Onomatopoeia: The Sounds of Life

Actually finding an opportunity to return emails or check online accounts is nearly impossible for me. I've tried to teach my children that it is like when mommy is on the phone..... DO NOT interrupt! But they rarely observe that rule...so when I found myself in a nearly deserted house the other day, I jumped at the chance. I was merrily typing away, when I heard....

KREEE-UNCHH... KREEE-UNCHH..... KREEE-UNCHH

What was that....?

KREEE-UNCHH... KREEE-UNCHH.....

“Sara....? What’s that noise?” She was in the next room.... although I try not to automatically assume it is always her, SHE was the only within earshot at the moment.

“Nooooothing.” she chimes back sweetly.

Hmmmmmm....... right....

KREEE-UNCHH..KREEE-UNCHH..KREEE-UNCHH... KREEE-UNCHH....

“What the heck is that?!?”

“Nothing!” she screams back a bit too defensively.

KREEE-UNCHH-KREEE-UNCHH-KREEE-UNCHH-KREEE-UNCHH-KREEE-UNCHH...

“SARA! What are you doing!?!” I demand as I marched into the adjoining room.



“It’s my leaf collection. I don’t want them anymore, so I’m making sprinkle pictures. See! This one looks like a puppy. Isn’t he cute?”

A quarter of my living room floor, which happens to be carpeted in light beige, is littered with the remnants of hundreds of dead leaves. As I grit my teeth, I yank the vacuum out of the closet, shaking my head, realizing that if I open my mouth, even just a little bit, I will end up yelling, so I just keep gritting and begin the funeral service.

My story's sound effects, came from Unk - The Unknown Screenwriter’s website, where I stumbled upon an exhaustive list of Onomatopoeia [on-no-mat-a-pia] a word that imitates or suggests a sound.

I just couldn’t resist. I’ve personally heard most of them in my own home. Here is a sample....

KLONG... KLOONG... KLONG... KLOOONG – Pot Lid Cymbals

FEE-WHAM – Skateboard careening into the side of the house

THUNK – My son hitting the cement, shortly after... followed by screaming

FWAK – Notebook to the head

CHOKKCHOKK CHOKKCHOKKCHOKK – Needing to know what’s inside a golf ball

VER-SLOTCH – Sopping wet clothing retrieved from the toilet hitting the floor...followed by me screaming

HWOOO HWOOO........... HWOOO........HWOOO HWOOO – Balloon Volleyball

SSSHLURRRP – Spaghetti Night

TITTLE-TITTLE – “Lift the LID!!!”

FA-WUMP – Pot Lid Cymbals with someone’s head between them... ending with more screaming