The foundational role of sound quality for understanding demonstratives

Wilson, Jack

Abstract

This paper explores the role of sound quality in the interpretation of demonstratives, arguing that their function is deeply connected to acoustic properties and human auditory perception. Drawing on research from psychoacoustics, sound localization, and philosophical and linguistic theories, I suggest that demonstratives are rooted in fundamental mechanisms of auditory cognition. The discussion begins with an examination of echolocation in bats, introducing the concept of meta-acoustic awareness – an ability to adjust vocal signals based on expected environmental interactions. I contend that what is special about echolocation is that it is self-directed. The vocal calls of humans, however, are fundamentally other-directed. I argue that other-directed meta-acoustic awareness is the basis for demonstrative reference. Demonstratives, such as “this” and “that,” function as indexicals requiring contextual information to be meaningful. However, their phonetic properties exhibit a universal pattern: proximal demonstratives tend to feature higher-frequency vowels, while distal demonstratives contain lower-frequency vowels. I argue that this contrast is not arbitrary but reflects an evolved sensitivity to acoustic cues that facilitate spatial orientation. By revisiting Bertrand Russell’s theory of egocentric particulars, I demonstrate that his insights on perception and reference anticipated key aspects of modern psychoacoustics. His emphasis on the physical reality of verbal utterances aligns with findings in sound symbolism, which suggest that the frequency of speech sounds conveys spatial relationships. Additionally, I explore evidence from child language acquisition and animal communication, showing that sound frequency influences reference and localization across species. Ultimately, I propose that demonstratives evolved within an auditory framework that exploits human sensitivity to spatially distributed sound patterns. This perspective challenges traditional semantic theories by grounding demonstratives in an embodied, perceptual system that integrates speech with spatial cognition. Understanding demonstratives as products of sound-based reference provides a new lens for analyzing linguistic structure and its cognitive underpinnings.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Apr 9, 2025
• Publication Date: Mar 26, 2025
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 27, 2026
• Journal: Intercultural Pragmatics
• Print ISSN: 1612-295X
• Electronic ISSN: 1613-365X
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 71-94
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ip-2025-0005