Sounds Full of Meaning and the Evolution of Language

Abstract

Imagine that you are a child again and smell freshbaked cake when you come home after school. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s apple cake or your neighbor’s famous cheesecake. You audibly inhale through the nose and your eyes roll because the cake smells delicious. You open the door. There is a piece waiting for you right there, still warm and fresh from the oven! You take a bite. Now, with this memory in place, how could you let someone experience it with you? You could try describing the taste with words. Maybe the cake is mild, maybe zesty, or maybe it’s just delightful! However, it might be difficult to describe a sensory experience like that using conventional language.