Agh or Ugh and other Onomatopoeias

Nightd · Feb 24, 2012

This question has been nagging at my subconscious for the past three years, and I haven't gotten around to asking it until I started doing the final edits on my manuscript, now.

I assume there is no difference between Agh and Ugh.

However, I use them both in my manuscript. Parallelism is nagging at me.

Should I just stick with one and use it consistently throughout the book or it doesn't matter and it just comes down to the matter of one's own voice/style (or house style if your book gets published).

What about someone screaming, "AH!" or "AHHHHHH!"

What are the rules for Onomatopoeia? If you spell one one way, does it have to be consistent throughout the book. I assume the ""Ahhhhhh!" with more 'Hs' would imply a longer scream, so I guess parallelism doesn't apply in this case.

Maybe another example would be "OW!" or "OWW!"

Bufty · Feb 24, 2012

How often have you seen Agh and Ugh in a book you've read?

Nightd · Feb 24, 2012

Quite a few in children's books/novels

Well, in Percy Jackson Book I, I just found an instance of "SHH!" and "SHHH!"

So I assume readers/publishers/editors aren't nick picky about these things and there isn't really a rule for Parallelism for onomatopoeia?

Or it could be an error missed at the typewriter. It's gonna to take me a while to shift through books.

mirandashell · Feb 24, 2012

I find that this depends on what POV you're writing in. I'll accept it in dialogue or first person but not in third.

As for the spelling, I read Agh as a scream, Ugh as a grunt signifying disgust or distate and Ahhhh as a sigh. So they're not all the same.

Nightd · Feb 24, 2012

yeah I forgot to mention only in dialogue.

The sentences leading up the Onomatopoeia will imply what it means I guess.

Ahhhh could be interepeted as a longer scream, sigh, or even someone marveling at something like "Oooooh, Ahhhhh!"

I assume Agh could be used as Ugh as well

HoneyBadger · Feb 24, 2012

Charlie Brown says "aaugh."
Cathy says, "ack."
Stephen King characters say, "ayuh."
I say, "Hmm, it can be done, but usually? Blech. I do have two 'shhs' and a 'hurghrgurr,' but only in dialogue, as I try to avoid them, because, you know. Meh. Obviously, some readers will psht and tsk any anti-onomatopoeians as the readers like the oomph of real-world sounds."

Commas, though? Love 'em.

Agh or Ugh and other Onomatopoeias

Nightd

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Nightd

mirandashell

Nightd

HoneyBadger

terribly loud, emotionally distant