Japanese sound-symbolic words for representing the hardness of an object are judged similarly by Japanese and English speakers

• Main Authors: Wong, Li Shan, Kwon, Jinhwan, Zheng, Zane, Styles, Suzy J., Sakamoto, Maki, Kitada, Ryo
• Other Authors: School of Social Sciences
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology; Sound Symbolim; Hardness; Material Perception; Japanese; Touch
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/160273
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Contrary to the assumption of arbitrariness in modern linguistics, sound symbolism, which is the non-arbitrary relationship between sounds and meanings, exists. Sound symbolism, including the "Bouba-Kiki" effect, implies the universality of such relationships; individuals from different cu...