Certain words sound like the very things that they mean. I don't mean words like 'bang' and 'boom' that are designed to mimic sounds. I mean words that naturally form over time and just happen to sound like the things they represent.
A good example is 'complain'. The word 'complain' actually sounds like it's complaining. Another word like this is 'republic'. It rolls off the tongue in a way that represents that very type of government. It has a firm, resolute stress on the second syllable.
Like when a lion roars or a cat meows?
ceremonious
You mean onomatopoeia?
Burp, belch, puke, spew, regurgitate, upchuck
Some adjectives sort of sound like themselves: pompous, meticulous, bombastic, serene, etc. But maybe that's just associations they've built up over a lifetime of use.
Japanese has lots of "gitaigo" adjectives that don't mimic sounds but still act like onomatopoeia: fuwafuwa for fluffy, etc.
Howabout all of those totally perfect Yiddish words....
Mike
Are these threads getting dumber or just louder?
(https://frinkiac.com/video/S07E23/7LMrmT0K9Z3OG7VX0uUCn-Ul-WY=.gif)
Quote from: kurumi on January 16, 2020, 12:01:58 PM
But maybe that's just associations they've built up over a lifetime of use.
This is exactly it. I am certain that if "fuwafuwa" meant "pompous" then we'd be talking about that instead.
Phlegm.
Quote from: hbelkins on January 16, 2020, 02:01:21 PM
Phlegm.
That also
looks (on paper) exactly like what it means, which might be another thread altogether.
Quote from: webny99 on January 16, 2020, 06:05:30 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 16, 2020, 02:01:21 PM
Phlegm.
That also looks (on paper) exactly like what it means, which might be another thread altogether.
I like the way the lowercase 'e' looks in words that are funny, because the 'e' looks like it's laughing.