How to describe sounds?

[Silva]

Found this an awesome thing. Take a look http://www.crockford.com/wrrrld/anguish.html

 

[Deleted member 697]

Yeah I definitely agree that sound description is far more common than onomatopoeia. Honestly as a general rule, ononomatopoeiac sound effects feel like something that fits better with manga/comics than it does pure written word.

Definitely in writing, description is more common as it gives more flavor to the story and help readers visualize the scenario from scratch. In comparison, ononomatopoeiac sound effects are more common when the visuals are already present (like comics).

 

[Anon2.0]

Hmmm... using the cough example you could do this:
Dude coughed and said “kill me please.” As the world burned around him.

 

[Silva]

You know sometimes a simple discussion of the problem does not give its solution. I understand that in English literature it is rarely or not at all used the sound of any dialogues, but basically their sound is described either at the beginning or at the end of a sentence. However, the goal here is not achieved. For example English langauge have Onomatopoeia which help describes sounds but there is no vocabulary for this sounds. In Russian there is no Onomatopoeia like science so we basically can describe sounds like we want similar like a japanase people.

It is looks really funny if you compare this dialogue:
Takeshi carried out a series of attacks on the enemy with a cry of "ORA" - boring normal version of describing action.
Ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora atta - shout Takeshi when he punch his enemy with severals hits.

Yep it sounds more "Japanese" but it can be further manipulated in dialogues of others actions for example like kissing scene:

Molly come to me! - Katty call her cat then took her little kitten and kiss her - boring dialogue.

Oh Molly! i found you! Come here little kitty. Mmmua! (trying to describe smack sound) I love you so much. - See we have a livelly dialogue. I hear how Molly was kissed by Katty and it was very long kiss if i judge by sound.

So if you could improve you dialogues using sounds are not prohibited

Also there aro more examples of necessity usind sound description in dialogue like this situations:

1. mc lost his teeth
2. mc is underwater or near surface and trying to shout
3. mc is running and calling somebody on phone
4. mc trying to pull out something with force
and so on

Novel really looks poor sometimes then there is no sound explanation or then it uses ordinary ones like "Bam"/"Boom" cause you can use this:

Badaaaaam! Brahmmm! budush! Bom! and others.

So i ask again if you know some sites or works there i can found this sounds description it will be very helpfull. Thank you.

 

[Nahrenne]

You know sometimes a simple discussion of the problem does not give its solution. I understand that in English literature it is rarely or not at all used the sound of any dialogues, but basically their sound is described either at the beginning or at the end of a sentence. However, the goal here is not achieved. For example English langauge have Onomatopoeia which help describes sounds but there is no vocabulary for this sounds. In Russian there is no Onomatopoeia like science so we basically can describe sounds like we want similar like a japanase people.

It is looks really funny if you compare this dialogue:
Takeshi carried out a series of attacks on the enemy with a cry of "ORA" - boring normal version of describing action.
Ora ora ora ora ora ora ora ora atta - shout Takeshi when he punch his enemy with severals hits.

Yep it sounds more "Japanese" but it can be further manipulated in dialogues of others actions for example like kissing scene:

Molly come to me! - Katty call her cat then took her little kitten and kiss her - boring dialogue.

Oh Molly! i found you! Come here little kitty. Mmmua! (trying to describe smack sound) I love you so much. - See we have a livelly dialogue. I hear how Molly was kissed by Katty and it was very long kiss if i judge by sound.

So if you could improve you dialogues using sounds are not prohibited

Also there aro more examples of necessity usind sound description in dialogue like this situations:

1. mc lost his teeth
2. mc is underwater or near surface and trying to shout
3. mc is running and calling somebody on phone
4. mc trying to pull out something with force
and so on

Novel really looks poor sometimes then there is no sound explanation or then it uses ordinary ones like "Bam"/"Boom" cause you can use this:

Badaaaaam! Brahmmm! budush! Bom! and others.

So i ask again if you know some sites or works there i can found this sounds description it will be very helpfull. Thank you.

Well, for starters, you were using very simple English.
The joy of describing the sounds, is you can convey images through the use of metaphors, similes, litotes and hyperbole.
It is because English Literature enjoys allowing the reader to imagine the sound themselves, as opposed to being directly told, that makes English literature such a joy to read, globally.
A script might have such onomatopoeic vocabulary, but a story will most likely not.
There is a vast difference.

X

 

[Alverost]

Well, for starters, you were using very simple English.
The joy of describing the sounds, is you can convey images through the use of metaphors, similes, litotes and hyperbole.
It is because English Literature enjoys allowing the reader to imagine the sound themselves, as opposed to being directly told, that makes English literature such a joy to read, globally.
A script might have such onomatopoeic vocabulary, but a story will most likely not.
There is a vast difference.

X

I think we should just accept that people have a different style of writing. There will be people who prefer using onomatopoeia and if that's their writing style then we shouldn't try to change it.

 

[Nahrenne]

I think we should just accept that people have a different style of writing. There will be people who prefer using onomatopoeia and if that's their writing style then we shouldn't try to change it.

True.
*huggles*

X

 

[Raneday]

if you're too lazy to think of words that represent sounds
you could just do it like this:
*sfx for door closing*
*sfx for someone eating soup*

or the likes

 

[lnv]

When writing, I ran into the problem of translating sounds. In Russian, I can portray absolutely any sound that I need, but I am directly lost with the English designations of sounds. Please share some examples or links of such sound designations. For example i mean this: "....Huff huff, now. Eagle this is a Bear. Сopy. "

Here is what I use:

http://joannamarple.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Onomatopoeia-Book.pdf

 

[Silva]

Here is what I use:

http://joannamarple.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Onomatopoeia-Book.pdf

lnv you are my hero. Hontony origato !!!!!!

 

[Silva]

if you're too lazy to think of words that represent sounds
you could just do it like this:
*sfx for door closing*
*sfx for someone eating soup*

or the likes

Come here Raneday - Silva called a beautifull girl - *sfx for kiss girl in cheek* im glad to see you.

Nice example right? And good diaoligue :)

 

[Silva]

Here is what I use:

http://joannamarple.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Onomatopoeia-Book.pdf

Also this people deserve a national statue at square for intelectual investment in english language

 

[Nahrenne]

Come here Raneday - Silva called a beautifull girl - *sfx for kiss girl in cheek* im glad to see you.

Nice example right? And good diaoligue :)

. . .
*would personally not enjoy that kind of sound effect in my mind while reading*
X

 

[lnv]

lnv you are my hero. Hontony origato !!!!!!

no problem, glad to help. (Especially when people can spell my name correctly)

 

[Bluebery]

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-onomatopoeia-in-nature.html
...
Dogs: Bow wow....
Wth is that?????
How is that even a dog?

 

[boboverlord]

It's better without onomatopoeia if your description is short and powerful enough. Description also allows characters' styles to indirectly tell what's in their heads (as long as you don't use omnicient 3rd person).