I02 H. L. BROOMALL : VOCAL IMITATION. 



his words. So, too, the student of German will recall many 

 forms collateral with the English examples of words with r 

 and / illustrating repeated motion. But the extension of this 

 principle to foreign languages is beyond the scope of this 

 article. 



We thus conclude from our examination of the specimens 

 that there is an imitative association in the mind of the 

 speaker, correlating — 



( 1 ) The flap of the tongue in producing r and /, with 

 ■ ideas of quick, repeated and rotatory motion ; 



(2) A change of vowel or consonant in repeated syllables 

 of a word, otherwise alike, with reciprocal or oppos- 

 ing motion or direction, and 



(3) The contracted or expanded contour of the mouth in 

 producing the gamut of vowels from c to and 00, 

 with ideas respectively of small and large actions 

 and things. 



This association of the action in making sounds with the 

 action of things the sounds name is, after all, but a form of 

 gesture. Motions and positions of the hand, arm, face and 

 head to imitate or emphasize the ideas of the speaker are uni- 

 versal and familiar. It is not a priori improbable, therefore, 

 that the motions and positions of the vocal organs should 

 ally themselves with ideas of motion and position in the 

 objective world. The present array of specimens is intended 

 as evidence of this proposition. 



