Abstract

Children and adults consistently match some words (e.g., kiki) to jagged shapes and other words (e.g., bouba) to rounded shapes, providing evidence for non-arbitrary sound–shape mapping. In this study, we investigated the influence of vowels on sound–shape matching in toddlers, using four contrasting pairs of nonsense words differing in vowel sound (/i/ as in feet vs. /o/ as in boat) and four rounded–jagged shape pairs. Crucially, we used reduplicated syllables (e.g., kiki vs. koko) rather than confounding vowel sound with consonant context and syllable variability (e.g., kiki vs. bouba). Toddlers consistently matched words with /o/ to rounded shapes and words with /i/ to jagged shapes (p < 0.01). The results suggest that there may be naturally biased correspondences between vowel sound and shape.

Highlights

  • These sound symbolic regularities allow adults to categorize words in unknown foreign languages (e.g., Berlin, 1994)

  • Sound symbolism is evident in the associations between objects and nonsense words

  • Adults and children as young as 2.5 years associate rounded and jagged shapes with different nonsense words. Our sensitivity to such sound symbolism may have affected the evolution of languages and may influence children’s language development (e.g., Imai et al, 2008; Ramachandran & Hubbard, 2001)

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Summary

Introduction

These sound symbolic regularities allow adults to categorize words in unknown foreign languages (e.g., Berlin, 1994). Sound symbolism is evident in the associations between objects and nonsense words. Adults and children as young as 2.5 years associate rounded and jagged shapes with different nonsense words (e.g., bouba; maluma vs takete; kiki, respectively; Davis, 1961; Kohler, 1929; Lindauer, 1990; Maurer, Pathman, & Mondloch, 2006; Ramachandran & Hubbard, 2001).

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