them funny words

[lomagu]

Does anyone know where I can find a (preferrably large) list of definitions for those words in Japanese used for sounds/actions/feelings etc? I forget what you call them. For example, 「どんどん、さらさら、ぎりぎり」. There's also a different set of words I think sound similar & can never remember the meaning.. ex. 「はっきり、しっかり」.

thanx!

[MenomaMinx]

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Japane ... fl=0&x=wrt

[MenomaMinx]

http://www.thejapanshop.net/readers/jazz.htm

[Mukade]

lomagu wrote:
...those words in Japanese used for sounds/actions/feelings etc? I forget what you call them.

擬音語 - ぎおんご - onomatopoeia (for sounds)
擬態語 - ぎたいご - mimetic word (for feelings, sensations, etc.)

I don't know how readily available it would be in the U.S., but Andrew Chang's book is pretty comprehensive. It has hundreds of entries:
和英 擬態語・擬音語分類用法辞典 (わえいぎたいご・ぎおんごぶんるいようほうじてん)
The English secondary title is:
A Thesaurus of Japanese Mimesis and Onomatopoeia: Usage by Categories

[lomagu]

MenomaMinx, I checked out the link. Thanx, it was helpful

Mukade, is that book fairly easy to find in Japan? Do you think any good sized book store would carry it?

[Mukade]

I don't know off-hand if it's something your average bookstore would carry, but it's available on amazon.co.jp

[jinksys]

If you ever read manga, you better get to know onomatopoeia since they are used ALOT.