It is not surprising to learn that Swedish sheep say “bAA”, but did you know that Korean owls go “bunng-bunng” rather than “twit-twoo”?
These gems of knowledge can be found at Sounds of the World’s Animals, a website that reveals how different languages use onomatopoeiac words to express animal noises.
It is ideal for primary teachers looking to introduce language learning to their classrooms. The noise words of 38 animals are provided in most of the world’s main languages. Each page includes a picture and many have sound files as well.
Visitors to the site are encouraged to contribute additional sounds in their own languages and submit their own audio files.
* www.georgetown.edu
