The physical basis for phonological iconicity
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Keiko Masuda
Abstract
This paper examines the physical basis of two types of phonological iconicity from a phonetic viewpoint and attempts to unravel the mechanism of phonological iconicity in its entirety. Many researchers consider the basis of association in indirect phonological iconicity (e.g. high-front vowels being associated with smallness) to be acoustic resonance frequency, size of oral cavity, and kinesthetic sensation. The first two bases appear closely related when examined in the light of the general principle in direct phonological iconicity (e.g. BOW-WOW). The bases both involve the front oral cavity (FOC), the resonance frequency of which is also the key factor in direct phonological iconicity (Masuda 2003; 2005). Therefore FOC may be one of the most influential bases of phonological iconicity.
Abstract
This paper examines the physical basis of two types of phonological iconicity from a phonetic viewpoint and attempts to unravel the mechanism of phonological iconicity in its entirety. Many researchers consider the basis of association in indirect phonological iconicity (e.g. high-front vowels being associated with smallness) to be acoustic resonance frequency, size of oral cavity, and kinesthetic sensation. The first two bases appear closely related when examined in the light of the general principle in direct phonological iconicity (e.g. BOW-WOW). The bases both involve the front oral cavity (FOC), the resonance frequency of which is also the key factor in direct phonological iconicity (Masuda 2003; 2005). Therefore FOC may be one of the most influential bases of phonological iconicity.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface and acknowledgements vii
- List of Contributors ix
- Introduction: Insistent Images 1
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PART I. Iconicity and grammaticalization
- Putting grammaticalization to the iconicity test 17
- Iconic thumbs, pinkies and pointers 37
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PART II. Iconicity and the aural
- The physical basis for phonological iconicity 57
- Reading aloud and Charles Dickens’ aural iconic prose style 73
- Iconicity and the divine in the fin de siècle poetry of W.B. Yeats 91
- Is lámatyáve a linguistic heresy? 103
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PART III. Iconicity and the visual
- The beauty of life and the variety of signs 113
- Forms of restricted iconicity in modern avant-garde poetry 129
- Eco-Iconicity in the poetry and poem-groups of E.E. Cummings 155
- The language of film is a matrix of icons 173
- Liberature 191
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PART IV. Iconicity and conceptualization
- Meaning on the one and on the other hand 211
- Iconic text strategies 229
- ‘Damn mad’ 247
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PART V. Iconicity and structure
- Iconicity and the grammar–lexis interface 269
- Iconicity in the coding of pragmatic functions 289
- Double negation and iconicity 301
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PART VI. Iconicity and multimedia / intertextuality
- Iconicity in multimedia performance 323
- Author index 347
- Subject index 353
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface and acknowledgements vii
- List of Contributors ix
- Introduction: Insistent Images 1
-
PART I. Iconicity and grammaticalization
- Putting grammaticalization to the iconicity test 17
- Iconic thumbs, pinkies and pointers 37
-
PART II. Iconicity and the aural
- The physical basis for phonological iconicity 57
- Reading aloud and Charles Dickens’ aural iconic prose style 73
- Iconicity and the divine in the fin de siècle poetry of W.B. Yeats 91
- Is lámatyáve a linguistic heresy? 103
-
PART III. Iconicity and the visual
- The beauty of life and the variety of signs 113
- Forms of restricted iconicity in modern avant-garde poetry 129
- Eco-Iconicity in the poetry and poem-groups of E.E. Cummings 155
- The language of film is a matrix of icons 173
- Liberature 191
-
PART IV. Iconicity and conceptualization
- Meaning on the one and on the other hand 211
- Iconic text strategies 229
- ‘Damn mad’ 247
-
PART V. Iconicity and structure
- Iconicity and the grammar–lexis interface 269
- Iconicity in the coding of pragmatic functions 289
- Double negation and iconicity 301
-
PART VI. Iconicity and multimedia / intertextuality
- Iconicity in multimedia performance 323
- Author index 347
- Subject index 353