Sound–meaning association biases evidenced across thousands of languages

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Vol/Iss. 113(39) National Academy of Sciences Washington, D.C Published In Pages: 10818-10823
By Blasi, Damian E., Wichmann, Søren, Hammarström, Harald, Stadler, Peter F., Christiansen, Morten H.

Hypothesis

Many basic vocabulary items will be associated with specific sounds across world languages.

Note

74 sound-meaning associations ("signals") were detected. Prominent associations include "small" and i, "full" and p or b, "tongue" and l, "nose" and n.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
UNKNOWNSupportedUNKNOWNUNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Basic Vocabulary Meaning(s)AssociationVocabulary, Semantics
Basic Vocabulary Sound(s)AssociationVocabulary, Phonology