish, zip woof, slurp,
clap, tick tock, drip, scratch, clippety-clop, cock-a-doodle-do,
flip-flop, fizz, cuckoo, ding dong, boom, beep, rip, boo-hoo,
choo-choo, bow-wow, argh, ouch, belch, blab, blare, bleat,
thud, screech, bark abuzz, bleep, bray, crack, creak, croak,
crow, murmur, pit-pat, sob spatter, splutter, squeak, varoom,
clickety clack, yippity yap clink, clank, woof, crash, munch, hic,
purr, meow, burp, hiss, squeal screech, crackle, zowie,
rustling, click, clack
(引自:http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_495f96e3010007lr.html)
拟声词的应用上还有一种叠声词现象,英语重叠词利用不同方式的重叠构成,主要部分都是双声构成;而音韵的重叠又各不相同,下文主要从音韵重叠的角度来谈。
按现代词汇学的观点,英语重叠词属于次要拟声(secondary onomatopoeia),即通过词中的元音或辅音的替换构成,也就是重叠部分有变化,包括对词根开头词素、中间词素和词尾词素作变动后叠复三种情况,统称跳弹式重叠(ricochet words)。重叠部分没有变化的叫做同名重叠,或重名(tautonyms)。英语中的许多单词是双音节以上的词,经过仔细分类,利用叠韵构成的词又可分为头韵词、尾韵词、双韵词、双声叠韵词和叠词。
(1)头韵重叠词(alliterative reduplications)
利用头韵构成的重叠词,是通过首字母相同的词语构成语义相关、形式对等的复合表达。如:sea-saw(跷跷板,秋千),shipshape(整整齐齐,井井有条),spick-span(崭新的)。
(2)尾韵重叠词(rhyming reduplications)
利用尾韵(consonance)构成的重叠词,是通过词语中辅音的更替和主要音节音韵的重叠构成,两词之间语义相关。即C1VC(etc.)—C2VC(etc.)型:这种类型中第一个辅音或辅音群被替换。尽管在意第绪语以fancy-shmancy为范例的情形一般用[shm-]替代第一个辅音字母,英语中这种情形不多,但有其它的替代语素,如willy-nilly(不管愿意不愿意,不容分辨),sci-fi(science fiction的简写,科幻小说),nitty-gritty(事实真相)等等。这种重叠词的两个构成部分都有自身的意义,都源于独立的、有不同语义的词或词素,如sci-fi就是来自于sci[ence] fi[ction],通过改变fi-中的元音与sci-形成音韵。尾韵重叠词罗列如下:
abracadabra(咒语,胡言乱语),boogie-woogie(一种爵士乐,亦作boogie),bow-wow(狗吠的声音),chock-a-block(摆满,塞满),claptrap(应景的,讨好的言语或行为),fuddy-duddy(老古板,老古董),fuzzbuzz(忙乱,喧闹),fuzzy-wuzzy(糊涂),handy-dandy(一种猜对方哪手中握有物的游戏),hanky-panky(愚弄,捣鬼),harum-scarum(冒失,鲁莽),heebie-jeebies(神经过敏),helter-skelter(手忙脚乱,狼狈的),herky-jerky(忽动忽停的,抽动),hi-fi(高保真的),higgledy-piggledy(乱七八糟),hobnob(混得很熟,交往甚密),hocus-pocus(欺骗,花招),hodge-podge(=hotchpotch,大杂烩),hoity-toity(傲慢,目中无人),holus-bolus(一下子),honey-bunny(小乖乖),hubble-bubble(冒泡声),hubbub(喧闹声),huff-buff(无线电高频测向仪),hugger-mugger(秘密,杂乱),humpty-dumpty(矮胖,粗短),hurdy-gurdy(街头艺人用的手摇琴),hurly-burly(乱乱哄哄,喧闹),hurry-scurry(慌乱),itsy-bitsy,itty-bitty(极小的),jiggery-pockery(欺骗),jinx-hex(克星,背运),knicker-bocker(纽约人),linsey-woolsey(棉毛织品),loosey-goosey(疲沓松垮),lovey-dovey(多情的),mumbo-jumbo(繁文缛节,莫名其妙的话),namby-pamby(无生气的,易伤感的人),nimbly-bimbly(灵巧敏捷),niminy-piminy(矫饰做作、拘泥形式的),nitty-gritty(真相,细节,关键的关键),nitwit(笨蛋,傻瓜),okey-dokey, palsy-walsy(要好的),pee-wee(矮小),pell-mell(乱七八糟的),peg-leg(装假腿的人),picnic(<法>pique拾+nique甜食=野餐),popsy-wopsy(对小孩的爱称:宝贝),raggle-taggle(杂色的),rat-tat (rat-tat-tat, ratatat, rat-a-tat ;叩击声,敲击声),razzle-dazzle(大哄大嗡,浮华),razzmatazz(大哄大嗡,虚假动作),roly-poly(卷布丁,圆胖),sci-fi(科幻),super-duper(极出色的,非常好的),teenie-weenie, teeny-weeny(微小,极小),tidbit(=titbit)(珍闻,小栏报导),tootsy-wootsy(宝贝),tutti-frutti(什锦蜜饯),
