Date: Wednesday, 19 October 2022 – 3:00pm-4:30pm
Title: Sound Symbolism and Iconicity
Location: DT-2203 & Online (via Zoom)
Speaker: David M. Sidhu
Abstract:
Sound symbolism refers to associations between language sounds and particular semantic and/or perceptual properties. The most well-known example is the maluma/takete effect. When shown a round shape and a spiky shape, and told one is a “maluma” and one is a “takete”, most people pair maluma with the round shape, and takete with the spiky shape. Beyond shape sound symbolism, there are associations between language sounds and size, brightness, tastes and even personality traits. As I will discuss, sound symbolism has implications for our understanding of the fundamental nature of language. It also affects processes as diverse as person perception and memory. Sound symbolism also allows for words to be iconic: for the form of a word to imitate its meaning. For example, the word “cactus” contains sounds associated with spikiness and refers to a spiky object. In this talk I provide an overview of my past research on sound symbolism and iconicity which includes: the search for an underlying mechanism, name sound symbolism, sound symbolism in English nouns; and the effects of iconicity on language processing, development and structure.
Note that this talk will be similar to the one planned for the Psychology Colloquium Series in November.
Bio:
I was born in Toronto and completed my undergraduate degree at York University. I then moved to Calgary to do my graduate work at the University of Calgary. After that I held a SSHRC-funded postdoctoral position in London at University College London. I joined the psychology department at Carleton University in 2022. My research focuses on language, in particular the relationship between sound and meaning in language. I am also interested in embodied cognition.