Can you "see" sounds? Exploring how children connect sounds and meanings

This study is Peggy Liaw's Honours research project and co-supervised by Dr. Penny Pexman, Dr. David Sidhu, and Lorraine Reggin. Thank you to all of the families who have contributed to this project thus far!

In language, the relationship between words and their meanings often appears random. There are no fixed rules stating that a word must sound or be spelled a certain way to represent a specific thing. Think of the word "C-A-T," for instance; we only envision a furry pet with whiskers because we have learned to make that association.

However, there are some words that are exempt from this arbitrariness.

Sound symbolism is when the sounds and meanings of words resemble one another.

“Purr” is an example of a sound-symbolic word because its sound reflects what it describes. Interestingly, researchers have discovered that this effect can also work in reverse. In some cases, a word's sound can influence its meaning or how it is perceived.

BOUBA-KIKI EFFECT

A well-known example of this is the "bouba-kiki effect," which suggests that words with round, soft sounds are often linked to round shapes, while words with sharp, harsh sounds are associated with spiky shapes. The bouba-kiki effect can even be applied to names. People with names that sound round, like "Molly," are often seen as having round-like features, and spiky-sounding names, like "Kate," tend to be matched with sharp, angular characteristics.

During sound symbolism research, participants are frequently shown shapes similar to those above and tasked with identifying the "Bouba" (positioned on the left) and the "Kiki" (commonly associated with the shape on the right).

WHY IS SOUND SYMBOLISM SO IMPORTANT?

There is some research to suggest that sound symbolism starts to emerge as early as 4 months old. It plays a crucial role in early language development and helps children understand how words connect to objects and concepts in their world. Sound symbolism can also support word learning by offering cues that make it easier for children to remember words.

Some studies have shown that children's sensitivity to sound symbolism improves as they gain more language experience, but not all studies agree on this. As well, few studies have looked at the development of sound symbolism with names.

More research is needed to fully understand the connection between language development, sound symbolism, and the sounds in names.

CAN 5 TO 7-YEAR-OLDS DETECT THE BOUBA-KIKI EFFECT?

In this study, children between the ages of 5 and 7 will hear names that either sound round or spiky. They will then be asked to match those names with pairs of alien shapes. They will also be tested on their vocabulary and communication skills.

The goal of this study is to examine if a consistent pattern emerges in the shapes children associate with first names and whether this relates to their language abilities.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

This research not only deepens our understanding of children's language development, but it has the potential to improve how we support children's language growth. If children's ability to detect sound symbolism is influenced by their language skills, using sound-symbolic words in teaching strategies could be an effective way to help children learn new words.

“First-grade boy helps girl classmate with assignment” by Allison Shelley/

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