ANIMAL ONOMATOPOEIAS

     A funny question that I have sometimes heard from the youngest students is «Do dogs say ‘Guau’ in English?», or «How do dogs bark in English?». It may sound naive or childish but it is not so stupid to make that question as most people think.

     To begin with let me show you this illustration that provides the onomatopoeia used in many languages of the sound dogs make. This will show you that we are dealing with a cultural aspect radically different from one language to another. 

     It is funny to notice the amount of onomatopoeias that there are in English.  There are lots of words that imitate sounds and whose meanings are related to the sounds they evoke. Crash, crack, splash, zip, twank, boo, flip, knock, hiss, jingle, twinkle, boom, … and many more, are good examples.

      When it comes to animal sounds, and in spite of a few similarities, it is funny to notice how different animals sound in English, that is, how different the word used to reproduce the sound of an animal in English is from the one used in Spanish. This is a very interesting cultural aspect.

If a cow says «moo» in English, what does she say in Spanish? Mu, of course. But when we’re talking about sounds that animals make, it isn’t always that simple.

That shouldn’t be surprising — after all, in English words such as «bark,» «bow-wow,» «ruff-ruff» and «arf» are used to imitate the sound of a dog.

The following list shows the sounds made by various «Spanish-speaking» animals and the equivalent word or sound used by the «English-speaking» animals.

• abeja(bee):bzzz (zumbar)— buzz
• búho(owl):uu uu (ulular)— who, hoo, hoot
• burro(donkey):iii-aah (rebuznar)— heehaw
• caballo(horse):jiiiiiii, iiiiou (relinchar)— neigh, n-a-a-a-y
• cabra(goat):bee bee (balar)—baa, b-a-a-a-a
• cerdo(pig):oink-oink, oinc-oinc (gruñir)— oink
• gallina(hen):coc co co coc (cacarear), kara-kara-kara-kara— cluck
• gallo(rooster):kikirikí, ki-kiri-ki (cantar)— cock-a-doodle-doo
• gato(cat):miau (maullar)— meow
• león(lion):grrrr, grgrgr (rugir)— roar, growl
• oveja(sheep):bee, mee (balar)— baa, b-a-a-a-h
• paloma(dove):cu-curru-cu-cú (arrullar))— coo
• pato(duck):cuac cuac— quack
• pavo(turkey):gluglú— gobble
• perro(dog):guau guau, guau (ladrar)— bark, bow-wow, arf, ruff
• pollito(chick):pío pío— chirp, tweet (That’s why Tweety is Piolín in Spanish)
• rana(frog):cruá cruá, berp, croac (croar)— ribbit, croak
• vaca(cow):mu, muuu (mugir)— moo
• 

«At this point I have been in Lopez de Arenas almost seven months! The time has flown by, and I have just one month left. It has been great seeing the students’ English improve and I am continuously impressed by how much they understand. One thing we could work on more, however, is RESPONDING in English. Students are quick to let me know they understand, but when it comes to forming their own sentences they tend to be much quieter. Here are some pieces of advice I have for students to help them improve their vocabulary and fluency:

Even if you feel silly, always TRY to speak in English in class. Even if it is not perfect, mistakes are the only way to learn what is correct and what is not. I remember making lots of mistakes while learning Spanish, but I learned far more from making myself speak than I ever did from a book. Besides, what is the point of learning another language if you never use it?

When you watch American/British movies or television, listen to the original version with Spanish subtitles. It’s an easy way to get used to hearing how different words sound pronounced by a native speaker without being bored! I really like the shows Modern Family and The Voice. If you ever go to Seville center, there is a movie theater that plays new movies in the original version with Spanish subtitles (Avenida 5). On Wednesdays they are cheaper too!

If you don’t know the word for something, it’s ok! Just use words that you do know. For example, if you don’t know how to say “granja” in English (farm), you could say “the place where there are animals and land.”

Look up the song lyrics (letras) in English to American songs that you like. A lot of popular songs in Spain come from the United States or England, and it is an easy way to learn vocabulary that you can actually use (when you sing you will know what you are saying).

Keep up the good work in class, and talk to you soon!»

By Jessica Gibian