Cover not available

In:The Linguistics of Olfaction: Typological and Diachronic Approaches to Synchronic Diversity
Edited by Łukasz Jędrzejowski and Przemysław Staniewski
[Typological Studies in Language 131] 2021
► pp. 251–276

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload Book PDF
authorization required

An overview of olfactory expressions in Formosan languages

 | National Dong Hwa University
Published online: 26 April 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.131.09lee
This chapter presents an overview of smell lexicon and olfactory expressions in Formosan languages (i.e., the Austronesian languages spoken in Taiwan) and their typological significance. The linguistic structure of olfaction in these languages is divided into abstract smell terms and source-oriented construction. Abstract smell terms include both generic and specific smell terms. Source-oriented construction in these languages is represented by the morphological schema [PREFIX-/PROCLITIC=(REDUPLICATION) X]. The factors [± human], [± polite], and [± visible] play a role in the choice of smell terms and olfactory constructions, which pragmatically pertain to euphemistic usage and verbal abuse. Olfactory expressions are categorized cognitively in relation to pragmatic functions and metaphorical mappings.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1Language distribution and the speakers
    • 2.2An outline of grammatical characteristics
    • 2.3Data collection
  • 3.Abstract smell terms
    • 3.1Generic smell terms in Formosan languages
    • 3.2Specific smell terms in Formosan languages
  • 4.Source-oriented construction
  • 5.Analytical strategies
  • 6.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgments
  • Abbreviations
  • Notes
  • References
References (33)
References
Blust, Robert. 1985. The Austronesian homeland: A linguistic perspective. Asian Perspective 26(1): 45–67.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1988. Austronesian Root Theory [Studies in Language Companion Series 19]. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1999. Subgrouping, circularity and extinction: Some issues in Austronesian comparative linguistics. In Selected Papers from the Eighth International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics [Symposium Series of the Institute of Linguistics (Preparatory Office), Academia Sinica 1], Elizabeth Zeitoun & Paul Jen-kuei Li (eds), 31–94. Taipei: Academia Sinica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2006. Supertemplatic reduplication and beyond. In Streams Converging into an Ocean: Festschrift in Honour of Professor Paul Jen-kuei Li on His 70th Birthday, Henry Y. Chang, Lillian M. Huang & Da-an Ho (eds), 439–460. Taipei: Academia Sinica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Burenhult, Niclas & Majid, Asifa. 2011. Olfaction in Asian ideology and language. Senses & Society 6(1): 19–29. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cain, William S. 1979. To know with the nose: Keys to odor identification. Science 203(4379): 467–470. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1982. Odor identification by males and females: Predictions vs. performance. Chemical Senses 7(2): 129–142. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Classen, Constance. 1993. Worlds of Sense: Exploring the Senses in History and across Cultures. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2005. McLuhan in the rainforest: The sensory worlds of oral cultures. In Empire of the Senses, David Howes (ed.), 147–163. Oxford: Berg.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Diamond, Jared M. 2000. Linguistics: Taiwan’s gift to the world. Nature 403: 709–710. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Engen, Trygg. 1987. Remembering odors and their names. American Scientist 75(5): 497–503.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ho, Da-an. 1978. A comparative study of five Paiwan dialects [In Chinese]. Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology 49(4): 565–681.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, Amy Pei-jung. 2007. A Typological Study on Reduplication in Formosan Languages. PhD dissertation, University of Essex.
. 2009. Kavalan reduplication. Oceanic Linguistics 48(1): 130–147. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2010. Reduplication and odor in four Formosan languages. Language and Linguistics 11(1): 99–126.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2015. Lexical categories and conceptualization of olfaction in Amis. Language and Cognition 7(3): 321–350. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, Paul Jen-kuei. 1973. Rukai Structure [Special publications – Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica; no. 64]. Taipei: Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1978. A comparative vocabulary of Saisiyat dialects. Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology 49(2): 133–199.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1981. Reconstruction of Proto–Atayalic phonology. Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology 52(2): 235–301.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1988. A comparative study of Bunun dialects. BIHP 59(2): 479–508.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1999. History of Formosan Natives: A Linguistic Perspective [In Chinese]. Nantou: Taiwan Literature Committee.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2008. The great diversity of Formosan languages. Language and Linguistics 9(3): 523–546.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, Paul Jen-kuei, Ho, Da-an, Huang, Lillian M., Zeitoun, Elizabeth & Saillard, Claire. 1997. The Austronesian Languages in Kaohsiung County. Fengsan: Kaohsiung County Hall.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Majid, Asifa & Burenhult, Niclas. 2014. Odors are expressible in language, as long as you speak the right language. Cognition 130(2): 266–270. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Majid, Asifa, Senft, Gunter & Levinson, Stephen C. 2007. The language of olfaction. In Field Manual Volume 10, Asifa Majid (ed.), 36–41. Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pandya, Vishvajit. 1987. Above the Forest: A Study of Andamanese Ethnoamenology, Cosmology, and the Power of Ritual. PhD dissertation, University of Chicago.
Plümacher, Martina & Holz, Peter (eds).2007. Speaking of Colors and Odors [Converging Evidence in Language and Communication Research 8]. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Teng, Stacy Fang-ching. 2008. A Grammar of Puyuma, an Austronesian Language of Taiwan. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ting, Pang-hsin. 1978. Reconstruction of Proto-Puyuma phonology [In Chinese]. Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology 49(3): 321–392.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tsuchida, Shigeru. 1982. Subclassification of Amis dialects. Ms.
Yeh, Mei-li. 2000. Reduplication in Bunun and Saisiyat [In Chinese]. Taiwan Humanity 5: 359–384.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zeitoun, Elizabeth. 2007. A Grammar of Mantauran Rukai [Language and Linguistics Monograph Series No. A4–2]. Taipei: Academia Sinica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zeitoun, Elizabeth, Tai-hwa, Chu & a Tahesh Kaybaybaw, Lalo. 2015. A Study of Saisiyat Morphology [Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication no. 40]. Honolulu HI: University of Hawai’i Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Siahaan, Poppy
2022. Indonesian basic olfactory terms: more negative types but more positive tokens. Cognitive Linguistics 33:3 ► pp. 447 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 7 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue