A Dictionary-based Quantitative Analysis of the Sound-symbolic System of Japanese Ideophones

Ideophones are characterized by sound symbolism, a non-arbitrary relationship between speech sounds and meaning, which is observed across languages worldwide. Despite the increasing interest in sound symbolism and ideophones in cognitive science, Japanese ideophone research has lacked a robust quantitative approach. This paper proposes a dictionary-based method to quantify the sound-symbolic system of Japanese ideophones and presents statistical results that support and extend previous findings. The proposed method aims to advance the objective and comprehensive analysis of ideophones, sound symbolism, and iconicity, offering valuable contributions to ongoing discussions in the cognitive sciences.