The submorphemic conjecture in English: towards a distributed model of the cognitive dynamics of submorphemes

Abstract

This study is based on a general review of the vowel and consonant clusters known as submorphemes, ideophones and phonaesthemes that are evidenced in the lexicon of the English language. The aim is to investigate the cognitive relevance of submorphology for language users and observers and try to determine whether such relevance exists at all or whether the linguist is the only one to perceive a link between submorphemic order and lexical-semantic classes. Various aspects of the question will be explored: the nature of submorphemic semantics (specifically in the case of English) – expressive, impressive or mechanistic (classifying lexical items and catalyzing form / matter connections in both directions) and their differentiated distribution (the speaker’s, hearer’s and linguist’s respective experiences of submorphemics).

Keywords

• submorphemic elements
• distributed cognition
• enaction
• ideophones