Sound-Meaning Associations in the Emotive Vocabulary -- Evidence from more than ۳۰۰ Languages

Background and Aim: Ferdinand de Saussure is generally accepted to be the "father of modern linguistics". One of his many influential assumptions consists of the claim that there is no logical or intrinsic relationship between a 'signifier' (sound pattern) and the 'signified' (concept). Work done on Sound Symbolism questions this basic assumption of modern linguistics, the arbitrariness of the sign and says that for a considerable amount of words, there is a non-arbitrary connection between the sound pattern and the concept the sound pattern represents. Most works on emotions talk about how emotions are expressed in utterances rather than words (see Scherer ۱۹۷۹). It is assumed that the bearer of emotions is to be found in suprasegmental features of sentences rather than words. In the current study, we try to prove that there are non-arbitrary sound-meaning associations in the emotive lexicon of more than ۳۰۰ languages. Methods In the current study, we are looking at ۹۴ words denoting emotions in ۲۴۲-۳۱۵ languages and we try to find patterns in the phonological make-up of the languages in question. The source of the word list used in this study is the chapter “Emotions and values” of the Intercontinental Dictionary Series (Key & Comrie ۲۰۱۵) and comprises a long list of emotive concepts. Results: With the computational turn, we are now able to automate the process of finding such patterns. The current study is an attempt in delivering sound symbolism patterns by looking at the distribution of phonological features on certain concepts in a wide range of typologically independent languages. Conclusion: The distinction between experience and observance is important when it comes to describing the phylogenetic origins of emotive terms. Between what is felt and what is perceived on others there is a perceptional gap that has to be filled to be able to holistically use a concept. The problem is known as the problem from inter-subjectivity. Since perception (especially visual perception) is the strongest human modality, we can assume that emotive concepts have evolved from the perception of others (which means the physiological reaction) to the ascription of the concept to ones own feelings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Phonosemantics ، Sound Symbolism ، Typology ، Cognitive Linguistics