|About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us|
A.Word.A.Daywith Anu Garg What does a dog's bark sound like? Ask
someone this question and the answer would depend on what
language that person speaks. To an English speaker it may be
woof woof or ruff ruff, while a Japanese speaker would say it's
wan wan, while to an Indian it sounds like bhow bhow, even if
it's the same dog. Sounds we hear conform to the aural palette
we are familiar with. Onomatopoeic words are those that are
formed by the imitation of sounds they describe. There are words
coined to describe sounds, words such as beep, honk, and boom.
There are animals named after their calls, such as cuckoo and
gecko. This week we'll feature five words whose imitative
origins may not always be so obvious. MEANING:noun: A group of
people hired to applaud at a performance. ETYMOLOGY:From French
claque, from claquer (to clap), of imitative origin. Earliest
documented use: 1864. NOTES:Although a claque is usually hired
to applaud, sometimes it is also u