Synesthetic sound symbolism Conventional sound symbolism
17 The following tables are basically to show the phonesthemic sounds along
with their contents synthesized from the three theories of conventional sound symbolism. The purpose of dividing the phonesthemic sounds into three tables is
simply to make them more understandable. However, the researcher allows any possibility if there will be phonesthemic sounds existing in lullabies or play songs,
but not stated in those three tables, as long as they refer to particular content. Table 2.1 is presented phonesthemic sounds whose positions are at the
beginning of words. There are 10 phonesthemic sounds having more than one content, whereas the rest of the sounds have one content only.
18
Table 2.1 Initial Phonesthemic Sounds No.
Sound Content
1. b-
dull impact “anchored” path abrupt, loud onset path 2.
bl- loud, air-induced sound path
3. d
ʒ - up-and-down-movement
4. dr-
liquid classifier, path simple path 5.
ɛ r intense
6. fl-
phenomena of movement in air or moving light 2 dimensional classifier liquid path
7. gl-
phenomena of light unmoving light 8.
i diminutive
9. itr
intermittent 10.
j-t ʃ -
short path 11.
kl- abrupt onset path
12. kr-
bent noisy impactpath abrupt onset 13.
m- liquid path
14. n-
3 dimensional classifier 15.
ow steady
16. p-
“anchored” path abrupt onset path 17.
pl- abrupt onset path
18. r-
irregular onset 19.
ʃ sk- 2 dimensional, flexible classifier
20. sk-
swift movement 21.
skr- grating impact or sound
22. sl-
smoothly wet liquid path 23.
sn- breath-noise quick separation or movement creep
24. sp-
cylindrical classifier 25.
sp-t rush of liquid
26. st-
arrest 1 dimensional classifier 27.
st-nt piece of performance
28. str-
1 dimensional, flexible classifier 29.
str-p line having breadth
30. θ-
low pitch, slow onset 31.
t ʃ -
irregular onset 32.
tr- liquid classifier simple path
33. tw-
twisting motion 34.
w- back and forth path poorly resolvable onset path
35. y
loud, vocal tract noise path 36.
z- poorly resolvable onset path
Taken from Bolinger’s, Bloomfield’s, and Rhodes’ theories