walkie-lookie(一种手提式摄像机),walkie-talkie(背式步话机),willy-nilly(不管是否愿意),wingding(闹酒狂欢,喝酒聚会)等等。
(3)双韵重叠词(female rime reduplications) 或叫元音变换重叠词(ablaut reduplications)
在英语语汇中,通过元音变换或利用双韵构成重叠词,因其前辅音相同形成了双声,而其后辅音也相同,这样更加强了韵味。这种通过元音变换构成的重叠词,即押尾韵又押头韵,其第一个元音几乎总是高元音而变换的元音是低元音,第一个元音往往为前元音而第二个元音为后元音。简单表示为CV1C-CV2C型。
如:bric-a-brac(小古董),chitchat(闲谈,聊天),coca-cola(可口可乐),criss-cross(十字形,纵横交错的),dilly-dally(磨磨蹭蹭,得过且过),ding-dong(丁当声),ficto-facto(事实上,实际上),fiddle-faddle(胡扯,大惊小怪),flimflam(胡言乱语),flip-flop(拍答拍答),flip-flop(凉鞋,后空翻),flipperty-flopperty(松驰地下垂着),hip-hop(一种文化模式,包括说唱音乐、涂鸦艺术和霹雳舞),jim-jam(神经过敏),jingle-jangle(丁丁当当),kit-kat(=kit-cat半身画像),knick-knack(装饰品),mishmash(混杂物),niddle-noddle(不断地点头),ping-pong(乒乓,桌球),pit-a-pat(劈劈啪啪的声音),pitter-patter(雨声,类似下雨的声),prittle-prattle(空谈),riff-raff(乌合之众,地痞流氓),riprap(乱石堆),shilly-shally(犹犹豫豫),singsong(歌舞会),skimble-skamble(随口说出),snip-snap(机智的对答),teeny-tiny(小的),teeter-totter(玩跷跷板,上下晃动),tictac(滴答声,跳动声),tictoc(滴答声),tick-tack(<英国赛马经纪人之间用手表示的>秘密信号),tick-tock(动力,动因),tick-tack(滴答声),tip-top(绝顶,最高点,黄金时代),tittle-tattle(闲聊,杂谈),topsy-turvy(颠三倒四),whimsy-whamsy(怪念头),wish-wash(淡而无味),wishy-washy(空洞无物),zigzag(蜿蜒曲折)等等。
(4) 纯粹的叠词或叫同名重叠(exact reduplications or tautonyms)
构词两部分是同一词素的复叠,类似嘤嘤儿语(baby-talk-like)。这类重叠词有:bla-bla(饶舌),bonbon(<法语>小糖果),bye-bye(再见),choo-choo([儿]火车头 ;火车头的噗噗声),chop-chop(快点,赶快),chow-chow(中国咸菜, 腌什锦菜, 糖渍),clank-clank(链子声),coocoo(<美俚>疯 狂的,狂放不羁的),crack-crack(劈拍声),drip-drip(雨水声),dum-dum(达姆弹<一种击中目标就马上扩散的杀伤力很强的子弹头>,笨蛋),fifty-fifty(对半),go-go(表演戈戈舞),goody-goody(伪善的),ho-ho(嗬嗬<乐开怀的笑声>),knock-knock(敲敲打打),no-no(不可作之事,禁忌),pee-pee(尿尿,撒尿),pooh-pooh(表示轻蔑),pretty-pretty(打扮得很俗气的),rah-rah(<大学生体育比赛中的>为己方大声叫好的,好哇的欢呼声),snip-snip(剪声),so-so(马马虎虎,不好不坏的),tap-tap(打字机的声音),thump-thump(砰然声),tsk-tsk(<表示不赞成、同情、不耐烦等>啧啧,咂咂声),tut-tut(<表示不赞同或不耐烦的>啧啧声),wee-wee(撒尿)等。
以上几种重叠词都没有复制的构词能力,也就是说,形式相对固定,一般不会再出现新词,但下面一类比较特殊。
(5)shm-重叠词(shm-reduplication)
音素shm-加在重复词词首,代替第一个辅音字母构成特殊重叠词,表示一定程度的轻视或语义消解。对于语言学习者来说,这一类词不常见。shm-重叠词一般即时构成,属于口语或儿语,如:baby-shmaby(小毛头,小囡囡),car-shmar(小车车)。marry-shmarry(所谓婚姻类的),doctor-shmoctor, history-shmistory等。这一词缀不限于附加在名次前,还可加在形容词和动词前构成重叠词。如: fancy-shmancy(什么奇幻),patient-shmatient,manage-shmanage,praying-shmaying。这类重叠词充分体现了词汇意义的不确定性。
拟声词的相关网上资源:
1. http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/Curriculum/Literary/Onomatopoeia.html
2. http://www.coastnews.com/huck1018.htm
3. http://www.anapsid.org/beastly.html
4. http://www.eric-carle.com/
5. http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/lessons/sound.html