Аллитерация и ономатопея в коротком английском рассказе

1. Alliteration in English short stories
In our paper we analyze such stylistic devices as alliteration and onomatopoeia. With this purpose we use six short stories: “A Lickperry lover” by O’Henry, “Hop-Frog”, “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “A Man In the Crowd” by E.A. Poe, “Ming’s Biggest Prey” by P. Highsmith, “The Monkey's Paw” by W.W. Jacobs.

Аллитерация и ономатопея в коротком английском рассказе

She curved an arm, showing like Psyche's through her shirt-waist sleeve, and rested an elbow upon the show-case edge. (“A Lickperry lover”)
There is my name; I assure you that it is with the greatest respect that I ask the favor of becoming one of your --acquaintances. (“A Lickperry lover”)
The street-corner is her parlor, the park is her drawing-room; the avenue is her garden walk; yet for the most part she is as inviolate mistress of herself in them as is my lady inside her tapestried chamber. (“A Lickperry lover”)
I felt a calm but inquisitive interest in every thing. …(“The Man of the Crowd”)
I had been amusing myself for the greater part of the afternoon, now in poring over advertisements, now in observing the promiscuous company in the room, and now in peering through the smoky panes into the street. …(“The Man of the Crowd”)
…a countenance which at once arrested and absorbed my whole attention, on account of the absolute idiosyncrasy of its expression. …(“The Man of the Crowd”)
With some little difficulty I at length came within sight of him, approached, and followed him closely, yet cautiously, so as not to attract his attention. …(“The Man of the Crowd”)
A few minutes brought us to a large and busy bazaar, with the localities of which the stranger appeared well acquainted, and where his original demeanor again became apparent, as he forced his way to and fro, without aim, among the host of buyers and sellers. …(“The Man of the Crowd”)
So we may consider that alliteration is quite prevalent stylistic device in English short stories.
2. Onomatopoeia in English short story
In analyzed stories we have found 96 examples of onomatopoeia.
These examples are used to:
Describe animal sounds. For example:
Here he miaowed, and was greeted by Elaine and Concha. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Ming went flying backward, claws scraping the deck, but his hind leg went over the edge. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Describe sounds imitating by things (machines or taols, etc):
For some time he followed closely a party of some ten or twelve roisterers; but from this number one by one dropped off,… (“The Man of the Crowd”)
…swallow this bumper to the health of your absent friends,… (“Hop-Frog”)
It was interrupted by a low, but harsh and protracted grating sound… (“Hop-Frog”)
Hop-Frog, clinging to the chain as it rose,… (“Hop-Frog”)
…so that Mrs. White said, "Tut, tut!" and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed by a tall burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
Mr. White dropped it back into his pocket,…(“The Monkey's Paw”)
A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
For a few moments, the loudest sound was the chug-chug-chug of the boat’s motor. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Then the telephone rang. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Describe sounds imitating by people (sighing, laughter, patter of feet, etc):
The waver, the jostle, and the hum increased in a tenfold degree. (“The Man of the Crowd”)
I saw the old man gasp as if for breath while he threw himself amid the crowd;…(“The Man of the Crowd”)
When the floorwalker was not looking Masie chewed tutti frutti;… (“A Lickperry lover”)
He knew in a moment that he stood in the ranks of the ready-made youths who wooed the giggling girls at other counters. (“A Lickperry lover”)
His heart beat loudly at the thought of proposing an unconventional meeting with this lovely and virginal being. (“A Lickperry lover”)
Masie laughed musically. "Oh, gee, no!" she said, emphatically. (“A Lickperry lover”)
"Permission to call!" echoed small eyes, with a snigger. (“A Lickperry lover”)
"Gee!" sighed Masie, thankfully. (“A Lickperry lover”)
"Marry me, Masie," be whispered softly, "and we will go away from this ugly city to beautiful ones. (“A Lickperry lover”)
"Ah! ha! ha!" roared the latter, as the dwarf reluctantly drained the beaker.-" (“Hop-Frog”)
…so that Mrs. White said, "Tut, tut!" and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed by a tall burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
…and the old man started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
"Oh, thank God!" said the old woman, clasping her hands. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
The sound of her sobs died away on his ears. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
"It's Herbert!" she screamed. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
"What are you going to do?" he whispered hoarsely. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
But soon there was another plash and plop, Teddie’s wet feet on the deck… (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
“Ssss-st! Damn you!” the man said in a whisper. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
He was awakened by the rr-rr-r of an unfamiliar car. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Describe sounds produced in nature (wind, sea, thunder, etc). For example:
There were the junior clerks of flash houses- young gentlemen with tight coats,… (“The Man of the Crowd”)
The spirits of the old man again flickered up, as a lamp which is near its death-hour. (“The Man of the Crowd”)
Just think of a shore where summer is eternal, where the waves are always rippling on the lovely beach and the people are happy and free as children. (“A Lickperry lover”)
From the analyses we conclude that the most numerous group is that of describing sounds imitated by people, It makes 58 % of analyzed examples. The next one is the group that describes sounds imitating by things, it makes 31 % of analyzed examples. The group that describes sounds produced in nature makes 9 % of whole examples. And in the group which describes animal sounds we found only 2 example (2%).
We have to say, that a message, containing an onomatopoeic word is not limited to transmitting the logical information only, but also supplies the vivid portrayal of the situation described.
According to classification, there are two varieties of onomatopoeia: direct and indirect.
The first one is a direct onomatopoeia, which contained in words that imitate natural sounds. For example:
He was awakened by the rr-rr-r of an unfamiliar car. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
Here he miaowed, and was greeted by Elaine and Concha. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
For a few moments, the loudest sound was the chug-chug-chug of the boat’s motor. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
…so that Mrs. White said, "Tut, tut!" and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed by a tall burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage. (“The Monkey's Paw”)
Ming caught the song of birds, the odd screams, like shrill phrases, of certain birds that cried only at sunset. (“Ming’s Biggest Prey”)
These words have different degrees of imitative quality. Some of them immediately bring to mind whatever it is that produces the sound. For example: