[Lexicog] Onomatopoeia

[Scott Nelson]

Dear Ken K. 
     The meaning, or 'category, of onomatopoeia is straight-forward -- sounding like the meaning - but the occurrences have interesting twists and flavors. Encarta lists ‘buzz’ as an example of onomatopoeia – imitating the sound of the action. On background, Shakespeare had coined the term ‘buzzer’ (noun form), but he’d used it to refer to people who were gossips (the Oxford American Dictionary attributing the root word to the Middle English term “busse” -- imitation – hence Shakespeare’s “imitators” or “copyers” of what they’d heard). But the suggestion (in Shakey’s use of the term -- assumably) refers not only to the literal meaning, but to the “buzz” that is created in the immediate environment of gossiping – akin to bees buzzing, or muted, hushed whispers about “Did you hear about
”.  
   
       Hamlet 4.5.89-95
       
Her brother is in secret come from France,
       Feeds on his wonder, keeps himself in clouds,  
       And wants not buzzers to infect his ear
       With pestilent speeches of his father's death, 
       Wherein necessity, of matter beggared,
       Will nothing stick our person to arraign
       In ear and ear.  (Signet)
       
Others may have another angle on the "category" of onomatopoeia. 
  Good luck, Scott Nelson
       
  ** wonder, keeps himself in clouds = suspicion in clouds = i.e. in cloudy surmise and suspicion (rather than the light of fact) (Riverside)
  ** wants not buzzers = does not lack talebearers (Signet) 
  ** of matter beggar'd  =  destitute of facts (Riverside)     
  ** buzzers = whispering informers 
  ** Will nothing stick will not hesitate (Signet)  
** nothing stick our person to arraign = scruple not at all to charge me with
       the crimes (Riverside) 


Kenneth Keyes <ken_keyes at sil.org> wrote:  Dear all, 

Does anyone have suggestions as to how to include information about
onomatopoeitic words? What field should this go under? 

Many Thanks in advance,

Ken Keyes 




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