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Definition 2024


imitative_harmony

imitative harmony

English

Noun

imitative harmony (plural imitative harmonies)

  1. Onomatopoeia.
    • 1869, J. G. Hincks, "The Process of Derivation of the Spanish Language from the Latin," Anthropological Review, vol. 7, no. 25., p. 158,
      Primitive languages being founded on the direct imitation of natural sounds, necessarily abound in imitative harmony.
    • 1966, H. A. Grubbs, "Review: Stange Clamor, A Guide to the Critical Reading of French Poetry by Frederick O. Musser," The Modern Language Journal, vol. 50, no. 3, p. 170,
      The chapter on "Sound" discussed completely and interestingly what is often called by the rather barbarous name onomatopoeia and for which I prefer imitative harmony.