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#1 |
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Proud Dad: Again
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Right where I should be
Posts: 295
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Dictionary of grunts?
Is there a list anywhere of the grunty uhh ugh hmm grr type sounds our characters might use? Struggling a bit here.
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#2 |
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Freelance Writer
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,369
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Under "grunt," The Flip Dictionary (my favorite thesaurus) lists "groan" and "snort." Not sure if that's helpful to you.
If you're looking for sounds that aren't words, it's usually better to avoid those. Occasionally, a well-placed, "Ugh!" will serve you well. But most of the time, you're better off with a detailed description instead. For example: His eyes bulged, his face turned red, and he made a sound like a woman during the transitional phase of labor. I guess he didn't like my critique of his novel. The groan that came out of his throat sounded like a cross between a mating baboon and a dying gorilla. Time to run for my life. |
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#3 |
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The grad students did it
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,006
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I certainly hope there is no such dictionary that would encourage writers to use more and varied phonetic sounds in their writing.
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Phoenix (Historical - 2006)First Place, 2007 Arizona Authors Assoc. Book Awards Whiskey Creek Press Something Bad (Horror - 2007) Medallion Press. Silver Medal, 2008 IPPY awards, Horror category Rollicking Anthropomorphisms (Poetry Collection - 2008) 2009 EPPIE Award Finalist Whiskey Creek Press Agnes Hahn (Psychological Suspense 2008) Medallion Press Silver Medal, 2009 IPPY awards, Horror category Imola (Sequel to Agnes Hahn 2009) - Medallion Press 3.99 (Psychological Suspense/Mystery 2012) - Musa Last edited by NeuroFizz; 01-23-2013 at 01:27 AM. |
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#4 | |
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Classy, eloquent, shit like that...
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 7,047
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Quote:
qft
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Three words that convey the meaning of six will always look better than twelve.... |
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#5 |
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Totally Ninja!
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: I had something for this...
Posts: 10,732
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Pfft!
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Write the turd. Polish the turd. Submit the turd. |
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#6 | |
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Proud Dad: Again
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Right where I should be
Posts: 295
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Quote:
I worry that detailed sound descriptions might get a bit old as I try to find a unique simile for each. Giving it a go though. Regards |
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#7 |
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Classy, eloquent, shit like that...
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 7,047
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they will sound odd if you have whole pages of "ungh?" "Gah." "OOOh, ungh..." because it's painful and doesn't tell us anything useful.
Try a new spelling each time, and it will be just as painful, and look like you have commitment issues.
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Three words that convey the meaning of six will always look better than twelve.... |
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#8 |
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figuring it all out
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 61
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Grumbled? I think this would work if you are grunting while speaking.
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#9 | |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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Quote:
According to my sources at Oxford it would have included such priceless gems as: guuwhaaaaaa'kh - the first retching groan uttered by someone just winded by a punch to the stomach also hnnggggaaaawohrrooooowwwwwnggggngngnaaaakh - the sound uttered by an inconsiderate bastard who is trying to defaecate whilst constipated
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I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by Rufus Coppertop; 01-23-2013 at 06:49 PM. |
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#10 |
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New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Part-time Pennsylvania, part-time Maine
Posts: 6
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I can't tell if the concept of such a dictionary is hilarious or terrifying. I kinda want one.
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#11 |
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practical experience, FTW
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
Posts: 339
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If I come across a difficult sound to describe, I make the sound myself. I find that hearing it out loud helps me figure out how best to write it.
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I married my co-writer. We shared the fun of writing, now he's in the Navy and I'm at home, rewriting and (theoretically) revising.Living in NY state for the six coldest, dreariest months of the year. Boo. |
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#12 |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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The Oxford dons obviously had second thoughts.
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I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#13 |
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The grad students did it
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,006
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...and orgasms should be written as, "ung, ung, ung, ung, uuuunnnng, gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh." Or something similar.
