Study Reveals Global Sound-Shape Associations: R is Jagged, L is Smooth
A study from the University of Birmingham reveals a strong cross-cultural association between the trilled R sound and rough textures or jagged shapes, and the L sound with smooth textures or straight lines. This pattern was observed in 94% of participants for the R sound and 84% for the L sound across 28 languages, surpassing the bouba/kiki effect in consistency. The findings suggest these sound-symbolic associations may have influenced language evolution, making trilled R sounds common despite their articulation difficulty.