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The sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis for language acquisition and language evolution
1Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan imai@sfc.keio.ac.jp.
Summary
Sound symbolism, a non-arbitrary link between sounds and meaning, aids language acquisition in infants. This process helps children learn words by connecting sounds to objects, supporting language development.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Sound symbolism, the non-arbitrary mapping of speech sounds to meaning, challenges traditional linguistic views.
- Evidence suggests sound symbolism plays a crucial role in language processing and acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence supporting sound symbolism as a key feature of language.
- To propose the sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis for language acquisition.
- To explore the link between sound symbolism, language evolution, and iconic representations.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on sound symbolism.
- Theoretical proposal of the sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis.
- Comparative analysis of language evolution and individual language development.
Main Results:
- Infants demonstrate sensitivity to sound symbolism, facilitated by multi-modal integration.
- Sound symbolism aids infants in achieving referential insight and associating sounds with meanings.
- This mechanism assists toddlers in word learning by simplifying referent identification.
Conclusions:
- Sound symbolism is a fundamental aspect of language, significantly impacting acquisition.
- The sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis provides a framework for understanding early word learning.
- Sound symbolism may be linked to broader principles of iconic representation in communication and evolution.
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