Great job on your homework, kids! Ready for your lesson?!
[My source here is Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (Perrine and Arp), a book which was recommended to me by the lovely, talented, and intelligent Cat and has been most helpful in my studies.]
OK, so you know about onomatopoeia—words that sound like their meaning, such as plop or hiss. But have you ever heard of…I’m so excited. I LOVE WORMS. WORMS, ROXANNE.*
I mean, words.
Have you ever heard of phonetic intensives? I HADN’T EITHER.
These words are not onomatopoetic, and yet their sound, “by a process as yet obscure, to some degree connects with their meaning.”
For example, an initial fl- often introduces words meaning moving light. You all gave me flicker and flamboyant. Others: flame, flare, flash.
Right?
Now it doesn’t always work, as evidenced by flatulent (thank you, Michelle). But still. It often indicates a relationship.
Here are more associations:
- Initial gl- with unmoving light…gloaming, glorious, glamor
- Initial sl- with smooth and wet…slimy, slather, slithering, and I guess we could throw slattern and slut in there…
- Initial st- with strength…stasis, stalwart, stanchion, stump, statutory, standoff
- Short i with small size…impish (Y’all didn’t give me much on that one, but think little, bit, inch, midget.)
- Medial att with particled movement…rattling, prattling, splatter
- Final -er or -le with repetition…zipper, chortle, doodle, glimmer, falter
- Final ck with sudden cessation of movement…quack, frack, check, flick
(The only one you guys totally failed me on was long o or oo, which can suggest melancholy or sorrow, as in moan, groan, doom, gloom, and woe.)
DO YOU FEEL TOTALLY SMART NOW OR WHAT?
CAN YOU THINK OF MORE WORDS THAT FIT THESE IDEAS?
I’M A NERD. EVERY DAY.
*If you don’t belong to the Scott family, you may not get this reference.
It just occurred to me that, if y’all knew all this already, I’m going to feel really dumb.
I did not know any of this before! And it is crazy awesome! I heart linguistics :)
I GOT THE REFERENCE! Love it. Movie night?
Changing my answers in light of this post.
1. Initial fl- flint, flinch, flirt
2. Initial gl- glacial, glassy, gloam
3. Initial sl- slather, sled, slick
4. Initial st- sturdy, stout, stay
5. Short i: stint (this still works), skip, divot
6. Long o or oo: ooze, droop, mood
7. Medial (in the middle of the word) att: pitter-patter, shatter, tatter
8. Final -er or -le: jungle, cubicle, sprinkler
9. Final ck: lock, smack, kick
I am a loser! None of mine worked. Maybe it’s because I’m weird and my brain thinks of words such as “murderer”.
Movie night, Nelly!
Phil, you get extra credit. You might even get to choose something out of the treasure chest.
Ashley, some say “loser”; others say “divergent thinker”. You’re definitely weird, I’ll give you that. It’s what I like about you!
Hey! Flatulent may not have moving light, but it sure has moving wind! Close enough for me :)
Sorry, I was surrounded by flatulent dogs today. It was on my mind.
Ahhh. Divergent thinker. That’s going on my next resume.
Touché, Michelle.
And Ashley, it’s not like I gave you any parameters for the assignment. Thus, losing was not possible.
i’m so glad that poetry book is working out for you. and for all of us. yebo!
didn’t feel like i should play since i knew the answer. good book, tho, you are right.