__________________
Phoenix (Historical - 2006)First Place, 2007 Arizona Authors Assoc. Book Awards Whiskey Creek Press Something Bad (Horror - 2007) Medallion Press. Silver Medal, 2008 IPPY awards, Horror category Rollicking Anthropomorphisms (Poetry Collection - 2008) 2009 EPPIE Award Finalist Whiskey Creek Press Agnes Hahn (Psychological Suspense 2008) Medallion Press Silver Medal, 2009 IPPY awards, Horror category Imola (Sequel to Agnes Hahn 2009) - Medallion Press 3.99 (Psychological Suspense/Mystery 2012) - Musa |
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#14 | |
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10 thumbs=100 or chase X 5
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Albany, Oregon
Posts: 2,762
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Don't give up, Rufus. If at first you don't succeed, spoof, spoof again. |
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#15 | |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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Quote:
They had collected, compiled or come up with enough grunts and noises for at least a few hundred pages though. That's my understanding. I seriously wish they'd go through with it.
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I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#16 | |
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10 thumbs=100 or chase X 5
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Albany, Oregon
Posts: 2,762
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Quote:
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#17 | |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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Quote:
![]() Maybe we should start such a dictionary. Here's another offering for starters. Hwooor Gaw! - the sound made by a person of uncouth disposition whilst hanging out of a passing car, ogling at a woman he deems attractive.
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I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by Rufus Coppertop; 01-24-2013 at 12:51 AM. Reason: damn typos! |
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#18 |
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figuring it all out
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 99
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You must write this dictionary! I'm pledging a fiver up front for my copy and I haven't even read the Amazon review yet. You have an incredible ear for grunts.
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#19 |
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Editing. Will it never end?
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: The Seattle suburbs
Posts: 445
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Oh, boy, I'm bracing for a torching but there actually IS a website of such words. I know because I used it (judiciously) during NaNoWriMo. When you're under the 30 day deadline, you do crazy things. What can I say?
Although, I have to admit that if I'd thought to come to AW for such assistance, I might have gotten several more creative options. Fortunately, I wasn't using such "words" for my characters' couplings because I think my fingers would have gotten tired typing all of those letters.ANY hoo, I am new and uncertain as to the protocol of pasting website links into posts on AW and, try though I did, I couldn't find the answer in the FAQs, so WriterDude, if you want to PM me, I can give you the link. I don't think I would be doing you TOO terrible a disservice, although I definitely agree, they should be used sparingly. |
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#20 | |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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Quote:
__________________
I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#21 |
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Now what?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,399
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It's never been a problem. People do it all the time.
__________________
I hate my MC's and my current WIP. This is how much I hate them..... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#22 |
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Editing. Will it never end?
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: The Seattle suburbs
Posts: 445
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#23 |
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figuring it all out
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 99
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You could do a whole series. Work your grunts into different languages, 'Grunts of the World'. Tourists could carry handy pocket-sized grunt guides and know how to grunt in foreign countries without causing offence to locals. They could consult them on those many, many occasions where only a grunt will do, such as falling downstairs.
Then you could branch out to pet grunts, grunts of the farmyard, grunts of the rainforests ... you could really go places with this. |
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#24 |
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Editing. Will it never end?
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: The Seattle suburbs
Posts: 445
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#25 | |
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New writer since 07/2012.
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 250
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Quote:
"Unh", he grunted in the affirmative (hoaky?) ... or whatever would make more sense in your context.
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Cornelius Gault WIPs: #1: The Gault Legacy (10K words) since 07/2012 (shelved). #2: Story Elements (31K words) since 11/2012. #3: Murder-Mystery Elements (30K words) since 01/2013. #4. Detective 12/Double Novel (Drake: 11,616, Leo: 8,470, Total: 20,086 words ) since 02/2013 (active). --- as of 05/12/2013 --- Last edited by Cornelius Gault; 01-24-2013 at 08:07 AM. |
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