A Study of Sound Symbolism: The Maluma-Takete Effect Among Persian Speakers

The Maluma-Takete effect is a phenomenon in which certain shapes are associated with specific sounds in language. However, there is limited research on this effect in Persian and other domestic languages. This study aims to investigate whether Persian speakers also experience the Maluma-Takete effect and whether there is a correlation between rounded and sharp phonemes and corresponding shapes. Additionally, the study explores whether literacy or illiteracy has any influence on the occurrence of this effect and if there are any gender differences. The present study involved 200 participants, including men and women aged 18 to 60 years, equally divided between literate and illiterate individuals. A paper-based questionnaire was used as the research instrument, and statistical tests such as Phi and Cramer's V were conducted using SPSS 26 software. The findings support previous research, indicating that the Maluma-Takete effect is not limited by geographical boundaries, conditions, or literacy. The non-word Maluma, consisting of rounded phonemes and a shape without sharp edges, showed a strong positive relationship. Similarly, the non-word Takete, composed of sharp phonemes and a shape with jagged edges, also displayed a strong positive relationship. Gender did not impact participants' responses to shapes, while literacy showed a weak and insignificant relationship. Finally, this study confirms the presence of the Maluma-Takete effect among Persian speakers and suggests that the association between language sounds and shapes is not influenced by literacy or gender. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on sound symbolism and its universal nature.
Introduction
Sound symbolism is the relationship between phonemes and their perceptual or semantic features (Sidhu et al., 2021). The Maluma-Takete effect is a prime example of sound symbolism. This effect refers to the relationship between certain language sounds with curved shapes and some language sounds with pointed shapes, as established by Kohler's (1929) test.
The present study examines the relationship between round sounds (such as /o/ and /u/) and curved shapes, and sharp sounds (such as /t/) and jagged or sharp shapes. This research aims to answer these questions:

Is the Maluma-Takete effect observed among Persian speakers?
Is there a relationship between round or strident vowels and curved or jagged shapes?
Is literacy or illiteracy effective in the occurrence of the Maluma-Takete effect?
Is there a difference in the occurrence of this effect in men and women?

The research hypothesis of this study is that, in Persian, similar to findings in other languages, the non-word Maluma refers to forms with curved edges and the non-word Takete refers to forms with jagged or sharp edges. There is no relationship between literacy or illiteracy and the type of response to forms, and no correlation is expected between participants' gender and their response.
Method
This research was quantitative and descriptive in nature, belonging to the correlational type. The statistical population consisted of adults aged 18 to 60 in Mashhad who were fluent in Persian and had normal hearing. The statistical sample included 200 adults, both men and women, consisting of 100 literate and 100 illiterate participants, selected through the available method. The research instrument was a researcher-designed paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The examiner read each item aloud to the participants, and their responses were recorded based on their answers. Two images—one with a jagged or sharp edge and one with curved borders—were printed on separate sheets. First, the image with a jagged border was shown to the participants. The examiner pronounced the two non-words Maluma and Takete expressively and asked the participants to show which image represented Maluma and which represented Takete. The same procedure was then repeated for the curved shape. All responses were recorded.
Results
To describe the obtained data, the percentage frequency index was used. Since the current research sought to investigate the relationship between the variables, the correlation between the variables was calculated. The research variables—namely, curvature or sharpness of the shape edges, literacy, and gender—were nominal in nature; Therefore, "phi" and "Kramer's V" tests were applied. The results indicated that 70.50% of all the participants preferred the non-word Maluma for the shape with curved edges, while only 29.5% associated the non-word Takete for this shape. Conversely, 71.5% of all participants chose the non-word Takete for the shape with a jagged border, whereas only 28.5% of participants selected the non-word Maluma for the same shape.
Conclusion
In recent years, research has been conducted contrary to the traditional view in linguistics. This work suggests that sound symbolism is an important characteristic of language, influencing the moment-to-moment processing of language and, most notably, language acquisition. The findings of the present research are consistent with those of previous research in this field. Overall, the Maluma-Takete effect appears to be robust across geographical boundaries, gender, and literacy.