Given below is a list of words that describe sounds. Categorise them as positive or negative. Work in pairs.

i) Jarring – negative

Note: The word ‘jarring’ is used generally to denote a loud noise, say, because of the shutting of a door fiercely and so on.

ii) Lilting – positive

Note: Lilting is a word that is used to refer to playing musical notes and instruments in a melodious way.

iii) Melodious – positive

Note: melodious refers to a sound that is pleasant to hear and is often related to music – singing or playing an instrument, etc.

iv) Discordant – negative

Note: the word discordant is used to refer to something that is not in harmony, and is really unpleasant to hear, say discordant musical notes out an instrument that one doesn’t know to play, etc.

v) Resonant – positive

Note: the word resonant is used to denote echoing or resounding, or even amplified sound. Although it may be positive or negative depending on the place and the sound, in general cases it can be said that resonance causes a positive effect, say a resonant valley where one is crying his name out to hear it resound from the hills.

vi) Mellifluous – positive

Note: the word mellifluous is used to refer to a sound or a note that is pleasant and melodious to hear.

vii) Cacophonic – negative

Note: the word cacophonic is used to refer to some sound that is very unpleasant and loud, and seemingly because of a group of noise sources. For example, the cackling of many geese together can tend to get cacophonic.

viii) Raucous – negative

Note: the word ‘raucous’ is used to refer to a noise that seems really harsh and wild, not at all pleasant to hear.