Phonation Types Matter in Sound Symbolism

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Phonetics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Sound symbolism explores the non-arbitrary link between speech sounds and meaning.
• Research has primarily focused on consonants and vowels, neglecting suprasegmental features.
• Phonation types (e.g., creaky voice, falsetto) are understudied in sound symbolism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the size and shape symbolism of four phonation types: modal voice, creaky voice, falsetto, and whisper.
• To determine if phonation types, alongside segmental features, influence perceived meaning.
• To expand the understanding of acoustic approaches to sound symbolism.

Main Methods:

• Japanese speakers evaluated 48 novel words (12 words x 4 phonation types).
• Participants rated perceived size and shape (roundedness/pointedness) on seven-point scales.
• Stimuli varied in phonation type while maintaining segmental consistency.

Main Results:

• Phonation types significantly influenced size and shape perceptions.
• Creaky voice was linked to larger, more pointed images compared to modal voice.
• Modal voice was associated with larger, more pointed images than whisper; falsetto related to roundedness but not smallness.

Conclusions:

• Phonation types are crucial suprasegmental features in sound symbolism.
• The study highlights the importance of considering phonation types in acoustic theories of sound symbolism.
• Findings suggest a broader scope for sound symbolism beyond segmental features.