Images associated with speech sounds: their universality and individuality

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26330321
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Kansei informatics
• Research Institution: Kobe Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Nakanishi Noriko 神戸学院大学, グローバル・コミュニケーション学部, 准教授 (80512285)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Hisashi Okamoto 神戸学院大学, 経済学部, 講師 (00713249)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 音象徴 / 共感覚 / 英語音声学 / オノマトペ / 言語普遍性 / 言語習慣 / SD法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sound symbolism is a notion that the speech sounds carry certain images on their own. This study was to investigate whether some English phonemes are associated with certain impressions, and whether the impressions are universal or language specific. Research conducted with 322 respondents (native English, Chinese, or Japanese speakers) showed a common tendency among the three language groups, in that the front vowels are more likely to be related with [+ evaluation], [- potency], and [+ activity] images than back vowels. It was also indicated that the extent that the sound symbolism is felt varies among the native language groups.

Free Research Field

英語音声学