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The role of sound symbolism in language learning

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The role of sound symbolism in language learning. / Monaghan, Padraic; Mattock, Karen; Walker, Peter.
In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, Vol. 38, No. 5, 09.2012, p. 1152-1164.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Monaghan, P, Mattock, K & Walker, P 2012, 'The role of sound symbolism in language learning', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 1152-1164. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027747

APA

Monaghan, P., Mattock, K., & Walker, P. (2012). The role of sound symbolism in language learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 38(5), 1152-1164. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027747

Vancouver

Monaghan P, Mattock K, Walker P. The role of sound symbolism in language learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. 2012 Sept;38(5):1152-1164. doi: 10.1037/a0027747

Author

Monaghan, Padraic ; Mattock, Karen ; Walker, Peter. / The role of sound symbolism in language learning. In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. 2012 ; Vol. 38, No. 5. pp. 1152-1164.

Bibtex

@article{ef4c4b011a85414898d4e301c9dbd461,
title = "The role of sound symbolism in language learning",
abstract = "Certain correspondences between the sound and meaning of words can be observed in subsets of the vocabulary. These sound-symbolic relationships have been suggested to result in easier language acquisition, but previous studies have explicitly tested effects of sound symbolism on learning category distinctions but not on word learning. In 2 word learning experiments, we varied the extent to which phonological properties related to a rounded–angular shape distinction and we distinguished learning of categories from learning of individual words. We found that sound symbolism resulted in an advantage for learning categories of sound-shape mappings but did not assist in learning individual word meanings. These results are consistent with the limited presence of sound symbolism in natural language. The results also provide a reinterpretation of the role of sound symbolism in language learning and language origins and a greater specification of the conditions under which sound symbolism proves advantageous for learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)",
author = "Padraic Monaghan and Karen Mattock and Peter Walker",
year = "2012",
month = sep,
doi = "10.1037/a0027747",
language = "English",
volume = "38",
pages = "1152--1164",
journal = "Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition",
issn = "0278-7393",
publisher = "AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC",
number = "5",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of sound symbolism in language learning

AU - Monaghan, Padraic

AU - Mattock, Karen

AU - Walker, Peter

PY - 2012/9

Y1 - 2012/9

N2 - Certain correspondences between the sound and meaning of words can be observed in subsets of the vocabulary. These sound-symbolic relationships have been suggested to result in easier language acquisition, but previous studies have explicitly tested effects of sound symbolism on learning category distinctions but not on word learning. In 2 word learning experiments, we varied the extent to which phonological properties related to a rounded–angular shape distinction and we distinguished learning of categories from learning of individual words. We found that sound symbolism resulted in an advantage for learning categories of sound-shape mappings but did not assist in learning individual word meanings. These results are consistent with the limited presence of sound symbolism in natural language. The results also provide a reinterpretation of the role of sound symbolism in language learning and language origins and a greater specification of the conditions under which sound symbolism proves advantageous for learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

AB - Certain correspondences between the sound and meaning of words can be observed in subsets of the vocabulary. These sound-symbolic relationships have been suggested to result in easier language acquisition, but previous studies have explicitly tested effects of sound symbolism on learning category distinctions but not on word learning. In 2 word learning experiments, we varied the extent to which phonological properties related to a rounded–angular shape distinction and we distinguished learning of categories from learning of individual words. We found that sound symbolism resulted in an advantage for learning categories of sound-shape mappings but did not assist in learning individual word meanings. These results are consistent with the limited presence of sound symbolism in natural language. The results also provide a reinterpretation of the role of sound symbolism in language learning and language origins and a greater specification of the conditions under which sound symbolism proves advantageous for learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872675697&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/a0027747

DO - 10.1037/a0027747

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84872675697

VL - 38

SP - 1152

EP - 1164

JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition

JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition

SN - 0278-7393

IS - 5

ER -