Science Quickly Do Pain and Joy Have a Universal Language?
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Jan 17, 2025 Allison Parshall, an Associate news editor at Scientific American, dives into the intriguing world of linguistic expressions of pain and joy. She reveals universal sounds used across 131 languages when experiencing pain, suggesting a shared human experience. Parshall discusses the 'ah' sound's emotional connections and how onomatopoeias impact perception. They also touch on fascinating phonetic effects like bouba-kiki and examine cutting-edge research linking language, emotions, and even neurotechnology.
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Naive Observation
- French language researcher Maya Ponsonet observed similarities in pain exclamations across languages.
- This "naive observation" in Australia sparked broader research into pain interjections.
Similarities in Pain Expressions
- Pain interjections like "ouch" and "ai" share surprising similarities across languages.
- These words are more similar across languages than to other words within the same language.
The "Ah" Sound
- The "ah" sound, often a diphthong, is frequently found in pain exclamations.
- This sound appears more in pain interjections than other words, suggesting it isn't coincidental.