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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, delves into the fascinating world of linguistic expressions of pain and joy. She discusses how universal sounds like 'ouch' resonate across 131 languages, revealing shared human experiences. Parshall also explores the intriguing connections between vowel sounds and emotions, shedding light on phenomena like onomatopoeia and the bouba-kiki effect. The conversation further connects language evolution to emerging brain-computer interface technologies that enhance communication for speech-impaired individuals.
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Quick takeaways
- Research shows that expressions of pain like 'ouch' share phonetic similarities across 131 languages, suggesting a biological basis for pain vocalizations.
- In contrast, expressions of joy and disgust vary significantly between cultures, reflecting the influence of cultural contexts on emotional language.
Deep dives
Linguistic Expressions of Pain
Research into how different languages express pain reveals surprising similarities in the vocalizations people use across cultures. A study led by a French linguist examined how words like 'ouch' and their counterparts in various languages share phonetic characteristics. It found that expressions of pain were more alike across 131 languages than expressions of joy or disgust. This suggests that these pain interjections may originate from shared biological responses rather than just linguistic coincidence.
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