Modality exclusivity norms for 747 properties and concepts in Dutch: a replication of English (in prep.)
This
study is a cross-linguistic, conceptual replication of Lynott and Connell’s
(2009, 2013) modality exclusivity norms. Their English properties and concepts
were translated into Dutch, then independently tested as
follows. Forty-two respondents rated the auditory, haptic, and visual
strength of those words. Mean ratings were then computed,
with a high interrater reliability and interitem consistency. Based
on the three modalities, each word also features a specific modality
exclusivity, and a dominant modality. The norms also include
external measures of word frequency, length, distinctiveness,
age of acquisition, and known percentage.
Starting with the results, unimodal, bimodal, and tri-modal words appear. Visual and haptic experience are quite related, leaving a more independent auditory experience. These different relations are important because they may correlate with different levels of detail in word comprehension (Louwerse & Connell, 2011). Auditory and visual words tend towards unimodality, whereas haptic words tend towards multimodality. Likewise, properties are more unimodal than concepts.
The form of words is not quite as arbitrary as we used to think. It is connected to their meaning. This 'sound symbolism' was tested by means of a regression: Auditory strength predicts lexical properties of the words (frequency, distinctiveness...) better than the other modalities do, or else with a different polarity.
See a brief article here.
References
Louwerse, M., & Connell, L. (2011). A taste of words: linguistic context and perceptual simulation predict the modality of words. Cognitive Science, 35, 2, 381-98.
Lynott, D., & Connell, L. (2009). Modality exclusivity norms for 423 object properties. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 2, 558-564.
Lynott, D., & Connell, L. (2013). Modality exclusivity norms for 400 nouns: The relationship between perceptual experience and surface word form. Behavior Research Methods, 45, 516-526.
The entire data set and analyses are available via the link below.
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- Language studies not elsewhere classified
- Other psychology not elsewhere classified
- Linguistics not elsewhere classified
- English language
- Other European languages
- Computer graphics
- Cognitive and computational psychology not elsewhere classified
- Psycholinguistics (incl. speech production and comprehension)
- Comparative language studies