Key research themes
1. How are onomatopoeia and related sound-symbolic phenomena formally differentiated and classified within language systems?
This research area focuses on the rigorous distinctions and classifications among onomatopoeia, alliteration, and imitative harmony, clarifying their conceptual boundaries and acoustic-phonetic foundations. It is crucial for resolving terminological confusion and understanding the mechanisms of iconicity and sound symbolism in language. Moreover, it encompasses phonosemantic analyses that relate specific phonological properties to categories of sound-symbolic words across languages, supporting universal classification frameworks.
2. What roles do onomatopoeia and sound-symbolic words play in early language input and acquisition?
This theme investigates the prevalence, salience, and cognitive function of onomatopoeic words in early speech perception and production, particularly in infant-directed speech and child language development. It examines how the acoustic and prosodic properties of onomatopoeia in caregiver input make them salient and conducive to early word learning. Understanding these processes is critical for theories of language acquisition, sound symbolism bootstrapping, and early phonological development.
3. How are sound symbolic and onomatopoeic words neurally represented and processed in language users?
This theme explores the cognitive neuroscience of sound symbolism, focusing on the neural substrates activated by onomatopoeic and mimetic words during language comprehension and production. It addresses whether these words engage typical left-hemisphere language areas alone or additionally recruit sensory-motor and multimodal integration regions due to their direct sensory-meaning mappings, thereby elucidating dual linguistic and iconic neural representations.