# Onomatopoeia in other languages **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558 "2006-11-15T18:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/1 "2006-11-15T18:14:55Z")
In English, a snake’s sound is a _hiss_. In English, dropping a whole bunch of metal makes a _clang_. What are onomatopoeiac sounds in other languages? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/2 "2006-11-15T18:30:59Z")
In French, objects falling into water go _plouf!_. And IIRC ducks say _coin_ (“kwan”). ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/3 "2006-11-15T21:39:18Z")
In Italian, roosters don’t crow “cock-a-doodle-doo!” – they shriek “chi-chi-ri-chi!” (with the “ch” pronounced with a hard K, as in “character”). ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/4 "2006-11-15T22:09:52Z")
In Japanese (at least in anime!Japanese \<\_\< ), the sound of a barking dog is ‘wan’, and the sound a cat makes is ‘nyan’. A gun goes ‘ban!’. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/5 "2006-11-15T22:34:56Z")
Japanese manga is rife with onomatopoeia. Nearly every action is accompanied by a particular sound. [Here’s](http://www.geocities.com/thduggie/japan/jslang.htm) a sample list. The example that’s always stuck with me, when I first read about Japanese onomatopoeia, was ‘burun burun’ – the sound of breasts being released. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/6 "2006-11-15T23:10:45Z")
A very old, wonderful example of [French onomatopeia](http://oberkampf.muddeln.free.fr/images/Sounds/Charles%20Trenet%20-%20Boum!.mp3) - the song says, in effect, when you’re in love, every sound you hear reminds you that you’re in love. Throughout the song, he (Charles Trenet) demonstrates all the sounds you might hear that remind you of this. I love this song. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/7 "2006-11-16T00:09:54Z")
There is lots of onomatopaeia (spelling?) in French. A hub-bub or an uproar is a “brouhaha”, the sound a crowd makes. The horn on a car is a “claxon” pronounced “Klak-son” “Sifler” is to whistle. And my favourite is “cracher” to spit or spit up (Pronounced like Crash-ay). ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/8 "2006-11-16T01:20:56Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] A very old, wonderful example of [French onomatopeia](http://oberkampf.muddeln.free.fr/images/Sounds/Charles%20Trenet%20-%20Boum!.mp3) - the song says, in effect, when you’re in love, every sound you hear reminds you that you’re in love. Throughout the song, he (Charles Trenet) demonstrates all the sounds you might hear that remind you of this. I love this song. [/QUOTE] :mad: That’s my personal song he wrote for me! I hate you for telling everybody! I didn’t even click the link and I know what you’re talking about (“Boum”, right?). ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/9 "2006-11-16T02:42:01Z")
Chinese sounds off the top of my head: - A cat goes “miao” (flat tone), just like in English. - A dog goes “wang” (falling tone) - A rooster goes either “gugugu” (flat tone) or “gegege” (flat tone) - A gun, when fired, goes “biang” (falling tone) ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/10 "2006-11-16T04:03:21Z")
Korean roosters go: kko-kki-yo! Dogs go: wal, wal. Cats go: ya-ong. Sound of something making a splash: poong-deong. Sound of wings flapping: pa-dak-pa-dak. Sound of a crash: kwa-dang! Sound of a train: chik-chik-pok-pok. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/11 "2006-11-16T04:12:14Z")
In Spanish, dogs say _guau guau_ (wow-wow, more or less), cats say _miau_, roosters say _kikiriki_, and chicks say _pio pio._ ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/12 "2006-11-16T14:22:20Z")
The Hebrew word for “bottle” is _bak-buk_, onomatopeotica for the sound when you pour water out of a bottle. (Think: bak-buk-bak-buk-bak-buk) BTW, I don’t think this is really a Cafe Society thread, it’s really more suited to General Questions since you’re looking for reality-based answers. However, I’m leaving it here because I’m feeling whimsical this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/13 "2006-11-16T14:52:02Z")
The ancient Greeks labeled those who did not speak their language with the mocking term βάρβαρος (barbaros). Yes, it’s the root of the word barbarian, but in the proper context means something more akin to “the people who can’t speak properly but just mumble nonsense (bar-bar).” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/14 "2006-11-16T14:55:31Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] BTW, I don’t think this is really a Cafe Society thread, it’s really more suited to General Questions since you’re looking for reality-based answers. However, I’m leaving it here because I’m feeling whimsical this morning. [/QUOTE] I wasn’t sure, since it was languages. Enjoy your whimsy this morning! ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/15 "2006-11-16T15:22:24Z")
In French: a pig goes _groin-groin_ (short nasal ‘n’) a rooster says _coco rico!_ a frog goes _bibbit, bibbit_ a duck says _coin coin_ (sounds like quan quan, short nasal ‘n’) a cow says _meuh_, and the verb is _meugler_ wolves _hurlent houhouou!_ a donkey brays _Hi-han!_ and fish _gloup-glou_ ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/16 "2006-11-16T16:52:15Z")
In German: cattle go _Muh_ roosters go _Kikeriki_ frogs and ducks both go _Quak_ dogs go _Wau_ or _Wuff_ donkeys go _I-A_ sparrows go _Tschilp_ Also _quietschen_ (to squeak), _Knall_ (a bang), _wiehern_ (to whinny), _knacken_ (to crack) etc. - it seems certain words tend to be onomatopetic across many languages. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/17 "2006-11-16T16:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=gallows fodder] In Italian, roosters don’t crow “cock-a-doodle-doo!” – they shriek “chi-chi-ri-chi!” (with the “ch” pronounced with a hard K, as in “character”). [/QUOTE] Which means they can understand Spanish roosters just fine; these say Kikirirí. Hens say coc-coc-coc. Cats say miau and the verb is maullar, dogs say guau (sounds like wow) but the verb is ladrar. Birds say pío-pío, the verb is piar. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/18 "2006-11-16T17:02:23Z")
There’s a restaurant near my work that’s called Pio Pio. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/19 "2006-11-16T19:38:02Z")
Not just onomatopeia but a pun too. In anime sometimes when somebody does something stupid a crow appears and screams “Baka!” (Stupid) Apparently Alligators, dinosaurs and giant robotic tigers go “Gao”. I’ve been wondering about “fumyuu” and “puyuu” are these imitations of baby talk? How about ending sentences in -su? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558/20 "2006-11-16T19:43:13Z")
[Brek-kek-kek! Ko-ax! Ko-ax!](http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/8frog10.txt) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onomatopoeia-in-other-languages/380558.md?page=2)