Sound Symbolism summery
Sound Symbolism:
Sound symbolism or phonosemantics is a branch of linguistics which refers to the idea that vocal sounds have meaning. In particular, sound symbolism is the idea that written representations of sounds carry meaning in and of themselves. (1)
One example of this is “Onomatopoeia” using words such as “WHAM, BANG, WHOOSH” to enhance the description of an action. As used in many languages “Onomatopoeic words can seem to have a tenuous relationship with the object they describe” (2), but perhaps only understood by the native speaker of the language as variations of the same sound may differ juristically in others when translated.
An example of this can be given in the sound a dog makes:
(2)
Bow wow – English
Wau Wau – German
Uau Uau – Interlingua
Vov viv – Danish
There are also theory’s behind the use of “sound words” that could relate back to primitive humanist communication as from where our first spoken words had come from.
“This hypothesis places the origin of human language in onomatopoeia: the various imitative sounds that humans make to mimic the sounds of the world around them” (3)As well as the idea that, humans may have also learnt to speak from mimicking the sounds of other animals”(3)
‘”Size” is the immediate meaning projected by the pitch of voice but the ultimate meanings, by association, are undoubtedly much wider. Low pitch probably means not only “large” but also aggressive, assertive, self-confident, dominant, self-sufficient, etc. The meaning of high pitch in addition to small is non threatening, submissive, subordinate, in need of the receiver’s cooperation and good will’ (4) – Ohala cites many languages to support his position. Furthermore, he argues that animals also use pitch variations in the same way that humans do (4)
However, there is more to the meaning of sounds and relationships to their physical partners then just the plain mimicry of them.
Although many linguists have said that sound and meaning are arbitrary
“Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) “the sign is arbitrary, the words that we use to indicate things and concepts could be any words – they are essentially just a consensus agreed upon by the speakers of a language and have no discernible pattern or relationship to the thing. Thus, the sounds themselves have no linguistic meaning.” (5)
Adjacent to this view is the use of “Phonosemantics” which describes positive relationships between sound and “ideas” or in particularly “the link between letters and ideas” (5)
Ie: In words such as “trembling, rugged, strike, crush, bruise, break, crumble and whirl” all depict the notion of movement by using the letter “R” (6)
Iconism also calls upon similar concepts, but through grouping words with similar meanings such as “stamp, stomp, tamp, tromp, tramp, step”. The (m) makes an action more forceful when placed before (p) – to compare stamp with step. The (r) then sets the word in motion – as tamp is standing still, whilst tramp is descriptive of movement (5)
This idea can also apply to the analogy of images and word associations. Certain sounds may evoke shapes and colours, and idea’s as to how a sound could be represented and vice-versa. For instance, if seeing a pointy/sharp shape, it could relate to words with hard consonants, where a round shape will evoke soft consonants. (7)
Evidence of this is shown through research and testing of names in multiple languages to fit with animals or objects with specific characteristics (7). For instance, in the language of South American, a “mezaha” is a large slow moving animal, where a “kuzikuzi” is small, fast animal.
“ah” and “ee” sounds in each of the words create the feel for slower and faster sounding things. (7)
Other testing of this can also be found in “Brand names”, where the name given to a product attaches certain attributes to it, hence creating an underlying message for the product and its attractiveness to consumers.
“Obstruents are perceived as harder and more masculine, sonorants as softer and more feminine. Consider the two name brands Clorox, a hard-working laundry product, and Chanel, a perfume”(8)
Some examples using non-sense names
* Voiceless stops (p, t, k) carry a greater connotation of
speed than do voiced stops (b, d, g). E.g., Pavil sounds faster
than Bavil.
* Voiceless stops (p, k) connote smallness better than voiced
stops (b, g). E.g., Kortan seems smaller than Gortan.
* Fricatives (v, f, z, s) connote speed better than stops (b, p,
d, t). E.g., Sarrant seems faster than Tarrant.
* z connotes smallness better than s. E.g., Zyndron seems more
compact than Syndron.
* Voiced fricatives (v and z) connote speed better than voiceless
fricatives (f and s). E.g., Valdon seems faster than Faldon.
* Dentals (d and t) connote speed better than labials (b and p).
E.g., Taza seems faster than Paza.
* Stops (b, p, d) connote dependability better than fricatives (v,
f, z, s). E.g., Bazia seems relatively more dependable than
Vazia.
* d seems relatively dependable, while g seems relatively
undependable. E.g., Damza seems more dependable than Gamza.
(8)
Bibliography:
(1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_symbolism#Phenomimes_and_psychomimes
(2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomatopoeia
(03)
http://forum.quoteland.com/1/OpenTopic?a=tpc&f=8951976686&m=300104935&r=300104935
(4)
Ohala, John J. 1983. ‘Cross-language use of pitch: an ethological view’, Phonetica, Vol. 40: 1-18.
Sound symbolic and grammatical frameworks: A typology of ideophones in Asian and African languages.
(5)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_symbolism#Phenomimes_and_psychomimes
(6)
Plato and Cratylus Dialogue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_symbolism#Phenomimes_and_psychomimes
(7)
What’s in a name? Sound symbolism… By: C.M., Science News, 00368423, 04/12/97, Vol. 151, Issue 15(8)
Sound that name. By: Cohen, Bob, Across the Board, 01471554, Nov/Dec95, Vol. 32, Issue 10
1 response so far ↓
Elroydh // March 26, 2008 at 8:51 pm |
Great text.., man