A Cross-Linguistic Investigationof the Phonological Means in Mimetic Words
Mimetic words belong to a category that is both universal and distinctive.Cross-linguistic surveys indicate that mimetic words exhibit distinct and unique characteristics in both phonological structure and functional expression.In terms of phonological structure,the"special"nature of mimetic words manifests in various forms,with reduplication being the most typical phonological means.However,in some languages,other means such as sound variation,phonological alterna-tion,lengthening of vowels,contrast in high and low tones,rearrangement of syllables,specific consonantal structures,and final consonants also distinguish the semantics of mimetic words.These phonological means enhance the subjective hue when expressing mimetic meanings,displaying analogical and generative properties,and contributing to a vast cluster of mi-metic words.
mimetic wordsresemblancephonological meanssound-meaning association
万方数据
维普
