Onomatopoeia Definition: Onomatopoeia is a Greek word, which means name-making or the making of words. It is a figure of speech wherein the words imitate the sounds they describe. For example, ding-dong refers to the sound of bells. Mew means the sound made by cats. Bang refers to any sudden loud sound. Twitter is the sound of birds. Crunch means the sound made by crunching something, while Sizzle refers to the sound produced during frying or cooking something. Onomatopoeia in Literature: Onomatopoeia is widely used in literature, particularly in poetry. For example, in Coleridge’s poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the words cracked; growled, roared and howled are onomatopoeic words. The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound! —Samuel Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Onomatopoeia in Literature: Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, the Bells, offers excellent examples of onomatopoeia. The words, clang, clash, roar, twanging and clanging are all onomatopoeic words. How they clang, and clash, and roar! What a horror they outpour On the bosom of the palpitating air! Yet the ear, it fully knows, By the twanging And the clanging……….. —Edgar Allan Poe, The Bells ........................................................................................ Blog: rafiq23.hubpages.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/English-Literature-Made-Easy-883565825004020/?ref=bookmarks Linkedin: https://pk.linkedin.com/pub/muhammad-rafiq/52/433/334 ......................................................................................... Credits: Music: Kavin Macleod