Sound symbolism (SoSe 2022)

Course description:
In linguistics studies, we learn that morphemes are the smallest units that carry meaning. But can sounds have a meaning? In this seminar, we will explore this question. We will look at linguistic iconicity at the level of sounds. We will look at the possibilities of sounds to create meaning across languages and within a language. We will also discuss why sound symbolism might be so important to our communication system. As participants, you will be encouraged to conduct your own experiments in groups based on previous research.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of phonetics and phonology, good command of English texts
Advantageous: Knowledge of Praat, statistical evaluation methods (with R)

Full assessment available upon request.