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Science Quickly
Do Pain and Joy Have a Universal Language?
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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Quick takeaways
- Research indicates that expressions of pain across various languages share phonetic similarities, reflecting a common biological response among humans.
- In contrast, emotional expressions like joy vary across cultures, highlighting the influence of societal factors on linguistic evolution.
Deep dives
The Universality of Pain Expressions
Research reveals that many languages share similar exclamations for pain, reflecting a potential common biological and evolutionary feature among humans. A linguist's observation noted that expressions of pain in languages, such as the word 'ouch' in English and its equivalents in other languages, often begin with similar vowel sounds. A broader study surveyed 131 languages and revealed that these pain interjections are more phonetically alike than other types of expressions, suggesting a deeper connection among human experiences of pain. This indicates that these sounds may have emerged from innate human vocalizations related to physical discomfort.
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